LP Scotch thread!

Curious to see if there is anyone on the boards that is big into scotch. I've been trying it over the course of time and am looking for more opinions on good scotch.

 

Thus far my favorites are Dalwhinnie 15yr and Chivas Regal 18yr. But I haven't tried anything above that. I have a friend who recommends single malts and isn't much for blended. Looking and probing for places for some ways to compare differences, years, blends vs single, aging, etc... I am wanting to learn more.

This about sums it up.

 

http://www.ehow.com/how_2077679_pick-good-scotch.html

 

I like the scotch whiskeys from the Isle of Islay. Bowmore and Ardbeg are very good, Laphroaig is probably my best pick.

 

Most Isle of Islay scotch whiskeys have a very strong burnt dirt flavour, Ardbeg is so strong in flavour it needs a little water added to soften it.

 

These scotches make everything else flovourless and boring, it's hard to go back to anything from Laphroaig.

This about sums it up.

 

http://www.ehow.com/how_2077679_pick-good-scotch.html

 

sweet! thanks man

I have yet to really develop a taste for scotch. I've had all different kinds and, while I can definitely pick up on the vast amount of flavors within each scotch, I have a hard time drinking it straight. Is this something that comes with age or is it something I should work on? Or are some people just incapable of handling the flavor?

 

I can drink vodka and rum like water, but scotch and gin make me shiver.

I have yet to really develop a taste for scotch. I've had all different kinds and, while I can definitely pick up on the vast amount of flavors within each scotch, I have a hard time drinking it straight. Is this something that comes with age or is it something I should work on? Or are some people just incapable of handling the flavor?

 

I can drink vodka and rum like water, but scotch and gin make me shiver.

 

 

I only start liking Whiskey last year at 23, now i am a HUGE drinker as an everiday I drink Famous Grouse , Johnnie Walker Black Label (blended) and I always have a bottle or two of Jack Daniels Single Barrel (Bourbon)...

 

 

there are some great whiskyes ou there and my favorite one so far is James Martins 30 ...

 

i'm not a great fan of the Single Malt flavour

The scotches mentioned above are all " cooking " scotches. Look for Lochnagar ( at least 25 years old ), should be about USD150 a bottle, you will never tase anything like it again.

http://www.scotchwhisky.net/distilleries/royal_lochnagar.htm

 

There you go

For the money, you can't go wrong with Oban.

The whiskey that converted me from "Whiskey is ok" to "I'am a whiskey drinker" is Talisker 18yr old. makes me feel like I'm out on the sea, everytime. And thats a good thing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talisker

Lost my taste for Scotch(single malts) years ago.... have moved on to Jamesons, Bushmills with no regrets!

This thread has me drooling at work, Scotch is easily the finest of the heavies in my mind.

 

I stick to the mainstream brands for the most part (Macallan 18, Glenlivet 21, Highland Park 18, etc) but I've had Laphroaig and Royal Lachnagar on the list to try along with a few others.

 

So much more taste and character than gin or vodka...

 

 

Scotch..mmmmmmm. Johnny black is my nightcap regular. I just randomly buy and sample others.

glevlivet 12 year old is my quick drink. Really like the 15, more that the 18 year old

I have a nice collection of scotch (at one time I was up to about 100 different bottles). A few moves ago - now I am down to just a few dozen and mostly ones I like to drink

 

I would say if you want a great cheap everyday kind of scotch. Dewars White Label - yes you hear me right cheap old dewars is really the best lowest price scotch you can buy.

 

Now on to the great stuff that hasn't been mentioned.

 

Johnny Walker Blue - you hear about it all the time. But it is the best Blended out there - like butter it is. PS. I do not like any other JW's at all. Gold, red, green, black - don't like em at all. But blue is good stuff and just a few hundred a bottle.

 

My Favorite I have had ever is Macallen 25 year old 1964 vintage. It runs about 650 per bottle now. (I got it 5 years ago for a lot less - and subsequently drank it already). This is as good as speyside single malt as you can get.

 

However any Macallen 25 year old is very good as well and also only normally 200 or so per bottle.

 

A little harder to find or less known anyway - is Glenglassaugh a nice speyside single

 

I could go on for a book or two on this.

 

The interesting thing about Scotch. When I first tried it - I hated it, much like beer. Once I had a few types of Scotch (on the rocks only is how I drink it - just a few cubes). You start to nearly crave it like no other heavy out there.

