# Is there any agreed upon metrics for a "good" whiskey/bourbon/scotch?ydrink **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking, liquor-alcohol\ **Created:** [November 20, 2020, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-agreed-upon-metrics-for-a-good-whiskey-bourbon-scotch-ydrink/926004 "2020-11-20T01:53:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2020, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-agreed-upon-metrics-for-a-good-whiskey-bourbon-scotch-ydrink/926004/41 "2020-11-22T22:52:34Z")
With Naugahyde, a peaty Islay scotch. With Pleather, a smooth Wisconsin\* bourbon… … - Think I’m kidding? This is THE smoothest whisky I’ve ever had… … > **[Whiskey Review: J. Henry & Sons Wisconsin Straight Bourbon Whiskey](https://thewhiskeywash.com/whiskey-styles/bourbon/whiskey-review-j-henry-sons-wisconsin-straight-bourbon-whiskey/)** > > We review J. Henry & Sons Wisconsin Straight Bourbon Whiskey, a five-year-old bourbon made from estate-grown grain and aged in an old dairy barn. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2020, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-agreed-upon-metrics-for-a-good-whiskey-bourbon-scotch-ydrink/926004/42 "2020-11-23T00:38:55Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Where are the pronouncements on taste that condemn 3/4 of the readers as naugahyde-palated troglodytes? You people are letting me down! > > As for cheap-ass vodka, my preferred brand is Kavlana at ~$6.95/handle. I use it to clean glassware now that rubbing alcohol is impossible to find. But there is no way I am ever drinking anything less than Tito’s. Ok… I’ll oblige you. 😉 Vodka just seems to me like the pretentious yuppie way to drink liquor and have an opinion about it, without actually having to drink anything that you can’t entirely camouflage with ice-cold temperatures or literally any mixer out there. There! (that’s not to say that there’s anything wrong with vodka per-se; it’s just the whole ecosystem about how one is better than the other, etc… is so absurd, when the whole point is for it to be flavorless. For example, why would you want a vodka distilled from grapes instead of you know, brandy, grappa or marc, if you like the flavor of grape distillate?) ---
**Author:** ![SacFly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@SacFly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SacFly)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2020, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-agreed-upon-metrics-for-a-good-whiskey-bourbon-scotch-ydrink/926004/43 "2020-11-23T00:42:24Z")
Here are 2 characteristics of most whisky drinkers I know: 1. they enjoy drinking/trying whiskies they don’t normally buy. 2. they enjoy drinking whisky they did not personally pay for. The exception here is heavily peated stuff. It’s a really distinct flavor. I love it. I also love a nice runny gorgonzola, but if someone tells me it nauseates them I’m not going to argue. I can actually completely understand the reaction even if I don’t share it. My bourbon picks would be Four Roses Single Barrel, or FR Small batch. But Maker’s Mark and Knob Creek are both readily available, quality bourbons. These are all 40$-ish or under in NY. For scotch I’d say either Highland Park 12 (50$), or MacCallan 12 sherry cask (70$). Scotch is tough because you have availability issues and peat issues. You can find these anywhere and they should bring a smile to any whisky drinker. There are options I like more for this price, but they are either extremely hard to find or very peaty. These are both very respectable bottles. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2020, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-agreed-upon-metrics-for-a-good-whiskey-bourbon-scotch-ydrink/926004/44 "2020-11-23T01:10:56Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I was thinking of posting a poll: Maker’s Mark, or Knob Creek? But rather than start a new thread, I’ll just post here. > > I don’t drink a lot of bourbon, and sauce is expensive up here with all of the taxes; so when I drink bourbon, it’s usually Maker’s Mark. I’ve had Knob Creek, but I don’t want to spend the money on two bottles of bourbon for a side-by-side comparison. Of the two choices (and only two), which do you think is better, and why? I have 7 bottles of bourbon in my liquor cabinet. Each has it’s own unique quality and I enjoy drinking them all. I don’t have any Maker’s or KC. I prefer KC, it has a more refined taste to me. Maker’s is what a bourbon newbie will drink, it’s sweet and not offensive. My drink of preference is a good single malt and some of the best around is made in Seattle. My bourbon of choice right now is Angels Envy. ---
