After discovering the wonder of single malts, I've developed the desire to sample many brands. Of course, not wanting to buy a bottle "un-tasted" it occured to me to sample varieties via miniature bottles. In VA the state stores do not carry any to accomplish this. Is there an online source of miniatures? Is it legal to ship? Etc. Thanks for the help.
The good news is that there are many online sources for miniatures that will ship them to you.
The bad news is that whether or not it is legal (in the USA) is determined by state law. As a rule of thumb, it is not legal in states that have state run monopoly liquor stores (the state wants to control liquor sales and collect the taxes). If you're the adventurous sort, these laws are not vigorously enforced, and you may be able to get away with recieving shipments from states that have better selections of whiskies (and miniatures). Of course that's a judgment call you have to make on your own, depending on your circumstances.
An alternative, if you live near a major metropolitan area, is to visit a good whisky bar. A shot of single malt in a bar can be expensive, but it's cheaper than buying a bottle you don't like.
Bart
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