 

The other plus on scotch - you can drink a ton and not have a hangover - at least for me that is.

I'm a big fan of Johnny Walker Blue myself.

I think if you're asking other people what scotch you should drink, you're missing the point of scotch: it's a very personal drink. The wide variety of taste between the various appellations is quite remarkable and everyone has a different preference (as is quite obvious from this thread).

 

Find what YOU like, regardless of how much it costs and screw anyone who tells you to drink something else. Enjoy it how YOU like it; on the rocks, neat, with a piece of dark chocolate, with pizza, etc.

 

That being said, give me a wee dram of Laphroaig cask strength over a single cube of ice and I'm a happy man

I think if you're asking other people what scotch you should drink, you're missing the point of scotch: it's a very personal drink. The wide variety of taste between the various appellations is quite remarkable and everyone has a different preference (as is quite obvious from this thread).

 

Find what YOU like, regardless of how much it costs and screw anyone who tells you to drink something else. Enjoy it how YOU like it; on the rocks, neat, with a piece of dark chocolate, with pizza, etc.

 

That being said, give me a wee dram of Laphroaig cask strength over a single cube of ice and I'm a happy man

 

Almost totally agree, a little water ok, not that I do, but any ice is a big no as it deadens the flavour. Yes, it is very personal.

 

I think many brands are smoother and easier to drink the more expensive you move up the range (Johnny Walker comes to mind). A lot of people like a smooth drink. I say find a flavour you like, as this will make it easy to drink, not the smoothness. Smooth is lack of flavour, but still with a decent distilling process.

 

For the newbies: The older generally the less alcohol content as alcohol evaporates through the barrel (angels share) and whisky does not get any better from sitting around in a bottle.

This thread has me drooling at work, Scotch is easily the finest of the heavies in my mind.

 

I stick to the mainstream brands for the most part (Macallan 18, Glenlivet 21, Highland Park 18, etc) but I've had Laphroaig and Royal Lachnagar on the list to try along with a few others.

 

So much more taste and character than gin or vodka...

 

Agree on the gin/vodka....but I'm still an amateur with drinking anything straight so I'm still drinking this stuff.

 

You think Cognac can ball with Scotch?

Been there done that with most of those mentioned... but you don't need to spend a fortune for good scotch/whiskey. On the other hand, this kind of liquor is definitely worth the big bucks once you get experienced taste buds. I just tried a new one that isn't very common, Compass. Try the $70-$100 bottles, although the $55-$65 bottles are just as good. It's a true wopper!!

 

BTW, stick to single malts...

Just finished a bottle of Laphroaig 15 last night (good bargain, about $90), first Islay Scotch I've had. In a word, incredible. Blows away the Speyside malts I've always considered mainstays, being a lot more rich, more smoky, and less sweet.

 

Was like drinking a barbequed steak. Highly recommended.

 

Next up: Talisker 18+ and Oban 18+

Glad someone brought this back up - I recently heard about cigars + scotch. What's this all about? (I've never smoked before, in my entire life, but the taste thing intrigues me about what it is about...)

Just finished a bottle of Laphroaig 15 last night (good bargain, about $90), first Islay Scotch I've had. In a word, incredible. Blows away the Speyside malts I've always considered mainstays, being a lot more rich, more smoky, and less sweet.

 

Was like drinking a barbequed steak. Highly recommended.

 

Next up: Talisker 18+ and Oban 18+

 

 

More smokey is an understatement! Great stuff though, but I find that I have to be "in the mood" for Laphroaig.

Glad someone brought this back up - I recently heard about cigars + scotch. What's this all about? (I've never smoked before, in my entire life, but the taste thing intrigues me about what it is about...)

 

Some of the more experienced members can add, but I am pretty sure it is the combination of the cigar burning your throat and the scotch soothing it. Additionally the flavor should come out more.

 

Honestly, for myself, give me Red Label with diet coke and some ice. I drank blue, green, etc and I am not going to lie to myself and say I like to drink scotch straight. I love the smokey flavor, and I like it mixed.

More smokey is an understatement! Great stuff though, but I find that I have to be "in the mood" for Laphroaig.

 

:lol2:

 

When I took a few deep breaths to catch the bouquet (do they use "bouquet" for scotch, too feminine haha) I thought someone had lit the bottle on fire. I laughed out loud and remembered jota1995's comment about "burnt dirt" from this thread.