I started drinking Scotch for my health - really. I used to drink beer in the evening but I became diabetic. Scotch has fewer carbs = better for a diabetic.
I have Scottish ancestry (Abernethy) though that is pretty meaningless since my ancestors came to North America in the 1600s. Still, I retain two important characteristics of the Scotch: I like Scotch and I'm frugal.
Fortunately, I find Scotch blends are better tasting than single malts. "Scotch Snobs" (and probably those with better palates than I) know that single malts are better than blends. But I like blends and I'm drinking because I want to, not because I have to. I'm retired so I don't have to drink. Blends are much less expensive than single malts which warms my heart.
My thoughts on some Scotch Blends are in subsequent posts.
What I like and dislike in Scotch.
Scotch should not taste sweet. If you want a sweeter taste, drink bourbon.
Scotch should have a smoky or peaty taste to it.
Scotch should not taste like you are sucking on a piece of burnt wood.
Scotch should go down smooth, not harsh.
Preferences:
Sometimes I want a smokier/more peaty taste. Sometimes I don't.
Because I sometimes want smoky, I need at least two brands of Scotch in the house at all times.
If you disagree with the above criteria - then take the subsequent recommendations as an "anti-buy" list rather than a recommendation list.
Dewers White Label
Advantages:
Smooth
Lightly smokey/peaty taste
Not sweet
Disadvantages:
None. Not expensive, smooth and good.
This is my everyday, go-to scotch. You can find it everywhere. It is not terribly expensive (you can get a handle for less than $40 including tax in Georgia).
Johnny Walker Red
Advantages:
As smoky a taste as I ever care for
Smooth
Not Sweet
Disadvantages:
More expensive
Usually I don't want something this smoky
I keep a fifth (not a handle) of Johnny Walker Red in the liquor cabinet. I don't want something that smoky every day, or even every week. But when I want it I want it.
JW
Advantages:
Cheaper than Dewar's
Not sweet
Comes in a plastic bottle (It is less likely to break)
Disadvantages
Not smooth enough
I will happily drink JW when it is offered to me. I find it a little to harsh to buy for myself. But I'm happy to drink your JW, thank you for it, and have a second while thanking you for being a fine fellow.
Scorsby
Advantages:
Less expensive than Dewars
Not sweet
Smoky, but not too smoky
Disadvantage:
Not smooth, not smooth at all.
I tried a Fifth of Scorsby and it was not smooth enough. It was barely drinkable. I finished the bottle instead of giving it to a relative who believes that any free liquor is better than any liquor he purchases with his own money. But I did think about gifting it - hard. :-\
Carlyle
Advantages:
Cheaper than Johnny Walker Red
More smoky than Dewars, but not as smoky as Johnny Walker Red
Not Sweet
Smooth
Disadvantages:
None really.
Awesome! I found this at Total Wine in Greenville, SC when up for the SEC Women's Basketball Tournament. This was a store manager recommendation - which often is a good indicator. It hit my sweet spot on smoky (more smoky than Dewars but not too smoky). It is less expensive than Johnny Walker Red.
I posted all of this as a public service to my fellow grogs - who seem to be a hard drinking bunch.
I've spent a decade of research on this topic. And remember, I'm a scientist and I have been highly trained in "research."
Shieldaig
Advantages:
Cheaper than Dewars
Honestly, the name is pretty neat.
Not sweet.
Nice smoky taste
Disadvantages:
Too Harsh
This was the other Total Wine Manager recommendation in the blended Scotch area. I drank all of this and did not consider giving it to a relative - but it was harsher than I like. If you can tolerate something less smooth than Dewars, or if, God help you, you like a harsher taste - then try Shieldaig.
Enjoyable thread. I, too, am retired and enjoy Scotch. I don't drink much at all, sadly. It's not that I don't WANT to, I just keep forgetting to....not a good sign. My drinks are Scotch and port with an occasional CC&7. The other two being a bit sweet, I tend to like my Scotch neat - no ice, no water - and I , alas, like the strong single malts. which makes my only occasional drinking more affordable. My favorite is Laphroaig, as peaty and strong a drink as one could want. I can say that there is a big difference between the 10 and 25 year old versions. I stick with the cheaper bottle for the most part. And somehow I think I had a bottle of 18 year old Laphroaig, though their website claims no such animal exists....must have had too much of whatever it was :-)
Johnny Red is my usual go-to, though I'll splurge on some Black on occasion, and Dewers is indeed a nice fall-back for a lighter taste.
