# I would like to buy a fancy bottle of Single Malt Scotch **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 7, 2018, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-like-to-buy-a-fancy-bottle-of-single-malt-scotch/815611 "2018-06-07T16:09:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-like-to-buy-a-fancy-bottle-of-single-malt-scotch/815611/41 "2018-06-08T14:35:56Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > …If I see Ardbeg I may give that a shot, what is available when I go shopping will make my final decision. Those three are all names I recognize from staring at the scotch shelf before I started this thread, so I think they should have one of them (I know they have something from Talisker, maybe only the 10)… Ardbeg 10 is a quintessential Islay whisky. Not as iodine-y as Laphroaig’s 10, but smokier and smoother, I find. The Committee offerings that **silenus** , **SingleMalt** (Thank you very much for the notes, BTW! I don’t recall being as wowed by Auriverdes as you, but I need to revisit it.) and I are talking about are special bottlings they make every once in awhile, and are usually well worth your time and money. But then I’m a big Ardbeg fan. Another one of theirs if you like smoke is their Supernova bottling. What I’d recommend is to find a bar with a decent Scotch selection and try a few different ones before plunging into buying $100 plus bottles that you may not even like. The days where you could get 3 shots of Lagavulin 16 for 20 bucks with tip are over (My favorite drink deal when I was in grad school.), but it’s still much cheaper than buying a whole bottle. The liquor store chain Sigel’s in Dallas has an annual Scotch tasting that is an amazing learning opportunity if you’re in town to take part. It’s where I managed to taste things like the Glenfarclas 21 (they were also pouring the 17, 19, 25 and younger whiskies too); something I wouldn’t have had the chance to try otherwise. Someone upthread mentioned Springbank’s 15 year. They also sell some of the separate components that make up Springbank; specifically, Longrow and Hazelburn. Longrow is the peatier one of the two and is quite interesting by itself. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-like-to-buy-a-fancy-bottle-of-single-malt-scotch/815611/42 "2018-06-08T14:54:24Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > 1. don’t do blends…single malt is the way to go I generally agree with you, but I’d take Johnnie Walker Green over almost any single malt at its price point (generally, around $60 a fifth.) Also, older is not always better (depends on your tastes), and there are solid 10 year single malts out there, like the Talisker 10 and Glenmorangie 10. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-like-to-buy-a-fancy-bottle-of-single-malt-scotch/815611/43 "2018-06-10T03:22:19Z")
> [@SingleMalt](#): > > Balvenie’s 12 year old First Fill Single Cask, again about $100, is different for a Balvenie - it hasn’t had the sherry cask finish. Their Doublewood uses second-fill and later, so new barrels are “worked in” with the first fill. This is a marvelously smooth whisky; you can still taste the Balvenie character, but the first-fill barrels give it a very distinct flavor. Why a Ben Franklin for a 12year Balvenie? That seems really high vs the 12 year double wood or even the 15 year? Belvanie 12 year double wood was my gateway. For ages it was about $30 in the Shanghai Airport duty free. Incredible price performance. ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-like-to-buy-a-fancy-bottle-of-single-malt-scotch/815611/44 "2018-06-10T05:39:00Z")
“Blends” are not something that can be treated as a homogeneous group. For just two examples: I’ve tried Johnnie Walker Black and thought it tasted like it was worth more than its price would indicate. And I’ve tried Johnnie Walker Red and it tasted quite unpleasant, to the extent that cheap Canadian stuff was much nicer. The Red tastes to me something like the smell of wet cardboard, and I tried it again more than a year later to confirm I didn’t just have a bad bottle the first time. Same wet-cardboard flavour dominated. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-like-to-buy-a-fancy-bottle-of-single-malt-scotch/815611/45 "2018-06-10T06:02:30Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I generally agree with you, but I’d take Johnnie Walker Green over almost any single malt at its price point (generally, around $60 a fifth.) Also, older is not always better (depends on your tastes), and there are solid 10 year single malts out there, like the Talisker 10 and Glenmorangie 10. You may be right, but don’t even think about trying the abomination that is Laphroaig 10 year old - god what swill when the 12 gives a decent intro to the “iron fist” side of scotch whiskey. I’ll give you Johnny Walker Blue is pretty good, but at $200+ per bottle, I think you can find dozens of single malts that will tickle your fancy at a better price and taste. No? ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-like-to-buy-a-fancy-bottle-of-single-malt-scotch/815611/46 "2018-06-10T15:18:52Z")
> [@jaycat](#): > > I would buy a $20 bottle of Famous Grouse and put the difference into the New Guitar Fund. Or get a guitar at Walmart & use the savings for a good bottle; I mean music’s music, right? :rolleyes: > [@NAF1138](#): > > And this is where it gets overwhelming quickly. I am going to have to track down some of those bars \*\*silenus \*\*linked to and sample some stuff. Anyone wants to come to Philly I would be happy to sample stuff with you guys. Where you wanna go? I’ve got a gettin’-low bottle of Lagavulin 16 that I could bring & let you take home. (Don’t worry, I’ve got a another bottle already). ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-like-to-buy-a-fancy-bottle-of-single-malt-scotch/815611/47 "2018-06-10T15:34:53Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > I’ll give you Johnny Walker Blue is pretty good, but at $200+ per bottle, I think you can find dozens of single malts that will tickle your fancy at a better price and taste. No? The Blue is way overpriced, IMHO. That’s pretty much why I picked the Green. In terms of bang-for-buck, I think it’s a very good whiskey. It’s also not just a blended whiskey, but a “blended/vatted malt,” difference being a “vatted malt” is a blend of single malts, and a “blended whiskey” can be blended with whiskeys not made with 100% malted barley. Off the top of my head, I can only think of a couple of vatted malts: the JW Green and the Famous Grouse 10 and 18. (That said, for a cheap everyday type of tipple, I’m cool with the regular Famous Grouse blended whiskey. If I’m going to drink a cheaper, blended whiskey, that’s my guy.) ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-like-to-buy-a-fancy-bottle-of-single-malt-scotch/815611/48 "2018-06-10T16:40:30Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > Or get a guitar at Walmart & use the savings for a good bottle; I mean music’s music, right? :rolleyes: For that matter, you don’t drink guitars, and I’m sure the OP already has at least one guitar, so guitar-wise he’s set for life. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-like-to-buy-a-fancy-bottle-of-single-malt-scotch/815611/49 "2018-06-10T16:50:51Z")
