scotch

[bustedchucks]

ive been listening to tom waits all day and its made me realize its time to take the next step in my drunkardness...scotch. im quite fond of irish whiskey, primarily jameson. so i need some suggestions for scotch whisky, decent to good blends, accessible single malts, and what to stay away from. nothing too pricey, since the subtleties will probably be lost on me at the moment.
ice?, a little water added?, simply poured in a glass?

cheers.

[smb394]

Somewhat affordable single malts that I like:

Glenmorangie 10yr. (about $35 bottle)
Glenlivet 12yr. ($32 per bottle)
Balvenie 10yr. ($26ish)

-note: I live in PA, where the communists run the liquor system...so your local prices are probably lower (all bottles are 750mL prices)

Also, on the rocks w/ 1 ice cube. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[manpower]

Johnny Walker Black isn't going to be a bad place to start. People who are *into* scotch swear by single malts though. A lot of good ones seem to have the word 'glen' in the name somewhere.

Also, Tastings (http://tastings.com/) will have ratings for this sort of thing.

[correia]

http://jf-barbey.net/whisky/my_images/10_balvenie_10.jpg

[brassnuts]

Any scotch will do. As long as it's not a blend, of course. Single malt. Glenlivet, Glenfiddich perhaps. Maybe a Glenge... any Glen.

[beta1607]

[ QUOTE ]
Glenmorangie 10yr. (about $35 bottle)


[/ QUOTE ]

I have the more aged Glenmorangie and it is excellent but like $80/bottle. Dalwhinie (sp) is also very very good for like 50ish/bottle.

[rohjoh]

http://www.hitimewine.com/istarimages/p/p-103590.gif http://www.hitimewine.com/istarimages/p/p-117730.gif

[smb394]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Glenmorangie 10yr. (about $35 bottle)


[/ QUOTE ]

I have the more aged Glenmorangie and it is excellent but like $80/bottle. Dalwhinie (sp) is also very very good for like 50ish/bottle.

[/ QUOTE ]

I definitely agree with this. It's one of those things that if you really enjoy, it costs you a fortune. Worth it though.

[Tron]

[ QUOTE ]
Any scotch will do. As long as it's not a blend, of course. Single malt. Glenlivet, Glenfiddich perhaps. Maybe a Glenge... any Glen.

[/ QUOTE ]

Nice.

[Eurotrash]

[ QUOTE ]
Any scotch will do. As long as it's not a blend, of course. Single malt. Glenlivet, Glenfiddich perhaps. Maybe a Glenge... any Glen.

[/ QUOTE ]



I love that quote. this post is so money.

[Ulysses]

Search this forum. Many great scotch threads. The Balvenie 10 below is a good choice. The basic Macallan (10/12/whatever it is) is also a very good one to get started with. In a glass with a couple drops of water for the single malts. Blends over ice is a good choice. Black Label is a good one to start with there.

[renodoc]

my first thought brassnuts

you're so money

[thatpfunk]

[ QUOTE ]
Also, on the rocks w/ 1 ice cube.

[/ QUOTE ]

In on of the previous scotch threads someone said that good Scotch should never be served on the rocks as it dulls the taste. True or false?

[beta1607]

false.
Some quality scotch is actually meant to be mixed with ice or water to help develop the taste. Generally the label of a fine single malt scotch will say the proper way to drink it.

[DrPublo]

I like the Macallan 12 yr and the Balvenie 12 yr doublewood. About $40/bottle for each.

Two ice cubes is perfect.

If you want to get pricy I really really like the Macallan 18 yr.

The Doc

[smb394]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Also, on the rocks w/ 1 ice cube.

[/ QUOTE ]

In on of the previous scotch threads someone said that good Scotch should never be served on the rocks as it dulls the taste. True or false?

[/ QUOTE ]

Not quite sure to be honest. This is more of a personal preference. And, the ice cube should be one of those small ones.

[Los Feliz Slim]

Everyone's hitting the single malts in this thread, and I agree with them. But, for day-to-day, drinking yourself into the guttter, you need to be aware of some blends. The local Costco has been selling me Johnnie Walker "Green" 15-year for about 40 bucks, which is very reasonable. It's a good place to start, Johnnie Walker-wise, before you get to Blue.

