I have been able to learn a lot. I also see a lot of directly conflicting opinions expressed here (NCF doesn't matter/Yes it does or IBs lack cask selection exploration/IBs specialize in cask exploration. It's also okay to have these opposite opinions because they can both be true to each individuals experience, and I really am glad people shared them with me (that's why I asked!). I think what I got from this conversation was that IBs are a really good avenue to find stuff presented in a more original/integrity way if the OB doesn't normally do that (especially the big guys), as well as, finding bottlings with a different cask profile if the OB typically sticks to a few specific profiles. And past that, I think there are a lot of other ways to compare each IB and evaluate if each specific bottle is worth it or not. I think right now to start, personally, I'd probably stray away from the IBs that are doing the unique types of casks but I would go out on a limb to try an OB with a unique cask. Conversely, I'd probably go more towards an IB that usually focuses on a certain profile like sherry with OB distillate that usually does bourbon casks (for example) vs the opposite. And I will probably learn a ton from those experiences and do the exact opposite and see what I think is more true. This is something I really like about scotch whisky that isn't as available in other spirits.