That being said, right now all I have in the house is a bottle of Bushmill's Irish Whiskey, also not bad.
Nice thread, Airboy!
I tend to prefer single malt Scotch, however that's purely my taste and I have nothing against blends at all - it all comes down to the flavour.
That being said, I can wholeheartedly recommend a nice bottle of 12-year-old Chivas Regal, which has become kind of a go-to for me if I can't get my hands on any of the single malts I usually drink. It's also not terribly expensive.
I don't think I've ever tried Chivas Regal, despite it being on every liquor store shelf right by the JW Red. I'll give it a go some time.
Thanks for this thread. I've started enjoying scotch too but so far only single malts. I agree on sweetness/peatiness thing. I'll have to try some of these.
Nice thread
walker Red in a handle is my go to for volume / cost ratio.
Walker black is nice but not worth the premium over the red.
I prefer Islay scotch so when I have some pennies rubbing together without a home I'll grab a bottle of Ardbeg 10 yr or Laphroaig 10 yr.
Its funny, I was a scotch/bourbon guy for the longest time... now I am into aged rums. No reason, just kinda ended up here
I'm more of a bourbon fan myself but there a scotch's that I can enjoy. It was 25yrs old and unfortunately $300+ a bottle... so I only drink from my friend's bottle. His wife bought it for his 50th Bday....no idea what the brand/make/style is other than not peaty at all and smooth as silk...
Nice!!!! \m/
Just grabbed another bottle of Laphroiag 10 yr. That and Ardbeg are probably my 2 favorite Islay scotches.
Picked up the following over the last couple of weeks
Lagavulin 16 yr
Nikka Coffey Grain Whiskey
The best thread. (raises glass) :)
Added a bottle of Highland Park 12 yr to my collection.
Quote from: jamus34 on May 24, 2019, 10:43:12 AM
Added a bottle of Highland Park 12 yr to my collection.
Ooh that's classy looking. Nice colour, and 12 years is generally my sweet spot for value factored with taste (for a single malt). Let us know how it is!
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.pinimg.com%2F736x%2F73%2F31%2Fd4%2F7331d4ffdb12bae8492bc28b07be8b71.jpg&hash=f2f7c58c23450e6ba3792445035997bb843208b4)
I'm pretty much a budget scotch drinker. However, I was at a party a couple of years ago with a very expensive pre-paid open bar, and they had JW Blue on tap.
All I can say is that if you've only drank budget scotch like me, you don't know what scotch is, or what you've been missing, until you put some really good scotch in your gullet.
I will never spend that much on booze the way I drink it, but damn, that was some seriously good stuff. Like what I imagine the gods drink when they're having a sip.
Anyway, now back to my Scoresby and Clan MacGregor... :-[ \m/
Clan MacGregor's certainly not the worst cheap scotch out there. It was my go-to when I was nearly broke after my divorce.
Quote from: Huw the Poo on March 17, 2019, 11:13:44 AM
Nice thread, Airboy!
I tend to prefer single malt Scotch, however that's purely my taste and I have nothing against blends at all - it all comes down to the flavour.
That being said, I can wholeheartedly recommend a nice bottle of 12-year-old Chivas Regal, which has become kind of a go-to for me if I can't get my hands on any of the single malts I usually drink. It's also not terribly expensive.
I tried this, again, and still don't care for the taste for some reason.
Quote from: Toonces on July 05, 2019, 01:09:32 AM
Anyway, now back to my Scoresby and Clan MacGregor... :-[ \m/
I recommend Carlyle to you. About the same price and has a much better taste (at least to me).
Quote from: Barthheart on March 22, 2019, 11:32:31 AM
I'm more of a bourbon fan myself but there a scotch's that I can enjoy. It was 25yrs old and unfortunately $300+ a bottle... so I only drink from my friend's bottle. His wife bought it for his 50th Bday....no idea what the brand/make/style is other than not peaty at all and smooth as silk...
I started getting into Bourbons.
I grabbed some Buffalo Trace, Elijah Craig, Eagle Rare and Four Roses. Pretty good overall, and for the most part MUCH easier on the wallet. BT and EC especially are relatively inexpensive.
Have you tried Rye?
I had some of that for the first time a few years ago when the Jim Beam Prohibition version was on sale for $10. I was like, wow where have you been all my life?!
