Any Scotch drinkers in the house?

[LChoy]

Originally Posted by 19Yzerman19

Hoping there's some CP expertise that can make me a few suggestions in different price ranges for new scotches I haven't tried yet, that would cohere with my particular tastes. Because while I have a decent understanding of what I like, I do not know what makers actually produce a dram that meets with those preferences.

I don't really like the super woody, super peaty stuff. Not a Laphroaig guy. What I mostly drink is Balvenie - the Doublewood is my go-to under $100 scotch, but I also have a bottle of 14yo carribean cask, 17yo sherry cask and the signature. I also really like Highland Park's 18yo.

For my birthday last year a couple of colleagues got me a bottle of Aberlour Abunadh. I really like this one, despite it being a bit more of a kick in the teeth than my usual Balvenie, as it's cask strength. So, I'd say the power behind the scotch isn't what dissuades me from some of the more aggressive Islays out there, as much as the actual flavour profile.

Third point - scotch is not my usual whiskey. I'm a big bourbon drinker; I have 20+ varieties in my closet at any given time. So sweeter stuff isn't a problem here, and it goes along with that that stronger whisky isn't an issue and probably gives some background on my peat aversion. I can drink Booker's or Blanton's Gold bourbon all day.

Any pointers as to what I should go for? I'd like to hear about scotches in the $80-200 range, or so. I think if I was dropping coin on something in the mid $200's, I'd be getting a Balvenie 21y/o Portwood, but I'd be interested to hear about other alternatives +$200 just out of curiosity.

EDIT: Oh, and I take my scotch neat with a tiny bit of water - like a few drops at most.

A quick suggestion, but I have a bottle of Glenmorangie Nectar D'Oh. Very balance with a hint of sweetness like vanilla. Would be something I think you would like

[strombad]

Anyone have any recommendations in the range of Lagavulin 16 and Talisker 18?

Both are my favourites, and I find myself just bouncing between the two but I wouldn't mind adding a third or forth to the rotation.

[CaptainYooh]

Lagavulin Distiller's Edition
Bowmore 15, 17, 18

[Slava]

Originally Posted by strombad

Anyone have any recommendations in the range of Lagavulin 16 and Talisker 18?

Both are my favourites, and I find myself just bouncing between the two but I wouldn't mind adding a third or forth to the rotation.

Good luck finding that Talisker 18.Last I heard they still have some in Europe and I found a bottle in the US, but it's very tough to come by.

[strombad]

Originally Posted by Slava

Good luck finding that Talisker 18.Last I heard they still have some in Europe and I found a bottle in the US, but it's very tough to come by.

Maybe that's not the one I'm thinking of, may be another Talisker, but I've only actually bought Lagavulin and been trying out a few others (with varied success) for the past year or so. If it's the same one I'm thinking of and I'm out of luck, that'd be a shame.

[DFO]

Originally Posted by Slava

Good luck finding that Talisker 18.Last I heard they still have some in Europe and I found a bottle in the US, but it's very tough to come by.

Haven't seen the Talisker 18 in a while. I just bought a bottle of Talisker 57 Degrees North in the Vegas duty free shop - need to get home and crack it open tonight.

[LChoy]

Originally Posted by strombad

Anyone have any recommendations in the range of Lagavulin 16 and Talisker 18?

Both are my favourites, and I find myself just bouncing between the two but I wouldn't mind adding a third or forth to the rotation.

Caol Ila? It's slightly lighter, but the smokiness reminds me of bacon

[Murrfk]

Originally Posted by strombad

Anyone have any recommendations in the range of Lagavulin 16 and Talisker 18?

Both are my favourites, and I find myself just bouncing between the two but I wouldn't mind adding a third or forth to the rotation.

Any of the Islays. Bowmore would also be a milder version. If you can find a bottle of Devil's Cask, it it the most interesting scotch I have had. See my post about it at singlemaltscotches.blogspot.ca Laphroig might also be worth a try.

[CaptainYooh]

Originally Posted by Murrfk

Any of the Islays....

That's not a reasonable generalization. Islay whiskeys differ significantly across the board. Laphroig, Bunnahabhain, Ardbeg, Caol Ila and Talisker are all very peaty and salty, but have little richness from the cask taste. They do change towards milder and more pronounced taste with age (starting at 18-yrs old), as the Scotch loses cask alcohol strength, mellows and becomes more saturated with the cask original beverage notes (bourbon, sherry or port).

Lagavulin and Bowmore Scotches are also very smokey and peaty in line with the Islay traditional distilliery practices but they are, as a rule, richer in original cask beverage notes.

Bruichladdich is technically an Islay Scotch too, but it is not really a solid product by any Scotch standard these days after losing all of their stock of aged single malts due to bankruptcy and subsequent takeover. It is more affordable and they do market it very well to young drinkers, yet, it is nothing to write home about, imo. It is mostly very young, rough and shallow in taste.

[Locke]

A client just gave me a bottle of 'The Balvenie 12 Double Cask.'

Its matured in a whiskey oak cask first and then a sherry oak cask. I can tell you that I am looking forward to breaking this bad boy in.

And, oh yes, I can be bribed by my clients. I'm not saying it'll get you a bigger tax refund but I'm just sayin...

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Locke

A client just gave me a bottle of 'The Balvenie 12 Double Cask.'

