I’ve been interested in some of the lesser-known lowland scotches. Auchentoshin has been recommended to me-people tell me it is a lighter, less peatry malt.
Currently, my local liquor store charges $42.00/bottle. Do you like this whiskey?
Or am I better off with a high end blend?
Never been found of Lowland malts myself. Not enough character for me. But the Auchentoshan I’ve sampled has been not offensive in the least.
I’ll give it a shot and tell you what I think…There is a pub up the street from me with a single malt collection that would make your jaw drop. They currently have about 420 items on the menu.
Auchentoshan is excellent if you like Lowland styles.
On edit - I assume the $42 is for the 12 year. If you want a bit higher-end, get the 18 or 21 year. They are consistent award winners.
I thought auchentoshen were jewish cookies. What am I thinking of?
There are no bad single malts, just malts that you don’t like. See if you can find a nearby scotch bar where you can sample it before you commit to a bottle.
That’s it! Thanks.
Gesundheit.
It’s been a long time since I drank any Auchentoshan, but I remember it being completely inoffensive. That’s not a good thing in my book.
Inoffensive is a good word. “Watery” is another.
It’s drinkable, but really just too mild.
All things of this sort boil down to personal taste. See if you can try some, and if you like it, you like it. Or get opinions / comparisons to whiskys that you do like.
Here is the place that I am talking about…Feathers Pub. The single malt menu is downloadable as a PDF file. I’d like to get some recommendations from the other scotch drinkers here, trying to keep it at the A,B,C or D price level… G and H are just a little too rich for my blood right now.
Auchentoshan is one of the few triple distilled scotches out there. As such it is smoother and milder than many of its brethren.
I like it.
De Gustibus and all that, but Auchentoshan is a perfectly lovely Scotch. The 12 year is what I recommend to introduce newbies to Scotch. It doesn’t have the Mercurochrome taste of most Islays and it’s not as jarring to new palates as Highlands can be. Plus, there’s some complexity to reward your paying the $8 or so it’ll cost in a bar.
Me, I like them all, but my counter at home is covered with Islays, especially Ardbeg and Laphroaig.
From the menu Ike Witt mentioned, it all depends on what your tastes are, but for me, I’d like to try the 18 year Port Ellen, mainly because it’s the only Islay distillery I haven’t tried yet, and I don’t have the $250 a bottle at Spec’s would cost. At the A-D level, the lower end Glen Garioch offerings are great if you like smoke in your whisky; the 1990 Cadenhead bottling looks really interesting. Dalmore’s a big whisky, not all that much subtlety, but a lot of power. If that sounds good, the 17 year might be interesting. Glenfarclas 12 year is a classic, and A-level priced on the menu. It’s tasty, and may sway you to seeing what the 21 and 25 year are all about. (The 21 year is awesome)
Great list. I’m definitely checking it out if I’m ever in Toronto. Another place that has an amazing Scotch list (or did 10 years ago) is the Albion River Inn in Albion, California. It’s in the middle of nowhere, but the restaurant is quite tasty and the bar has an amazing collection of scotch. Bottles from three different numbered casks of Springbank, that sort of thing.
My go-to malt is Highland Park, although I am also quite fond of Talisker. But the amazing malt on the list is the Bowmore 17. It’s the only Bowmore I can stand, and it’s magnificent. Just the right age.
That’s … an impressive list. Given that range, and not knowing what your specific preferences are, you might ask if they offer a flight or sampler, which would probably include representatives from all of the regions. Many pubs do this.
If that’s not an option, here are my recommendations from the menu, by region, and I’m sticking with price point “A” as much as possible:
Lowlands: go with the Auchentoshan 10yo. As noted in this thread, whiskies from the Lowlands are going to be pretty light (I think of Auchentoshan as a fine breakfast dram).
Highlands: for something a little off the beaten path, I’d recommend Old Pultney 12yo – it’s got a little bit of a salty hint that I really appreciate.
Speyside: alright, this is in the “C” level, but I think it’s worth it: Cragganmore 10yo. I was introduced to this at a whisky tasting here in Denver a few years ago, and I’m glad I was. Speyside is where you’ll find all of the well-known names, like The Macallan, The Glenlivet, and Glenfiddich, which are all very good – take the opportunity to try something else, though.
**Campbeltown: **This one’s easy – Springbank 10yo, one of my favorite whiskies in the world.
Islands: This one’s even easier. Here in the United States, I haven’t seen the Highland Park 16yo – we have the 18yo, which, when it’s on sale, is the best value in all of whiskydom. I’d be mighty interested in that 16yo at The Feathers; Highland Park 18 is hands-down my favorite single malt, and that is high praise. It’s not hit-you-upside-the-head-peaty like many of the others in this region, especially the monsters from Islay, but it’s certainly more than a tap on the shoulder. Man … is it good. I might have to get a bottle this very day.
Anyway, like I suggested, if you’re fairly new to Scotch (and single malts specifically), see if they’ll slide you a flight; if not, those are my recommendations.
And if you look at the site, they have the Whisky Tour for $25 and the Whisky Tour #2 for $50.
I just realized I never mentioned what my favourite scotch is. My go to single malt is Lagavulin 16. So, needless to say I am a big fan of the smokey, peaty Islay scotchs.
That said, I can enjoy a taste of The Macallen 18. Like many scotch drinkers I started out with basics like Glenfiddich and Glenlivet.
Oh, and a couple of years ago my father and step mother gave me a copy of Whiskey: The Definitive World Guide, along with a bottle of anything from the book…I haven’t picked one yet.
I was going to have dinner at Feathers tonight, I check when the next tour is…
I bought the 12 year old…very nice!
I like the fact that it is very smooth, and not too peaty.
Sounds like the perfect accompanyment for a plate of haggis!