Expectation Bias

The Summary:

Recently I bought a bottle of scotch to celebrate something.  But when I tasted it I really didn't like it.  After a little contemplation, I realized my dislike was actually intense disappointment simply because I was expecting it to be better. My unfounded expectations weren't met and my immediate reaction was dislike.  Often one hears excellent reviews of sought after whisky simply because it is expected that sought after whisky is excellent.  Is this another side of the other side of the coin? Here's the full story:

The Setup:

We recently moved overseas.  That in itself is big enough but we expedited the process.  We had eight weeks from the time we knew the move was going to happen until the time we got on a plane.  Eight weeks to find school for the kids, clean our house to get it ready for both movers and renters, find a property manager, find temporary housing overseas, and get our eight suitcases packed and ourselves on a plane.  And... and it was really like five weeks because we did the three weeks of planned and paid for vacation to say good-bye to our families.  Needless to say once we got here, I decided to treat myself to a bottle of whisky.  
But which one to choose?  It must be only one to make it a singularly special bottle.  I wasn't in the mood for anything in particular, but I wanted it to be special.  For me "special" is either something I've had before and loved or something a bit rare, and in neither case will it break the bank.  Still there were so many bottles to choose from - Aberlour a'bundah, Glenfarclas 21, Nikka from the Barrel, Caol Ila 25, Bunnahabhain Cruach Mhona.  But which one do I choose?  I scanned the shelves of my chosen destination to pick up this one of a kind celebration whisky, pausing on some bottles allowing my mouth to water.

The Choice:

My eyes kept going back to one in particular.  It was a scotch of which two colleagues recently sang praises.  It was a brand I hadn't sipped in a few years.  It was rather rare.  It was only 61 Euros.  Check, check, check, and check.  It was the Caol Ila Distiller's Edition.  For those really geeking out, it is the C-si - 476.

The Tasting:

The whole way home I felt that good feeling you get when you complete something you've been working on for a while and you know you're going to relax.  Yeah, that feeling.  But, it was that feeling plus the anticipation of relaxing with a really good bottle of scotch.  Yeah. 

Next time I move, remind me not to pack all my Glencairns.

But first, the kids.  Have to put them to bed.  

After we got them to bed I cracked it open, took a few sniffs, took a sip, and ...

I didn't like it.

What was this bland swill in my mouth?  Sure it had some peat, fruit, and pepper, but it certainly wasn't a celebration in my mouth.  I was expecting something special.  I wanted to tell my friends about it.  I wanted to see this scotch way up near the top of my rankings.  I was celebrating something and I wanted something that reminded me of the first time my virgin mouth was delighted by scotch.

It tasted familiar.  What was it?  Oban Night's Watch.  Yeah, that's it, this Caol Ila that states on the title this is the one the Master Distiller chooses as their best is just like a peaty version of something a big corporate whisky maker put out to capitalize on a TV show's market.

The Confusion and Clarity:

And that's when I got confused.  I like Oban Night's Watch.  And this Caol Ila is like Oban Night's Watch... so why don't I like it?  Wait, in fact didn't I wonder if I'd like the Oban if it had a little smoke in it?  This was like what I was looking for.  That's when I realized I simply didn't like it because I was expecting more from it and then I was mad it didn't deliver.

This all struck me as the inverse effect of buying a bottle of something everyone else wants - Pappy, Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, a Fies Ile release, or one of those Macallan releases you can only get at the store - and then they get good reviews simply because people want to like them.  But how often does the opposite happen when your expectations are unrealistically high for a good whisky?  Is that really the right question or is the question how much does expectation drive the satisfaction?

My next project is to do some research on expectation driving results when imbibing.  If anyone knows of good articles I'd appreciate your sharing.  Otherwise, stay tuned for my results!

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Soft peat, stone fruits, a little salt.

Palate: The soft peat remains, the brine increases and the fruit gives way to a nice pepperiness.

Finish: Medium with all the components lingering for a bit.  

Overall: I've made my peace with this bottle.  This is a very well balanced and easy drinking Islay whisky.  Adding a little water accentuates the fruity notes.  You won't sit there and ponder and unfold its complexity, but it was a good dram for the 61 Euro/litre I paid for it.  Slainte!