[cold_cash]

Screw the scotch.

Have a word with the bird.

http://photobucket.com/albums/y34/cold_cash/th_turkey.gif

[theben]

green label and black label got excellent reviews at the world spirits convention in SF, beating out both gold and blue label. (because of better mix of value and quality) i think they each got in the range of golds/double golds.

[theben]

some others opinios that probably matter:

Best Scotch Whisky - The Dalmore 21 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Highland, Scotland [43%] ($80) Importer: Fielding & Jones Ltd. - Deerfield, IL

Cragganmore 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Sherry Cask, Speyside, Scotland [40%] ($125) Importer: Diageo - NY, NY

Ballantine's 12 Year Old Scotch, Scotland [40%] ($22) Importer: Allied Domecq Spirits - Westport, CT

[PokerGoblin]

I'm surprised no one mentioned J&B yet. My personal preference.

I picked up a quart in the duty free shop in Canada for like $19.

I should have stocked up.

PG

[xadrez]

Go with a single malt if you can afford it.

Talsiker
Oban
Balvenie Doublewood
Lagavulin

are some of my favorites...

[TheTROLL]

Ardbeg (http://www.ardbeg.com/ardbeg/home.aspx) is a great thing.

There's a book the Scotch fans will enjoy called Raw Spirit (http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0099460270/qid=1127139185/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl/026-7835353-6299628) by Ian Banks (the same guy who writes fiction as Ian M. Banks), detailing his travels round dozens of the distilleries, reviews of their whiskies and some amusing stories about the history of Scotch generally and idiosyncracies of the individual distilleries.

[LetYouDown]

http://www.grobismywhisky.de/images/JohnnieWalkerBlue.jpg
End of thread.

[daveymck]

Maybe cos J&B is horrible, Jamesons isnt that far behind as well the op will find a lot of these whiskeys a revelation.

Some whiskey can be drunk with water but generally I would say having it on the rocks is an abomination.

Isle of Jura another goods one , Glenmorangie 15 years well worth it as is the special reserve one made in a different warehouse and is a lot more peaty.

I hate glenfiddich but some of there specials are not bad. Johnny Walker is a big brand but agian I dont think is that nice.

The thing with most of these mentioned are they awill be $40-$50 but they are drinks to be enjoyed having 1 or 2 relaxing or at the enbd of a session they are not for getting drunk on and drinking a bottle up in a night.

[daveymck]

[ QUOTE ]
Go with a single malt if you can afford it.

Talsiker
Oban
Balvenie Doublewood
Lagavulin

are some of my favorites...

[/ QUOTE ]

Oban is very nice as well.

[rmarotti]

A blended whiskey that tastes a little two sweet and sort of boring while being way overpriced is not a thread-ender. Ever.

[LetYouDown]

[ QUOTE ]
A blended whiskey that tastes a little too sweet and sort of boring while being way overpriced is not a thread-ender. Ever.

[/ QUOTE ]
Too sweet? Wow, never heard it called that. I've tasted all the Glens and a plethora of single malts. I've never found anything that fit my taste quite like Blue. Overpriced, perhaps...but it's fantastic. I never order it when I go out, as $20/glass is pushing it. But we have a Duty Free nearby and you can get a bottle for ~$120...so it's worth it to me.

[Lazymeatball]

I really wish I saw this thread before I bought that bottle of Dewar's. So what's the consensus on Dewar's as a cheap blend?

[xadrez]

[ QUOTE ]
Go with a single malt if you can afford it.

Talisker
Oban
Balvenie Doublewood
Lagavulin

are some of my favorites...

[/ QUOTE ]

FMP

And let me add that I single malt shouldnt be put on the rocks. Ice is for masking taste, and quite frankly why the hell would you spend 50+ dollars on something to not taste it? A couple drops of spring water on the other hand can open up a single malt quite well.

[rmarotti]

But it in bulk. Mix it with soda. Don't tell your friends.

[jason_t]

The Johnnie Walker blends are really good, and I like their image, but there is no way this could ever end a thread about scotch when it has to compete with so many amazing single malts. Try again.