Same with Mescal.
I've had Whistlepig a couple of times in the past...I'm really not a fan and has me hesitant to try rye's as everything I've heard that's a pretty good one.
Maybe I should give it another try. I've been turned off to most of American spirits due to my dislike of Daniels and Beam, so getting into Bourbon is relatively new for me.
Quote from: Windigo on March 22, 2019, 10:56:31 AM
Its funny, I was a scotch/bourbon guy for the longest time... now I am into aged rums. No reason, just kinda ended up here
We got a case of Mount Gay Black Barrell rum when we were in Barbados last time and gave almost all of it away. Rum is just too sweet for our tastes.
If you like spiced rum I strongly, strongly urge you to try Four Square Spiced Rum. It is the best tasting one out there, and it is also far less expensive than almost every other Spiced Rum. In the USA the only problem is finding it. You can get it in St. Thomas in the Caribbean and at Total Wine.
Dark and Stormy's are Ginger Beer (we use diet to eliminate the sugar) plus spiced rum. Those are really good and about the only way I drink rum any longer.
If you ever go to Barbados, take the Mount Gay tour and sample their Planters Punch while you are there.
Quote from: Huw the Poo on May 24, 2019, 11:07:12 AM
Quote from: jamus34 on May 24, 2019, 10:43:12 AM
Added a bottle of Highland Park 12 yr to my collection.
Ooh that's classy looking. Nice colour, and 12 years is generally my sweet spot for value factored with taste (for a single malt). Let us know how it is!
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.pinimg.com%2F736x%2F73%2F31%2Fd4%2F7331d4ffdb12bae8492bc28b07be8b71.jpg&hash=f2f7c58c23450e6ba3792445035997bb843208b4)
My wife picked up a couple of mini-bottles for us to try - and I did not care for it. There was no peaty taste at all. It was like a very smooth, tasteless whisky - which is not why I drink Scotch.
But at my retirement party a friend gave me a bottle of Glenlivet 12 year old that was just amazing.
Great thread!
Curious if anyone has any thoughts on Glen Garioch? A buddy of mine introduced me to a bottle of some 25-year stuff that was just incredible. It's been my go-to ever since, albeit I generally go for cheaper variants ;)
Quote from: jamus34 on July 23, 2019, 05:00:32 PM
I've had Whistlepig a couple of times in the past...I'm really not a fan and has me hesitant to try rye's as everything I've heard that's a pretty good one.
Maybe I should give it another try. I've been turned off to most of American spirits due to my dislike of Daniels and Beam, so getting into Bourbon is relatively new for me.
Canadian Club Rye is really quite good and not too expensive... at least up here.
https://www.canadianclub.com/
I drink Bourbon mostly and my wife likes Rum. Bacardi and Jim Beam have been our go to liquors for a while but now I drink Kentucky Gentleman bourbon and Ronrico rum. They're much cheaper and just as good in my book. :bd:
Quote from: airboy on July 23, 2019, 05:05:46 PM
Quote from: Huw the Poo on May 24, 2019, 11:07:12 AM
Quote from: jamus34 on May 24, 2019, 10:43:12 AM
Added a bottle of Highland Park 12 yr to my collection.
Ooh that's classy looking. Nice colour, and 12 years is generally my sweet spot for value factored with taste (for a single malt). Let us know how it is!
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.pinimg.com%2F736x%2F73%2F31%2Fd4%2F7331d4ffdb12bae8492bc28b07be8b71.jpg&hash=f2f7c58c23450e6ba3792445035997bb843208b4)
My wife picked up a couple of mini-bottles for us to try - and I did not care for it. There was no peaty taste at all. It was like a very smooth, tasteless whisky - which is not why I drink Scotch.
But at my retirement party a friend gave me a bottle of Glenlivet 12 year old that was just amazing.
Oh I could have told you that. I have been told it's a good bridge scotch for whisky drinkers who aren't used to the peat.
Funny that 3 of my favorite distillers are literally right next to each other (Ardbeg, Laphroaig and Lagavulin) which are probably three of the more peatier scotches you can get.
Personally I'm not that big of a fan of Macallan.
Also if your not too snobbish to enjoy a good blend Monkey Shoulder is worth your money (mix of Balvenie, Glenfiddich and Kininvie; at least historically, not sure if they've changed that blend)
Any of you tried Famous Grouse? I'd never actually tried it despite it being available everywhere, but for my birthday this year I got a gift pack - a small bottle of it, one of those fashionable tilted glasses, and some whiskey stones (something else I've always been curious about).
