So far, i’ve tried dewar’s, famouse grouse, and usher’s scotch, and i’m interested in trying others. my favorite drink is scotch and water, so i’m looking for a scotch appropriate for that drink.
i thought the grouse was the best, because it had a slight sweetness to it, and a very smooth flavor. dewar’s was a little sharp when mixed with water; can’t say i liked it. usher’s was surprisingly good, considering the price (15 bucks for a liter).
i’m asking for opinions because i don’t make a lot of money, and i can’t afford to just buy a bottle randomly and hope it’s good. i’d rather buy something that comes recommended. thanks all!
My personal favourite single malt is Laphroiag. It has a strong taste, very obvious that it’s from near the ocean, and is not to everyone’s liking. As with any good single malt, it’s probably best neat, as you want to be able to savor the complexity of the taste. Unfortunately, I can’t really speak to a good blended scotch. There’s always the nicer Johnnie Walkers (black or gold label).
Well, it seems like you’re only interested in blended Scotch whisky, so I can’t help you – I don’t much care for it. There are some really great single malts Scotches out there, but drinking them with water is a waste of time.
One of the most justly famous blended Scotches is Johnny Walker Black Label. Its combination of smoothness and full flavor is the closest to a single malt as a blended whisky can be. Sadly, blending allows the producer to use many lesser aged whiskies with sometimes as little as 10% of the bottle being aged the full duration. Canadian blenders are even allowed to adjust the final octane using ethyl alcohol! Such methods can cripple any hope of finding a genuine article, no matter how smooth it might taste from the addition of straight grain alcohol. Johnny Walker Black Label manages to avoid many of these pitfalls and is worthy of mention for that reason. An economic blended whisky that I’ve found to be somewhat drinkable is “Ballantines”. Modestly priced, it is a decent “blonde” whisky that goes over the rocks quite nicely.
The single malt whiskies are another matter entirely. Taken from a single barrel, they are unblended and of one age. Such spirits are in the true tradition of uisge beatha, or “the water of life”, where the modern word “whisky” comes from. Please note that only Scotch whisky is spelled that way. Canadian and American whiskey is always spelled with an “e”. Nonetheless, when one finally migrates into the stratospheric price range of the single malt whiskies, the flavor and quality truly do approach some sort of “elixir of life”.
I found Doubletree single malt to be quite nice. Laphroiag can have an almost smokey bouquet (some say reminiscent of burning tires) to it. According to legend, this is due to the famous “byrne water”, the brown water that flow out of the Scottish peat bogs. This water is supposed to be a crucial ingredient in the distilling of Scotch. I heartily recommend working your way through some minatures until you find one that is to your liking. Always be sure to taste at least some of it neat. It is the only way to appreciate a fine whisky.
Famous Grouse, J&B, and Chivas Regal are good blended Scotches that should go well with water or club soda. I remember liking Johnny Walker Black Label, but then it’s been years since I tasted it. I can’t remember anymore blended Scotch brands at the moment. Hmmm. I’m going to have to go to the liquor store and do some research.
Single Malt Scotch is good straightup rather than mixed with water or anything else, but it’s expensive so you’re probably not interested in it. If you ever get a chance to try some, go for Dalwhinie. Judging from your liking Grouse, Dalwhinie will suit you. It’s mellow, with a nice floral and honey note that’s just heavenly. Oban and Dalmore are good too.
well i’ve seen a couple recommendations for johnnie walker, so i guess i’ll try that next. once i finish this bottle of usher’s, that is. should take a while.
Cap’n Crude, you said:
i admit, i know nothing about the finer points of scotch. i mean, i’ve only tried 3 kinds of scotch all together. all i know is my father liked dewar’s scotch and water, so when i was younger, i tried it, liked it, and stuck with it. what’s the difference, taste wise, between blended and single-malt scotch? (i work in a liquor store so i know the technical differences between the two, but not the taste)
try to change to single malt, without water or ice, just the pure staff. my personal favourite is “laphroigh”, though i don’t recommend that to a “beginner” because of it’s rough character. good first try would be “glen ord”. nothing compares to single malts - that’s not just alcohol drinking, it’s more nosing, nipping, enjoying. i just have a dram every few days and never more than one - but everytime it’s a great moment. blends taste well too - but actually, what makes them taste are the single malts. so why drink the watered down version.