[rmarotti]

non disputandem digustibus est, i suppose.

[LetYouDown]

[ QUOTE ]
So what's the consensus on Dewar's as a cheap blend?

[/ QUOTE ]
Not awful...not great. Middle of the pack as far as cheaper blends go, IMO. I've had it when I'm at a local restaurant and it's basically all they have.

[LetYouDown]

[ QUOTE ]
non disputandem digustibus est, i suppose.

[/ QUOTE ]
Fair enough. To each his own.

[rmarotti]

[ QUOTE ]
ive been listening to tom waits all day and its made me realize its time to take the next step in my drunkardness...scotch.

[/ QUOTE ]

To the OP:

This is an awesome reason to start drinking scotch. Keep up posts like this and you'll go far.

[Vish]

If you can get hold of a bottle, try Te Bheag. It's expensive (I paid around 80 euros), and I'm not even sure if it's available in the U.S., but it's by far the best Scotch I've ever had (Balvenie used to be my favorite). I fell for it even before I tasted it, it smells so good. Develop your palette on the Glens and Balvenies and such first, though. And please, don't put ice in your Scotch.

[daveymck]

[ QUOTE ]
If you can get hold of a bottle, try Te Bheag. It's expensive (I paid around 80 euros), and I'm not even sure if it's available in the U.S., but it's by far the best Scotch I've ever had (Balvenie used to be my favorite). I fell for it even before I tasted it, it smells so good. Develop your palette on the Glens and Balvenies and such first, though. And please, don't put ice in your Scotch.

[/ QUOTE ]

I did some searching loads of online UK retailers have it but none of them seem to export to the US I think there may be some duties that make it difficult for 1 bottle at a time to go over.

[Brain]

http://www.maximonline.com/entertainment/reviews/editorial_images/dvd_anchorman_010705.jpg

I love scotch. Scotchy, scotch, scotch. Here it goes down, down in my belly.

[JunkHead]

[ QUOTE ]
http://jf-barbey.net/whisky/my_images/10_balvenie_10.jpg

[/ QUOTE ]


Oh my, you hit the nail dead on the head there, my friend. What a beautiful Scotch.


JunkHead

[Mat Sklansky]

Try Dalwhinnie. It's sorta expensive, but the taste is unique, even to an uneducated palate such as mine. There's a distinctive honey tasting undertone.

[Ray Zee]

i like the balvenie 12 or 15 year stuff the best. even better than jw blue as that is a little too sharp for me. scotch takes a long time to develop the taste for it so its hard to determine what you like till you have had a few bottles over time.
overall there are alot of 20 buck bottles that are just fine. being snooty about drinking is worse than being snooty about money.

[smokingrobot]

scotch and water really diminishes the flavor or a good scotch.

if you really want to appreciate it, leave out the water. if you must, maybe a little ice.

[muck_nutz]

[ QUOTE ]
scotch takes a long time to develop the taste for it so its hard to determine what you like till you have had a few bottles over time.

[/ QUOTE ]

The scotch malt whisky society has tastings from time to time in various cities. Thats a good way to get a broad feel. If you find you like a certain type/region stick to that region until you feel you want to branch out. No need to thrash around. Personally I like scotch from Islay. Sure the 30 year Laphroig is unique, but for me its the 15 year thats the best. And its not silly expensive like the 30 year or some of the less accessible Islays.

Peter Jackson has several good guides to scotch and his level of pretense isn't too bad.

[muck_nutz]

[ QUOTE ]
scotch and water really diminishes the flavor or a good scotch.

if you really want to appreciate it, leave out the water. if you must, maybe a little ice.

[/ QUOTE ]

This depends. For single malts (which are really blends of malts from multiple years and water from the same distillary) I typically don't mix. For blends I often mix.

For single cask (*not* blended with other from the same or other distillerys or with water) the taste often changes (opens up) radically if you put in a *small* amount of water. Experiment a bit with these. Get a bottle of single cask malt (maybe from the smws), smell it, taste it. Then add a few drops of water and smell and taste it again. In my limited experience the taste will open up with very little water.