The man:

Hi, I am Klaus. I have studied physics, the most interesting science in the world.
Computers are my second great passion. Not married, but together with a wonderful woman for several years. No children.

   The maniac:

In november 1998 I founded my own whisky club together with some friends. The thrilling months as a malt minion began. I found my true loves in the whisky world relatively soon. After approximatly one year I discovered that Hamburg must lie somewhere near single malt paradise because of the excellent shops. If I remember it right this was the time when I discovered Johannes' site. After some email exchange he invited me to the team of E-reporters which now are the maltmaniacs. I also had the great joy to visit him three times and have wonderful tastings.
I see myself as the value for money expert in the maltmaniacs group. It makes no sense for me to spend additional 50 to 200 percent for an exotic bottle which by luck scores 1 or 2 points more than some very good standard malts. On the other hand this conviction limits my further research. With more than 100 sampled malts the air gets thinner in the budget region.
Ah yes, - and one last thing: I hate the whisky collectors. Either they are foolish and pay large amounts for terrible whisky (> 120$ for a 15 cl bottle of Loch Dhu) or they are responsible for high prices of excellent malts. I buy malts to taste them not to look at them standing on my shelves.

   The future:

1. It seems that the quotient (unknown malts / known malts) for my new purchases will decrease.
It is just that the risk to get an average malt when I select a new one is too great for my small purse.

2.  I have found out that the glassware is very important when you taste whiskies.
At the moment I have more than 6 different glasses.
To find out which is the best one for each whisky will keep me busy for a while.

Malt Maniacs #0 - prE-pistles 2000-2001
E-pistle #01/05 - My Three True Loves
E-pistle #01/08 - Another Day In Paradise
E-pistle #02/10 - Ages of Macallan
E-pistle #03/05 - Maltmadness in Amsterdam
E-pistle #04/02 - Glassware Test
E-pistle #04/08 - Malts for Nothing, Peat for Free

1 – Laphroaig 15yo 1985/2000  (50%, OMC, 'Director's Laudable')  -  I love this peat monster.
2 – Laphroaig 10yo (43%, OB)  -  This is my preferred medicine.
3 – Laphroaig 15yo (43%, OB)  -  Again Laph' in my Top 10.
4 – Macallan 10yo 100 Proof (57%, OB)  -  A wonderful Mac at cask strength.
5 – Macallan 10yo Cask Strength (58.1%, OB)  -  Very near to the 100 Proof.
6 – Highland Park 18yo (43%, OB)  -  Symphony in peat, honey, heather and wood.
7 – Ardbeg 8yo 1991/1999 (43%, SigVin)  -  The nicest young and wild Islay. Too bad - no longer available.
8 – Springbank 21yo (46%, OB)  -  Very good stuff. But damned, why are Springers so expensive?
9 – Laphroaig 10yo Cask Strength (57.3%, OB)  -  Again Laphroaig! Can this be true???
10 – Caol Ila 12yo 1989/2001 (46%,  SigVin Unchillfiltered, Bourbon casks)  -  The best Caol Ila I have tasted.

On 01/07/2002 Klaus' 'Malt-O-Meter' said: 70 single malts sampled and scored.