Laphroiag always gets a mention in these threads. Mmmm… iodine… For those who like that style, Highland Park is also worth trying. For a rich, smooth malt try The Macallan or Glenlivnet. Glenmorangie is more refined and quite lovely. Irish whiskey is also well worth trying, particularly Bushmill’s 1608. And don’t be dissuaded from adding a little tepid water.
If you’re going to add ice, stick with a nice blend. I’ll echo the calls for J&B and Johnnie Walker Black.
Another Laphroiag drinker. I’ve even got the deed to my square meter of a bog in Scotland to prove it (it was some promotional gimmick). My bottle of Laphroiag came with a little bottle (sort of like a vinagerette bottle) for guess what? Water! You pour the scotch neat and then have a little water back.
For blended scotch I drink J&B, with a little splash of water and a twist of lemon. I don’t like Johnny Walker, Black or Red.
For an introduction you can’t go wrong with Glenfiddich. Its pretty well the benchmark single malt and isn’t “idiosyncratic”. It is a lovely deep colour with a smooth rounded taste. It’s also affordable.
My own personal favourite is Glenmorangie. With Balvennie a close second.
OK, for those of you who like their whisky, you need to know about the SMWS - http://www.smws.com
This is an organisation that obtains casks of single single malts, bottles them and sells them – at cask strength - to members. They ship and hold events worldwide. You will not find the like of their bottlings in any shop anywhere. Often because they buy casks from now defunct distilleries. I’ve been a member for years and love giving bottles as presents.
Now to all you “purists” there who decry adding water to whisky, why? Especially if you’re drinking overproof spirits. A little water added to a good malt allows it to expand, it will coax more flavours out of each dram. There’s no way you can experience the complexity of a great malt at cask strength. Try it, especially with the peaty Islay malts like Laphroaig or Lagavulin. Go on, pour yourself a drinkie, have a nip, then add a little still water. Less intense initially maybe, but fuller.
Myself, I like most whisky. Laphroaig is marvellous, but as noted it’s somewhat robust. My favorite has to be Lagavulin, distilled just round the corner. Not quite as peaty or iodine-y, but a beautiful long finish. Lighter malts, speys and Highland Malts are among my favourites as well. I’d strongly recommend Glenmorangie. The ten year old is great, and the varieties they now do finished in Madeira or Port barrels are a nice twist.
As for a recommendation, Acconav, that’s difficult. I don’t particularly like Johnny Walker Whiskies. If you can find it Baillie Nicol Jarvie is a blend with a much higher percentage of malt whisky than most. There’s no such thing as truly bad scotch, though as all whisky has to be aged three years minimum. Increasing age is no guarantee of quality, only rarity value, though. Most people find that whisky ceases to improve after 15-25 years depending on the conditions it is kept in. After that long, some of the flavour is lost. Bell’s 8 year old is nice. I don’t know where you are, Acconav, but in the UK, lots of supermarkets have started doing “own brand” malts. These are basically premium whiskies under another label that cost as much as a tenner a bottle less. I’ve not tried the Safeways brand malts, but the Waitrose ones are dead good.
Would also chime in and say I really dislike blends but the single malts are really nice. Try 'em all is what I say. Even the peaty ones I like on occaision.
I agree with longjohn. Adding water ADDS to the flavor. On the box that my The Glenfiddich came in, there was a web address, and an invitation to come and request a free video. Frankly, the video was hilarious - a Scotsman talking about liquid sunshine and such. But the company does recommend doing exactly what longjohn recommended - first trying the scotch straight, and then with a splash of water. There is a big difference.
And if you’re going to try Johnnie Walker, don’t get the cheap stuff - with scotch you get what you pay for. I’ve got a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue that’s absolutely incredible. But it was a gift, and costs about $125.
Another vote for Highland Park. Was introduced to it a couple of months ago and it’s pure nectar. My favourite blend is Famous Grouse.
As for water; it’s a matter of taste. But a splash of water can release more flavours. Two important rules though:
1/ water should be at room temperature.
2/ no ice! Ice is some merkin obsession and it doesn’t belong in whisky.
And I hate to break it to you guys, but Johnnie Walker is not highly regarded in Scotland. Worse bottle of whisky I ever had was a Johnnie Walker. I think they export more than they sell.
