Smart idea doing a sampler pack of some of the more popular if not altogether mainstream malts, a nice variety that is not too generic. No doubt there is some objective nature to describing the various single malt whiskies out there, there is IMHO a lot more subjectivity and individuality to taste testing them. Also realize that other environmental factors can also cause you to experience different tastes from the same malts at different times---time of day, recently ingested food or drink (including other whiskies), how much you have already drunk, smoky bars, even your own personal mood and surroundings. I can tell you that the same whiskies I drink at home taste entirely better when I was with fun friends in Scotland sitting in the hotel restaurant overlooking the setting sun on the 18th hole of the old course at St Andrews.

My suggestions? First, never trust the first taste--fine scotch comes off very strong with the first taste as it kind of startles the taste buds with its strength of full flavor. Trust the second taste which will settle much more comfortably on the palate and tongue. Second, dont take solid food with the whiskies you are tasting as these can leave residues on the tongue and palate that can mask or alter the actual finer flavors in the whisky. Fatty things like milk, cheese, cooked meats and oils in salad dressings and butter can be particularly troublesome. Third, always cleanse the palate between tasting different whiskies (I prefer to think of it as refreshing rather than cleansing---kind of like recalibrating a scale between weighings to make sure you are back at a consistent baseline), preferably with a nice spring or branch water swish and swallow or two. Lastly vary the order in which you compare the various whiskies as anything tasted after a powerful whisky will by comparison come off as exaggeratedly mild, and vice versa. Mix it up, remembering to refresh between each time.

Although single malt scotches are generally classed by distillery locations--Lowland, Highland, Island or Islay, and the large group of Speysides--each having its "classic" or "stereotypical" flavor descriptions, although these are very arbitrary and by no means absolute. Lowlands are typically describes as light and mild and sweet and smooth without peaty overtones or heavy smokiness. Speysides next are more bold and spicy but usually still relatively sweet and smooth with varying degrees of peat and smoke but generally either or both in moderation. Highlands typically add more strength of flavor, more spice than sweet, tending towards more smoke than peat but generous amounts of each usually evident. The Islays or Islands are IMHO generally the boldest and more powerful malts, full bodied and flavorfull with strong aftertastes, tending toward heavy peat and varying amounts of smoke and spice and only rarely sweet. There are definitely outliers in each category, like Tobermory from the Isle of Mull which is minimally pleated if at all and tastes more like a Lowland than an Island. The Islay brand Bruichlaiddich makes its basic peaty smoky stock but also a couple totally unpeated versions as well that taste more like Highland or even some Speysides, etc., etc., etc....

Then there are the whiskies that are "finish" cashed for their last few years (or more) in various casks that previously held wines like Sauternes, port, Madeira, Ximeniz, sherry, Tuscan and other wines or even rum casks, each of which add those additional flavors on top of the basic stock whisky that went into the second barrel. I particularly like these for their variety and complexity. But these are yet another interesting and exciting kettle of fish to deal with. Another time perhaps.

Try them all and make up your own mind and your own personal descriptions--yours will different than anybody else's , and after all that is really what matters, your tastes. A nice way to try several whiskies without having to buy them all yourself only works if you have several friends who also like or at least are interested in trying different single malt, is to have each buy a bottle of their favorite and then gather the group for a "co-op" style tasting event---most cost effective way for a bunch of folks to try a bunch of different malts in one sitting. Just make sure there won't be any duplications.

Or you could just stop by my house some weekend and we could crack open the whisky vault and see how far down the scotch cabinet alphabet we can get before we need to start calling taxis.