It is forbidden to sell Johnny Walker red label in Scotland (and all of the UK) because it isn’t up to standard.
Yet another vote for Laphroaig. Unfortunately I don’t drink alone, so I have two bottles of it sitting around getting old. (Could only be one bottle. I don’t remember.) I engaged in a bit of “comparative alcohol analysis” a few years ago, and I liked the Laphroaig best.
I would like to try Johnny Walker Blue Label though. But at about $150 for a bottle, I don’t think I will. (Or why not? What the hell else am I going to spend my money on?)
Another vote for The Glenlivet. I prefer the 18 year old, but in a pinch the 12 will do. Haven’t scraped together the funds to buy a bottle of 21 year old, but now I have a goal…
Glen Ord is nice, too, and it was my first single malt. I was rather disappointed with the MacAllan, it had a nice rich flavor and went down like velvet, then it blindsided me with an aftertaste that I definitely didn’t care for. All in all, single malt is the way to go, no ice or water or anything else to break the spell.
I recently received a bottle of Chivas Regal for my birthday from a well-meaning but non-Scotch-drinking friend. For a blend, it’s pretty damn good.
Not much of a whisky drinker, but the one I’ve liked best to date was the Glenturret, 15 yr single highland malt scotch. I bought a bottle while doing a bit of touring in Scotland, and now, alas, can’t get any here in the USA.
My father-in-law is a huge fan of Laphroaig and provided me with a bottle. It’s an acquired taste, it seems, so I have a dram every now and again, although more often would Ogre was over as he likes it a lot too.
While my bar is fully stocked, I tend to drink beer. 
At the annual North Texas Scottish Festival and Highland Games there is a drink booth where you can sample several fine Scotch brands. This is where I was first introduced to Laphroiag.
In talking with the owner, he said that he became a Laphroiag distributor so that he would always have a supply for his own pleasure. High praise if you ask me.
Don’t partake anymore, but one of the last drinks I had was Glenfiddich, quite good.
Spend the extra money, it is always worth it.
Remember to sip a good scotch or whiskey, don’t just throw it back. Enjoy it.
An interesting side note-
I took a tour of the Jack Daniel Distillery while in Tennessee a couple of weeks ago. If you are ever near Lynchburg, I recommend it. It was actually very interesting.
They recycle many of their charred white oak barrels when the whiskey is removed (after 4 years). Some go to wine makers, who will store wines in them for a smoky, whiskey flavor. Others are shipped to Scotland to be used by a few select distillers to flavor their own wares. They didn’t say who uses them.
Everything you ever wanted to know about Scottish Whisky.
http://www.scotlandonline.com/heritage/whisky_a_to_z_index.cfm
Isle of Jura is a pretty good one but there are too many to name.
Another vote for Dalwhinie. I don’t drink much scotch, but after trying a half dozen or so of the most mentioned brands I settled on Dalwhinie as an easy to drink, reasonably priced (but not cheap) brand.
As long as you have more money than you can spend why not go for the $2500 scotch?
http://store.yahoo.com/randalls/rws24678.html
and let me know how good it is.
On second thought I’m not sure if posting a link to an on line liquor store is kosher around here. Apologies to the mods if it isn’t.
I’d recommend The Singleton. Nice light sherry finish and very little smoke to it. I’d have to pass on the Laphroaig though. Too much brine and smoke for my tastes. If you’ve ever read reviews of different scotches, there will be descriptions of ‘faint notes of apricot, licorice, and roses’ and the like. With Laphroaig, its mostly ‘faint notes of burnt dog sh*t’ if you ask me.
Small quantities of water bring out the flavors in scotch. Try Bowmore for a nice Islay.
Dave
If you’d like a “training” single-malt, I’d recommend Glen Garioch (which I think is pronounced “Glen Gary”). The 8-year is pretty cheap, and while it’s a little boring to accustomed single-malters, there is no mistaking what it is.
Teach yourself to like that, and there is a whole world ahead of you: highland or lowland, peaty or not peaty, themsfightingwordsyabastard–youknowtheirbarleyisfirstrunthroughasickhorseyousodomite, etc.
I’ve spent plenty of time with friends in Scotland who know whisky inside out, and who have let me sample great whiskies from all of the four main regions. It basically comes down to whether you like the clear, pure, sharp attack typical of the Speyside distilleries or the smokier, peaty body of the Islay varieties. My personal favourite happens to be one of the latter, and I literally cannot imagine that you won’t love it. It is called Lagavulin and it is magnificent. Try it!
Well dammit! Somebody’s gotta do this…
How bout 3M
::Going away now to a far far away place no one will ever find me::
You will please notice how the dread red is not mentioned in my own post. The stuff is merely Scottish gasoline and does not compare to the Black Label.
All said and done, the next time I go overseas, I’m hitting the duty free shop at SFO and getting the sampler pack that has small bottles of the Blue, Gold, Black and one other whose name escapes me right now. I’ve been hankering for a dram of the Blue for some years now and it’s time for Santa to be good to you-know-who.
Don’t let these single-malt snobs talk you into sticking to the hoity-toity end of the spectrum. There’s a lot to be enjoyed in every price range. When you can throw a lip over Vat 69, and understand why it’s Scotch and not Pine Sol, then you know more about Scotch than the guy who hasn’t touched anything cheaper than Glenlivet. Nobody understands how delicious Chivas Regal is more than the guy who knows 100 Pipers when he smells it. For my money, the best cheap Scotch is Clan MacGregor. It’s smooth and peaty taken neat, and it’s a marvelous choice for your coffee royale.
I knew I was forgetting one. It’s another single malt called Bunnahabhain.
http://www.scotlandonline.com/heritage_whiskey_detail.cfm?id=205746
It’s great, not too peaty, not too sweet, not too floral, not too smoky, just right. 
Another vote for Laphroiag. It is not a beginner’s scotch though. Lagavulin is sort of related, smoother, rounder.
By the way, it is recommended to add a few drops of cool branch water to your Laphraoig. No ice, please, in a pure malt.
For a relative beginner, I’d suggest Teachers. It’s a very well-balanced blend, and inexpensive. It has more character than a Johnny Walker Red, for instance, or other like-priced blends.
Not a big scotch drinker, but you might want to try a couple good Irish -
Jameson 1780 reserve, nice fruit flavor and very smooth
Bushmill’s Single Malt or Black Bush, very good as well.
I like a little club soda. Let’s face it, the good stuff isnt cheap, so I want to get as much taste from the product as possible.