My boss is very much into Scotch and as I’m compiling a list of Christmas gifts, a fine bottle of Scotch seems an appropriate gift for him. One problem, I dislike Scotch and know nothing about what would constitute a “fine” bottle other than to purchase based upon price. The “If it is expensive, it must be good” approach of the truly ignorant. Unfortunately, this approach may end up with me spending a lot of money on a gift that my boss’ more refined palate and experience may deem as “crap” Scotch.
I can only imagine with the brain-trust of the Teeming Millions (blatant plea to your ego here!) that there are Scotch afficionados here who can help me!
As with most finer items (wine, watches, etc.) I’m sure there are outrageously expensive options. Please try to keep recommendations to the $75.00 to $100.00 dollar range.
For about $60 you can get the Macallen 12 y.o. in Cask Strength. It’s very nice. If he likes something more “peaty”, the Lagavulin 16 is one he’d likely appreciate and around $80. Me thinks you’ll be getting lots of good advice from this crowd.
If the idea is to impress, you should probably go with a good bottle of single-malt scotch. The biggest name is probably The Glenlivet, but you may score more points with something less well known. My personal favorite, Laphroaig, is often considered a bit extreme. I’d suggest you consider Lagavulin.
Listen to lieu. The Macallan in cask-strength will be appreciated by any scotch drinker. Your best bet is a Highland or Speyside single-malt. If you buy a blend and your boss drinks singles, the bottle will just sit in the cabinet forever. But even blended drinkers like The Macallan.
Do you have any idea of what he likes to drink? You likely can’t go wrong with a modest Macallen or a Glenfiddich or something but if he likes the peat perhaps one of the Islay malts? You can pick up a bottle of perfectly decent 10-year-old Laphroaig for fifty dollars or less. Maybe he likes blends - as vetbridge says Chivas Regal is decent, or one of the ubiquitous Johnny Walkers?
I must ask though - why are you buying your boss a present! Surely it should be the other way round?
There are a lot of good recommendations here, but taste in single malts is pretty highly individual. Ask any two of us about a given whisky, and there’s about an even chance that you’ll get two completely different opinions. You really ought to ask your boss what he likes.
Unless you know for sure that your boss likes Islay whiskies, I would play safe and avoid Laphraoig, Lagavulin etc. Islays are quite different from other whiskies and not everybody likes that peaty, medicinal taste. Personally I like them all but I would go for something middle of the road like Glenmorangie or Glenfiddich.
Incidentally, not all blends are bad, and some single malts are terrible. It’s not that simple. And there are some really nice “vatted” (malt-only) blends out there. Even 8-year-old Bells (malt/grain blend) is not bad at all these days. Another thing that I’ve noticed among whisky critics is that they don’t necessarily rate the more expensive 18- and 25-year-old whiskies any higher than regular 10- or 12-year-olds.
What I know of Scotch drinkers is they tend to be opinionated about the “best”,which is the one they favor,and might look down their nose at another brand.Get what he usually buys.
This is probably the key question. Preference is highly variable. I am not a drinker of Scotch myself (whiskey, bourbon, anything in that general family), but I have good friends who are, and they argue pointlessly but entertainingly about which variety is “best.” It seems to come down to fine nitpicking points about blends and singles and location and other qualities about which I, as a non-Scotch-drinker like yourself, have neither investment nor knowledge; nevertheless, these appear to be extraordinarily significant to the aficionadoes. Would it be possible to contact your boss’s wife, or someone else close to him, and get a report on what’s in his liquor cabinet? Then you can take that list to the store, or post it here, and use it to narrow down the recommendations to something more appropriate to his taste.
Thanks for the recommendations so far. What I do not know is what he usually drinks and since I am a remote employee, he is located on the other side of the country so I don’t get opportunity to subtly figure out his tastes over drinks.
This is a good idea. Although I cannot inquire with his wife, I can hit up a few people within the company that he socializes with normally and get their thoughts.
Unfortunately, this approach may end up with me spending a lot of money on a gift that my boss’ more refined palate and experience may deem as “crap” Scotch.
