I know a little about Scotch but not much. I have an occasion to buy something fancy and want to get some advice on a wise way to buy. It seems that trying to figure out Scotch is as complicated as figuring out wine
Other than old, what should I be looking for? Assume that I know nothing other I am OK with smokey (have tried and enjoyed Laphroaig).
Is it for yourself, or someone else?
There are several websites and blogs that include whisky reviews - one thing you can do is read a few of those, at first focusing on whether you like the people doing the writing. Because if you “get along well with” a certain writer - if they think the way you do and they like things similar to what you like - then that helps.
Single Malts
10 or 12 year old Highland Park - warm, smokey with peat
10 year old Glenmorangie - nice easy drink
14 year old Oban - easy introduction to Islay type of flavours
10 year old Talisker - just great
12 year old Macallan - nice, tends to have sweet sherry flavours
Glenfiddich and Glenlivet - are easy Speyside malts to both find and drink
Good suggestions for a beginner.
Oban is a good, basic choice, as above.
Balvenie DoubleWood is also a great beginner’s choice.
One of my favorites that is a little more fancy but not too extreme is the Glenrothes Sherry Cask Reserve.
Just for me. I hit some personal goals and so I get so I get to spend a little bit of money I had set aside for something special.
Not enough money to buy a new guitar or a fancy watch, but enough for a fancy bottle of scotch which is something I have always wanted to try. I usually limit myself to $40 or less for alcohol and there are lots of options in that price range, but this is a time I get to scale up a bit.
A lot of the nice smoky peaty ones come from Islay. Laphroiag itself comes in more than one bottled subvariety. I’m indulging in a bottle of their “three woods” myself.
I am currently drinking Lagavulin Distillers Edition, and it is fabulous.
This menu (well, diagram) was posted on Reddit recently (attributed to an unnamed Edinburgh pub). I’m no expert but it put the 3 or 4 I’ve tried from this list in the right place, and given me a nice goal list for my next visit…
I would buy a $20 bottle of Famous Grouse and put the difference into the New Guitar Fund.
Old, by the way, isn’t actually key to anything. You can easily have a brilliant 10 year old malt from Highland Park, blow the wheels off of a 18 year old from somewhere else.
As you are a) just starting out, b) experimenting to see what you like, and c) ostensibly seeking value for money, I’ll just toss the suggestion out of visiting Costco. They always have a respectable variety of mid-to-high end stuff and they even have stuff under their house label (often argued to be other high end brands in larger bottles) that are impossible to beat for the money.
Are there any whisky tastings in your area of the world? If not that then maybe a local Facebook-based group that gets together for this purpose.
<cracks knuckles>
OK, we’re going to need a little more information here.
Congrats!
And this makes it MUCH easier, because buying for a friend you’d run into the big questions: Peat or Smoke or Light or Rich or Sharp or Smooth?
You really need to do what I’m doing:* TRY BEFORE YOU BUY.*
My spring/summer project is to buy a bottle of scotch. Yep, it’ll take the rest of the summer… because I’m cheap, but I also want to find My Favorite Scotch Ever. So I’m ducking into local bars, meeting friends at hipster taverns, and asking “Hey, can we do brunch at that Irish Pub?” And asking the bartenders for recommendations.
What I’ve discovered is that I don’t like peat (I think the chart linked to calls it “Smoky”) . Which is too bad, because my Scottish ancestors come from what’s apparently the middle of a bog, and it leaked into every bottle of scotch from that area. One bartender said “You feel that? It’s like the Scots poured dirt right into your glass…” Umm, no thanks. But I do like the smokiness that often accompanies it. The best example of smokey but not peaty is from a taste testing I got to do at a Vom Fass store (from a sales guy in a kilt). Their “Two Casks” was great.
For smoothness, you’d do well to shelve any snobbiness and look father than just Single Malt Scotches. I love Redbreast (Irish whiskies are distilled an extra go-round, so they bite your tongue less) or Monkey Shoulder (a blend – a Brit bartender poured me the last of his last bottle ever, so I’ve been on the lookout for it. For years. Suddenly, there it was at my local Trader Joe’s for $33! So I bought it.
But that doesn’t count as my My Favorite Scotch Ever, because then my hunting/gathering would be over. And I’d miss out on trying Balvenie and Dalmore, comparing a 12yr and an 18, and growling “Where’s that Talisker?” (BBC Cabin Pressure reference)
Happy sipping! Even if you buy something tomorrow, you can still enjoy further research.
Typically Bourbon. Something more rye forward usually, recently Bullet because my wife likes it also.
I’m not inexperienced with scotch but aside from the Laphroaig (which I like, but I get the impression that it’s not typical) I got a bottle of Glenmorangie several years ago that was good and have had a good bit of Glenfiddich 12 year old (a favorite of an old mentor of mine) I haven’t bought much for myself. Oh,I also was given a bottle of Dalwhinnie once. That was very different than what I expected but in a good way. More like Bourbon. But, I feel like if I am going with scotch I don’t want one that tastes like Bourbon.
I have tried Lagavulin, but it wasn’t mine and I don’t know which one it was. I have also tried several blends, I like Monkey Shoulder.
At the moment I’m feeling more strong flavors as opposed to mellow and smooth.
You are welcome anytime but you have to make your way to Pennsylvania on your own.
Edit: I can go a good bit above 40. Don’t let price stop you. If it costs as much as a guitar I probably won’t buy it.
Off-the-cuff recs, before I get any more info:
Macallan Cask Strength
Highland Park 18
Talisker 18
With info:
Highland Park Dragon Legend
Bowmore 18
Talisker 18
Those two are easily over $100 each, the Macallan 18 in the low to mid $200’s.
FYI
What is your budget, NAF1138?
I think I will likely be vetoed by my wife if I go all the way to 200, but 100-150 is probably acceptable.
I really, really like Aberlour A’bunadh.
Hey, he said “not enough money for a guitar.” Have you priced decent guitars lately?
$200 for a bottle of Macallan is a steal.
