Well, sure, but does the price include the bottle deposit?
Just kidding; if it’s at the duty-free, I’m sure it doesn’t. But that reminds me of the $40,000 bottle at a local liquor store. It’s on display and behind glass. Our little city is not known for having Scotch connoisseurs; at least, none that could afford such a bottle. I asked a friend who worked there, why they had it. She replied that they had it to draw in people who just wanted to look at such an expensive bottle. Usually, such people would buy something much less expensive, but the store still made a sale, so it was all good.
Looking at the Heathrow duty-free offerings linked above, and hearing from our American friends as to what is available in the US, I’m at a loss as to what to recommend. But I will say this: a gift of any good bottle of single-malt Scotch, no matter how available it is locally, will be welcomed by a Scotch drinker.
Of the distilleries I’ve tried from the list I’d say the Fettercain and the Craigellachie were worth consideration, with a nod to the Kilchoman and the Balvenie.
If there’s a way to get some info on your pal’s tastes (maybe via his partner?) That might give you a steer. Not just in terms of region or peated v unpeated but also age - I personally find that whiskies peak at c.15 years and by the time you’re drinking 25 y old all the character and interest had been smoothed out and you’re just tasting the wood. That’s me, but it’s not just me so worth checking if you can.
Should add, this is the perspective of a resident Scot who does a regular whisky tasting, but knows nothing about what’s available in America.
In my out of date experience, Duty Free should have some choices that are exclusive to Duty Free. A 15 or 18 year old Macallan should be welcomed by any whisky aficionado (even if not their absolute favorite).
I would disagree; while the gesture would be appreciated the ‘wrong’ Scotch may not get touched after the gifter leaves as Scotches have a much greater difference in varieties than many other alcohols
Ah, but the Scottch-drinker may have Scotch-drinking friends and may pour them a bit more than a wee dram if they like one she doesn’t favor.
I like pretty much all single malts I’ve tried, though they go with different moods. The one single malt I abhor despite multiple tastings is Isle of Jura. Usually well-rated, but to me it’s a mouthful of blecccccchhhh.
That would be my suggestion as well. Due to the much lower sin taxes, most mainstream Scotches are cheaper in the States. You could stop at Total Wine on your way from the airport and save some money.
Last time I was in London, I had some time to kill at Heathrow before heading home. Stopped in at the World of Malt store and asked the guy working there for a few options in the £80 range that could not be purchased in North America. I don’t remember which one I ended up going with. There were several good options that I was given the chance to sample.
This was to me advice. Firstly, there was no Macallan to be seen. And I don’t care what Johnny Walker (or Jack Daniels - yes he was there!) has done lately, yet once as a present (same friend/drinking buddy / would honeymoon [ with his wife ] in Scotland/ Edinburgh) I bought the 50 year old Johnny Walker and straight-up, was it better than JB black? Absolutely. Yet I’ll gladly give you 1 50-year-old for 3 blacks.
I found the Islay. They must have read this thread, as I had said my budget would be about £100-300.
And this bottle was only £297.
Oh, and they have £1,500 bottles of something they said was “Fermented several thousand years ago, by Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving with a Pict” (JK)
Then I thought: "I like Glenfiddich! It was three of the top shelves to the left as you walk in. Like scanning for a book in a library, I went left to right past each tri-corner bottle and found a “VAT 04 18 year old in whatever their Perpetual Collection is for £102.” Then, nearby, a “21-year-old Gran Reserva.” for £145, packaged in like a cigar box.
Glenfiddich must have a “package design department”.
So that’s what I for him to look at (for now). Hip Replacement and OxyContin.
I got the VAT 04 stuff for myself (and somewhat - my wife, as she likes Jameson well enough, yet nothing higher than Johnny Walker red is mixed with coke, even then I twinge)
ETA: Back at JFK they had large Macallan displays up front in the duty-free.
Yeah, but it wasn’t even an accurate nitpick. If you’re gonna nitpick, you need to do it right.
Scotch whisky is just called ‘whisky’ by people in Scotland. Production rules are governed by the Scotch Whisky Regulations and the major organisation representing producers is the Scotch Whisky Association.
Saying that it’s not ‘whisky’, it’s ‘Scotch’ is simply incorrect
I’ve not ordered a whisky in Scotland. If you ask for a “Scotch”, they may have some fun at your expense, yet AFAIK, there’s no “wall of shame” where they take your picture.
They’ve nothing like the “Beer” you order in TV/movies and are served right up, so even in Edinburgh, York, New York, they might want to know what kind of whisky you want. Outside of Scotland, I reckon they’d only have one or two, yet neither would be default (maybe Dewars would be in New York).
Don’t ask for the Islay fermented and brewed several thousand years ago by a Pict and only recently discovered, unless you’ll tell the tale and maybe get a free shot.
Or just ask for a “Glenlivet” or a real non-Pict brand, and that’s what you’ll get,
In Ireland, it’s even easier: “A whiskey” (you don’t have to spell it) and you’ll get a Jameson’s. Near enough to Scotch whisky. I saw it in LHR duty-free. Regular stuff.
Looking in to it more “whisky” (no “e”) is made only in Scotland. In Scotland they call it whisky. Almost everywhere else it is called Scotch or Scotch whisky in order to distinguish it. If you are in Scotland and say whisky you get whisky made in Scotland. If you just say “whiskey” in a bar in the US you probably will not get Scottish whisky (aka scotch) unless the bar tender/waiter asks you to be more specific.
Everywhere else it is whiskey unless made in the US in a particular way in which case it is bourbon.
“Scotch” is in the EU’s “Protected Designation of Origin” (PDO) system, which also legally safeguards the names of regional products (like Scotch, Champagne, Parmigiano Reggiano) from non-compliant producers.
Scotch is whisky made in Scotland and branded as such. It cannot be made in London, Rio, or even the country north of the Republic of Ireland - and named or sold as such.
I’m a big Islay fan. For awhile one of my neighbors was a big scotch drinker too. But he really, really didn’t like Islays. We each dug into our respective backstocks to find all the bottles we’d been gifted, or just bought ourselves, that were not to our respective tastes.
A trade was arranged and suddenly I had a lot more bottles of enjoyable scotch than I had yesterday. As did he. Win win. We kept one open bottle of the other’s preference at each house so we could serve each other when we it got to be drinkin’ time.