**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:** [November 23, 2020, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-agreed-upon-metrics-for-a-good-whiskey-bourbon-scotch-ydrink/926004/45 "2020-11-23T03:33:41Z")
> [@SacFly](#): > > MacCallan 12 sherry cask (70$ Jesus. Someone thought there wasn’t enough Sherry in Macallan already? More for them, I guess. EDIT: Totally agree on your two points, @SacFly. IMHO, it’s hard to beat Glenlivet 12 for, “I know they like Scotch, but I’m not sure what kind,” gifting. Decent at the price, last I checked, and very seamless in flavor. Auchentoshan if they are just getting started, and Highland Park is great if they think they like peat, and aren’t already telling you about the Ardbeg or Octomore they just had the other night. Oh, @bump, you’re actually in an area where you can try it. I know you wrote you’re not a fan of vodka, but if you were, the “Shevkoff” brand at Spec’s is about as smooth as it gets. Highly recommended. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2020, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-agreed-upon-metrics-for-a-good-whiskey-bourbon-scotch-ydrink/926004/46 "2020-11-23T04:09:45Z")
> [@Gray\_Ghost](#): > > I’m staring at a liquor closet wall of various Ardbegs and Lagavulins now. It’s definitely an… _acquired_ taste. Naw, I liked Laphroaig the first time I tried it. And it’s one of the few hard liquors I actually like. A lot of the Lagavulins are good, too. I’m not as fond of Ardbeg, but perhaps I have only had ones that are too young. > [@LSLGuy](#): > > Feel free to send any excess Laphroaig you may have over to me. I love the stuff. Or to me. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2020, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-agreed-upon-metrics-for-a-good-whiskey-bourbon-scotch-ydrink/926004/47 "2020-11-23T05:07:56Z")
> [@Gray\_Ghost](#): > > Oh, @bump, you’re actually in an area where you can try it. I know you wrote you’re not a fan of vodka, but if you were, the “Shevkoff” brand at Spec’s is about as smooth as it gets. Highly recommended. I keep a bottle of vodka on hand, as it turns out. Sobieski, as a matter of fact. It’s awfully smooth… and flavorless, like you’d expect from a good vodka. And only $13/bottle, I believe. I think the bottle before that was Grey Goose. But as far as my taste buds and nose are concerned, smoothness (however that’s perceived) is the primary differentiator in vodkas, and above a certain point, they’re all pretty much the same here in the US. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2020, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-agreed-upon-metrics-for-a-good-whiskey-bourbon-scotch-ydrink/926004/48 "2020-11-23T05:23:23Z")
My metric? Can I stand to drink it, and will it fuck me up. I know. I’m a terrible person and gonna die alone in a ditch. The sooner the better. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2020, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-agreed-upon-metrics-for-a-good-whiskey-bourbon-scotch-ydrink/926004/49 "2020-11-23T05:28:06Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Feel free to send any excess Laphroaig you may have over to me. I love the stuff. Clearly, a man of refinement. > [@](#): > > A few years ago they stopped making my favorite 16 year. ISTM they realized they could simply hold it another 9 years, call it a 25 year, and bump the price from ~US$80 to ~US$350/bottle. So they did. I’ve not noticed a shortage of the 16 year; will check next time I’m at the government liquor store. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2020, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-agreed-upon-metrics-for-a-good-whiskey-bourbon-scotch-ydrink/926004/50 "2020-11-23T12:10:19Z")
Their website, cleverly hidden at [**www.laphroaig.com**](https://www.laphroaig.com), says they now make a special edition 16 that’s sold only via Amazon (!) and only in the countries where Amazon sells booze: UK, Germany, France, and Italy. Oh well. … Road Trip!!! ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2020, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-agreed-upon-metrics-for-a-good-whiskey-bourbon-scotch-ydrink/926004/51 "2020-11-23T12:16:56Z")
Late add: Although the more I look the more I wonder whether I’m confusing where they distribute it to with where and how they say one could buy it online. Stupid bluenose USA and their treat-everyone-like-children booze laws. I do know none of the major US distributors I’ve checked have 16 nor have they had it for a couple years now. ---