1. Aberlour 10yo (40%, OB, 80 pts)
2. Aberlour 10yo (43%, OB, 82 pts)
3. Ardbeg 10yo (46%, OB, 86 pts)
4. Ardbeg 17yo (43%, OB, 90 pts)
5. Auchentoshan 10yo (40%, OB, 59 pts)
6. Auchroisk 11y 1989 (43%, Chft, 82 pts)
7. Balvenie DW 12 yo (43%, OB, 86 pts)
8. Balvenie 10yo (43%, OB, 77 pts)
9. Ben Nevis 9yo 1990 (43%, SigVin, 75 pts)
10. Bowmore 8yo (40%, OB, 83 pts)
11. Bowmore 12yo (43%, OB, 84 pts)
12. Bowmore c/s (56%, OB, 87 pts)
12. Bowmore Mariner 15yo (43%, OB, 86 pts)
14. Bruichladdich 10yo (46%, OB, 74 pts)
15. Bunnahabhain 12yo (43%, OB, 76 pts)
16. Caol Ila 15yo (43%, UD F&F, 84 pts)
17. Caol Ila 16yo 1982 (43%, SigVin, 89 pts)
18. Caol Ila 10yo 89/99 (43%, MacKillops, 90 pts)
19. Caol Ila 11yo 1990 (43%, Chieftains, 78 pts)
20. Clynelish 14yo (43%. UD F&F, 78 pts)
21. Clynelish 10yo 89/99 (50%, OMC, 76 pts)
22. Cragganmore 12yo (40%, OB, 75 pts)
23. Dalmore 12yo (43%, OB, 79 pts)
24. Dalwhinnie 15yo (43%, OB, 76 pts)
25. Edradour 10yo (43%, OB, 65 pts)
26. Glen Deveron 10yo (40%, OB, 72 pts)
27. Glen Garrioch 15yo (43%, OB, 76 pts)
28. Glen Grant nas (40%, OB, 56 pts)
29. Glen Livet 12yo (40%, OB, 78 pts)
30. Glen Moray nas (40%, OB, 81 pts)
31. Glen Ord 12yo (40%, OB, 73 pts)
32. Glen Rothes 13yo 1985 (43%, OB, 81 pts)
33. Glen Rothes 11yo 1989 (43%, OB, 78pts)
34. Glen Rothes 10yo 90/00 (43%, Kirsch, 76 pts)
35. Glendronach 15yo (40%, OB, 80 pts)
36. Glenfarclas 105 (60%, OB, 86 pts)
37. Glenfarclas 10yo (40%, OB, 84 pts)
38. Glenfarclas 12yo (43%, OB, 85 pts)
39. Glenfiddich nas (40%, OB, 62 pts)
40. Glengoyne 10yo (40%, OB, 66 pts)
41. Glenmorangie 10yo (43%, OB, 85 pts)
42. Glenmorangie Portwood (43%, OB, 88 pts)
43. Highland Park nas (40%, SigVin, 57 pts)
44. Highland Park 12yo (43%, OB, 90 pts)
45. Highland Park 18yo (43%, OB, 92 pts)
46. Isle of Jura 10yo (40%, OB, 62 pts)
47. Lagavulin 16yo (43%, OB, 88 pts)
48. Lagavulin 5yo (40%, SigVin, 80 pts)
49. Lagavulin 5yo (58%, SigVin, 64 pts)
50. Laphroaig 10yo (43%, OB, 95 pts)
51. Laphroaig 10yo c/s (57.3%, OB, 92 pts)
52. Laphroaig 15yo (43%, OB 94 pts)
53. Laphroaig 16yo 83/99 (52.2%, MacKillops,78pts)
54. Ledaig peated malt nas (43%, OB, 62 pts)
55. Littlemill 10yo 89/99 (43%, SigVin, 75 pts
56. Longmorn 15yo (45%, OB, 80)
57. Macallan 7yo (40%, OB, 73)
58. Macallan 10yo (40%, OB, 86 pts)
59. Macallan 10yo c/s (58.8%, OB, 93 pts)
60. Macallan 12yo (43%, OB, 92 pts)
61. Oban 14yo (43%, OB, 72 pts)
62. Old Pulteney 12yo (40%, OB, 72 pts)
63. Royal Lochnagar 12yo (40%, OB, 74 pts)
64. Scapa 12yo (40%, OB, 76 pts)
65. Springbank 10yo (46%, OB, 78 pts)
66. Strathisla 12yo (43%, OB, 74 pts)
67. Talisker 10yo (45.8% OB, 80 pts)
68. Talisker 8yo (40%, SigVin, 80 pts)
69. Tamnavulin 12yo (40%, OB, 76 pts)
70. Tomatin 10yo (49%, OB, 75 pts)

This is the list so far.
Check out the latest issue of Malt Maniacs for the freshest additions.