Its matured in a whiskey oak cask first and then a sherry oak cask. I can tell you that I am looking forward to breaking this bad boy in.

And, oh yes, I can be bribed by my clients. I'm not saying it'll get you a bigger tax refund but I'm just sayin...

Coincidentally I need to come in and do my 2013 taxes. Also just sayin!

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Slava

Coincidentally I need to come in and do my 2013 taxes. Also just sayin!

I'll save a glass for you. When you make your appointment just make sure you're the last one of the day!

[strombad]

Originally Posted by CaptainYooh

That's not a reasonable generalization. Islay whiskeys differ significantly across the board. Laphroig, Bunnahabhain, Ardbeg, Caol Ila and Talisker are all very peaty and salty, but have little richness from the cask taste. They do change towards milder and more pronounced taste with age (starting at 18-yrs old), as the Scotch loses cask alcohol strength, mellows and becomes more saturated with the cask original beverage notes (bourbon, sherry or port).

Lagavulin and Bowmore Scotches are also very smokey and peaty in line with the Islay traditional distilliery practices but they are, as a rule, richer in original cask beverage notes.

Bruichladdich is technically an Islay Scotch too, but it is not really a solid product by any Scotch standard these days after losing all of their stock of aged single malts due to bankruptcy and subsequent takeover. It is more affordable and they do market it very well to young drinkers, yet, it is nothing to write home about, imo. It is mostly very young, rough and shallow in taste.

I can definitely get behind this. As I said, Lagavulin and Talisker make some of my favourites, but having tried Ardbeg with little enjoyment and Bruichladdich with even less, I can safely say that the "Islay" rule unfortunate does not always lead to the promised land.

My tastes certainly run in the smokiest and peatiest of realms, the richer the better, but never a strict requirement.

[RemyD]

Originally Posted by CaptainYooh

Lagavulin Distiller's Edition
Bowmore 15, 17, 18

[Murrfk]

Originally Posted by CaptainYooh

That's not a reasonable generalization. Islay whiskeys differ significantly across the board.

Of course they do. But the question was not what was the same, but what could be added/tried. If a person wants the same old they would have to buy the same old....

And, speaking of generalizations, Bruichladdich offers a huge range in both taste and quality. Bruichladdich ten and 12 are both worth trying, and Octomore will be over the top in terms of smokiness. I haven't tried Port Charlotte but it also might be worth trying as being in the same "type" as the OP was asking about.

[19Yzerman19]

Appreciated all the input.

Originally Posted by cavalera403

If you like the sweet stuff I would look into the Dalmore Cigar Matl (no age statement) or the Tomatin 18

The Aberlour Abunadh I really enjoy as well but when you are up in that 60+% range I do find that if I add a little more water than normal to bring it back down into at least the low 50% to high 40% range you get a bunch more flavor without killing your taste buds with the alcohol

Originally Posted by kermitology

Tomatin 18 is awesome.

Originally Posted by CaptainYooh

What you are describing are balanced Scotches. Have a look at the taste map below; it's good and pretty useful for a beginner. Anything in and around the centre sector of the map would be balanced. Anything in the NE sector would be peaty, smoky and rich, so avoid it, if it's not your thing. Anything in the NW sector would be smoky and peaty with shallow taste, so avoid it as well. Stay on the south site of the map. Auchentoshan and Glenlivet Scotch would both be in your taste preference region, I think. If you're looking for cheaper stuff, try Glenmorangie 12 (something like $40 at Costco).

So after considering a bunch of options here's where I'm at. I went through my entire (smallish) scotch cabinet yesterday and rank them as follows.

1. Balvenie 14 Carribean Cask
2. Aberlour Abunad'h
3. Balvenie 17 Sherry Cask
4. Balvenie 12 Doublewood
5. Balvenie 12 Signature
6. Glendronach 12

Note that I would have ranked the Balvenie 15 signature and Jura Superstition somewhere fairly high but I'm fresh out of both. As a result I went out and got another bottle of the Carribean Cask today. Here are the ones I'm considering getting:

1. Glemorangie "Signet" - I wish this was a bit cheaper, as it's over 200 bucks, but the description makes it sound deep, sweet, rich and complex with very little earthiness. It's also described as an "experience".
2. Tomatin 18 - Just based on reccomendations above and the fact that it's an 18 y/o for around 100 bucks which seems reasonable if the quality is as reported. That said, the reviews I'm reading aren't as glowing.
3. Glenfarcas 105 Cask Strength - On the basis that I really like the Abunadh I'd like another cask strength offering but most of them are heavy peat things and that doesn't appeal. This one reportedly is a good option.

[cavalera403]

If you want to splurge willow park has a special bottling of tomatin at 60.3% that is 21 yo and has had some time in a PX sherry cask and is great.

[19Yzerman19]

Ummm that sounds pretty amazing.

[cavalera403]

For 199.99 yes. Yes it is

[19Yzerman19]

Yeah I kind of want one splurge bottle, I was thinking Signet because it sounds interesting but maybe that's worth a shot. Are you sure on the abv%? Because I'm googling and finding a cask strength Tomatin 21 bottled at 54. Just wondering if it's the same one.

Anyway it'll be a bit as I just bought that bottle of Carribean Cask, and then I was picking stuff up at the co op and went into their liquor store and noted that Highland Park 18 was $15 off (96 bucks). Grabbed that too.