**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:** [November 23, 2020, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-agreed-upon-metrics-for-a-good-whiskey-bourbon-scotch-ydrink/926004/52 "2020-11-23T14:14:33Z")
I’ve never seen 16 here. 15, of course, but never 16. I’m glad Lagavulin is back to selling 16 again. Still not as good as they were pre-fire, but maybe I’ve changed, and not them? ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2020, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-agreed-upon-metrics-for-a-good-whiskey-bourbon-scotch-ydrink/926004/53 "2020-11-28T17:37:51Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > I sometimes enjoy Laphroaig with a spash of water > [@Gray\_Ghost](#): > > Lagavulins … Oban Lagavulin is my first choice. Laphroaig is my second, and Oban is my third. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-agreed-upon-metrics-for-a-good-whiskey-bourbon-scotch-ydrink/926004/54 "2020-11-30T04:44:29Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > I’ve not noticed a shortage of the 16 year; will check next time I’m at the government liquor store. Piffle. I was there today getting beer and wine, and forgot to check this out. Next time! ---
**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:** [November 30, 2020, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-agreed-upon-metrics-for-a-good-whiskey-bourbon-scotch-ydrink/926004/55 "2020-11-30T13:29:25Z")
If that’s your order, what’s your opinion, @SCAdian, of the other Islays, like Ardbeg, Bowmore, and Bruichladdich? I’d think you’d like them, or at least find them interesting. Ardbeg’s, “Ardbog” or “Day” versions are among the best Scotches I’ve ever tried. Bruichladdich’s “Octomore” is probably the smokiest whisky made. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-agreed-upon-metrics-for-a-good-whiskey-bourbon-scotch-ydrink/926004/56 "2020-11-30T17:29:29Z")
Haven’t tried any of the other Islays, though I keep thinking I should – I’m pretty sure the Exchange carries both Ardbeg and Bowmore. Maybe after I finish this bottle of Laphroaig Select… ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2020, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-agreed-upon-metrics-for-a-good-whiskey-bourbon-scotch-ydrink/926004/57 "2020-12-06T00:20:04Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > My taste in scotch has broadened over the years, and I’m now at the point where I sometimes enjoy Laphroaig with a spash of water; when I was younger, I’d describe Laphroaig as tasting like bong water. Laphroaig, neat. 😄 ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2020, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-agreed-upon-metrics-for-a-good-whiskey-bourbon-scotch-ydrink/926004/58 "2020-12-06T00:23:15Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > I’ve not noticed a shortage of the 16 year; will check next time I’m at the government liquor store. So I checked today. There’s regular Laphroaig for $C65; 10 year for $C76; and another grade up for $C86. I don’t know the age of the 86, as I couldn’t see it on the front, and didn’t want to pick up the bottle and handle it, but I would assume it was more than 10 years. No 25 year. We are but humble prairie folk and I doubt there would be much market for $US325 Scotch, even Laphroaig. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2020, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-agreed-upon-metrics-for-a-good-whiskey-bourbon-scotch-ydrink/926004/59 "2020-12-06T00:27:02Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Laphroaig, neat. 😄 I see Laphroaig mentioned a lot but it seems it is best(ish) among experienced Scotch drinkers and not for the uninitiated. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2020, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-agreed-upon-metrics-for-a-good-whiskey-bourbon-scotch-ydrink/926004/60 "2020-12-06T00:35:56Z")
Definitely! I first heard of it at my first real world job. A co-worker and I were trying to figure out what to get our boss for a Christmas present. We knew he liked Scotch, so we went to a liquor store. Neither of us knew anything about Scotch so we asked one of the salesman, who took us to the Scotch section and started talking about them. We looked at the prices and both thought “these aren’t the best ones.” So one of us said, “We’re looking for a Scotch for our boss.” "A big boss,’ the other of us said. “Ah,” said the salesman, and took us to an entirely different section of Scotches. We could tell from the price tags that we were now in the premium section. He pointed to various ones, and then said, “And then there’s Laphroaig. It’s pretty peaty and an acquired taste. A bit pricey.” My co-worker said: “Is this the sort of Scotch that old Army officers drink?” (Boss was with the RC Artillery in WWII.) “Oh, definitely!” said the salesman. So that’s what we bought the boss for Christmas. 🎄 Next time I was in a nice bar I ordered a Laphroaig, just to see what we’d given him. Have liked it ever since. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-agreed-upon-metrics-for-a-good-whiskey-bourbon-scotch-ydrink/926004.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-agreed-upon-metrics-for-a-good-whiskey-bourbon-scotch-ydrink/926004.md?page=4)