It's actually not bad for a budget Scotch. It won't win any awards but it's inexpensive and inoffensive, and now occupies the same niche for me as Chivas Regal, i.e. if I can't find a good single malt or am all out of disposable income for the month, I'll happily settle for it.
In the dim, dark past (when I was a wee lad) the senior partner of the firm is worked with drank the McCallan 15 as his daily and the 18 on special occasions. Bought the 15 by the case. Amazing
Quote from: Huw the Poo on December 19, 2019, 05:09:36 PM
Any of you tried Famous Grouse? I'd never actually tried it despite it being available everywhere, but for my birthday this year I got a gift pack - a small bottle of it, one of those fashionable tilted glasses, and some whiskey stones (something else I've always been curious about).
It's actually not bad for a budget Scotch. It won't win any awards but it's inexpensive and inoffensive, and now occupies the same niche for me as Chivas Regal, i.e. if I can't find a good single malt or am all out of disposable income for the month, I'll happily settle for it.
I've had the Grouse, I agree for a budget scotch it's not bad. I put it on par with Walker red.
Quote from: Sir Slash on July 23, 2019, 09:59:59 PM
I drink Bourbon mostly and my wife likes Rum. Bacardi and Jim Beam have been our go to liquors for a while but now I drink Kentucky Gentleman bourbon and Ronrico rum. They're much cheaper and just as good in my book. :bd:
Apparently you do not have what it takes to be a snob.
Sniff!
I picked up a bottle of this shiz for new year's eve celebrations. Thought I'd be adventurous and give it a try; I've never heard of this distillery before.
Well, I'm sorry to report that the Auchentoshan is swill. It tastes cheap and bitter, and to be honest I could barely finish a glass. I'll have to mix the rest of it so it doesn't go to waste. :(
Admittedly I've not tried very many single-malts, but compared to the ones I have, blended Johnny Black still tastes better to me.
I'm not going to make everyone cry (including me) about the Scotches I had in Scotland last Fall. You cannot get what I drank there imported into the USA. I want to take a Scotch trip (my wife can navigate) sometime before I die. She wants an Irish Whiskey trip - so we can probably trade off on who gets to drink the most.
I've finished my US Scotch-Quest. I've got about seven different brands I keep on hand - so I have enough variety.
There are three I added since I started this thread. I'll discuss each individually.
Glenlivet 12 year old Single Malt - very smooth, very good. Some peaty taste, but not overwhelming. More expensive than Dewar's and Carlyle (my two main drinks). Very nice to have occasionally.
I keep a bottle in the cabinet.
Grangestone 12 year single malt.
This is nicely smooth, but has a distinct peaty taste. This is much better tasting than Johnny Walker Red if you want something more peaty. I keep a bottle of this in the cabinet when I want a peaty scotch.
Battlehill Laphroaig - 10 year.
This one is very peaty. This is as peaty as I can stand. It is good, but not something I drink every week or even every month. I keep a bottle in the liquor cabinet - but one lasts me about a year.
Be careful about the Battlehill label. Battlehill is a brand that is common to a number of exporting distillers in Scotland. The second word in the brand name is critical to understanding what you are buying. I did not care for some of the other Battlehill brands - but I do like Laphroaig.
Macallan 12 Year Double-Cask (blue box).
This scotch is distilled in two different casks - one a traditional oak and the other one that was used to age sherry. This has a different, but very smooth taste than most Scotch. This is a special occasion scotch that individuals who dislike the peaty taste will find to be an excellent drink.
In conclusion:
My everyday Scotch is Dewar's or Carlyle.
If I want something with more of a peaty taste - then it is Grangestone 12 year or if I want something really peaty - Battlehill Laphroaig.
My "special occasion" scotch is Macallan 12 year or Glenlivet 12 year.
I buy Dewar's and Carlyle by the handle. I buy the other four by the bottle. I keep all six in my liquor cabinet.
Johnny Walker has been dropped from my inventory.
I will have to try that Macallan. I think I've enjoyed every Scotch I've had that was aged in a sherry cask, and I tend to prefer the less peaty flavours too. It sounds perfect.
@Airboy
Have you ever tried Talisker? Not as peaty as Laphroaig, or Lagavulin but very nice indeed. O0