> [@DavidwithanR](#): > > For that matter, you don’t drink guitars, and I’m sure the OP already has at least one guitar, so guitar-wise he’s set for life. 🙂 I dunno man, people who are into guitars seldom have just one. I got a VIP backstage pass / tour at a U2 show (no, we didn’t get to meet them) a couple years back and the number of guitars Edge carries around on a tour is well, excessive to me, but what do I know? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-like-to-buy-a-fancy-bottle-of-single-malt-scotch/815611/50 "2018-06-10T17:04:45Z")
[Never too many.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7-5io1muSQ) ---
**Author:** ![pmwgreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@pmwgreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pmwgreen)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-like-to-buy-a-fancy-bottle-of-single-malt-scotch/815611/51 "2018-06-10T17:43:49Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > 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. I’d second this. Find what you like and get that. Or some distillery groups sell a collection of sampler bottles or various varieties of single malts. There is such a spectrum of whiskies to choose from, you have to try a few. ---
**Author:** ![SingleMalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/singlemalt/32/3961_2.png) [@SingleMalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SingleMalt)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2018, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-like-to-buy-a-fancy-bottle-of-single-malt-scotch/815611/52 "2018-06-11T15:41:52Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > Why a Ben Franklin for a 12year Balvenie? That seems really high vs the 12 year double wood or even the 15 year? > > Belvanie 12 year double wood was my gateway. For ages it was about $30 in the Shanghai Airport duty free. Incredible price performance. Price is generally driven by the availability. First-fill barrels are harder to come by than older barrels, so there is less of that whisky produced than the Doublewood, and the production batches are much smaller than the Doublewood’s. Without the sherry cask finish, the First-Fill is a different beast than the Doublewood, with less fruitcake character and more summer fruits - peaches, apricots and vanilla. I am a big fan of the Doublewood, but the First-Fill makes a nice contrast. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2018, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-like-to-buy-a-fancy-bottle-of-single-malt-scotch/815611/53 "2018-06-11T16:34:57Z")
I’m no connoisseur but the when I tried 21 year old Balvenie portwood I found it a transcendent experience. Wonderful stuff. When I bought my first bottle it was £55 in duty free but now I see, some 15 years later, it goes for about £130. Still…you only live once. Also, I have it on good authority that 25 year old Talisker is worth a punt. A pilot friend of mine doesn’t drink himself but manages to acquire a bottle every year and looks to offload it for quick cash.😃 ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2018, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-like-to-buy-a-fancy-bottle-of-single-malt-scotch/815611/54 "2018-06-11T19:06:44Z")
My advice is, go back and re-read **digs** ’s post #14. Find something you like and buy that. Do NOT let anybody tell you that there are hard-and-fast rules regarding age, regions, blends, etc. If you like it, it’s good, and if you don’t, it’s not. I could tell you what I like, but I’ve had Laphroig, and I hate it. It tastes like a burning tire to me. But you said you’ve tried it and liked it, so obviously my tastes aren’t your tastes. Nothing wrong with that. Get out and try, learn, and ENJOY!! ---
**Author:** ![Celidin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Celidin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celidin)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2018, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-like-to-buy-a-fancy-bottle-of-single-malt-scotch/815611/55 "2018-06-11T20:18:58Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > I am going to have to track down some of those bars \*\*silenus \*\*linked to and sample some stuff. I work nearby and have had quite the opportunity to visit TIME. Their scotch(/whisky) selection is superb. (Just do yourself a favor and don’t go on a night where the upstairs is liable to be crowded with a bunch of college students partying it up way too much. Unless that’s your thing. Just stay down in the bar area.) I am also fond of the smokier scotches. I am personally partial to Laguvulin 16 year. Its my go-to. Although my cousin recently got me a [Bunnahabhain](https://bunnahabhain.com/) (another Islay) that was finished off in Pedro Ximenez sherry casks that was simply divine. Alas, no luck finding that anymore, appears to have been a limited release. Good luck! PS - **squidfood** awesome chart, thank you! ---
**Author:** ![SingleMalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/singlemalt/32/3961_2.png) [@SingleMalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SingleMalt)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2018, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-like-to-buy-a-fancy-bottle-of-single-malt-scotch/815611/56 "2018-06-11T20:48:26Z")
> [@Celidin](#): > > … > > PS - **squidfood** awesome chart, thank you! Those charts are indeed very handy. That particular one is based on the standard tasting chart, but recently, an [alternate chart](https://www.forwhiskeylovers.com/sites/default/files/user/20168/photos/Scotch%20chart.jpg) has been proposed. Most of my friends have found this version more approachable. I have both hanging on my wall. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-like-to-buy-a-fancy-bottle-of-single-malt-scotch/815611.md?page=2)