The Official Scotch Thread

[Spinnaker]

So I know we got some scotch drinkers out there. What's in your collection, what's your go to for guests, your favorite new/of all time, and best value?

I'm just getting started with some bottles, but from various tastings I've decided I like the Highland/Speyside more than the Islay drams (yeah yeah not man enough yet).

The first whiskey I remember enjoying in a glass (other than slamming shots of Lord Calvert) was an Oban 14. Still a favorite. But more recently I was gifted:

Highland Park 15 ($70ish a bottle)


To be honest I was kind of disappointed. Further reading told me 12 is better bang for buck and the 18 is worth the extra coin.

Glenmorangie Signet ($150 - 200)



This is fantastic. Like drinking pecan pie in the form of whiskey. Prob over priced due to the LVMH label and fancy bottle but wouldn't stop me from buying another bottle.

Glenlivet Nadurra ($60 ish)



Bought this one myself as I heard good things. It's a nice light color and has a nice long finish that really lets you milk a glass.

Jonnie Gold ($90ish)



Bought this for myself after buying my brother a bottle of Blue as a gift (because we all know Blue is a rip off); and would drink it over the Blue if given a choice.

So, what's in your cabinet?

[smittyATL]

Damn son, you got fancy tastes. Nice choices, but a little pricey for daily consumption.

I keep stocked:

1. Johnnie Red - nice and smokey blend
2. Dimple Pinch 15 - very smooth blend
3. Glenlivet 12 - smooth single-malt and affordable as far as single-malts go
4. Yamazake 12 - not technically Scotch, but the smoothest 12 year single malt whiskey I've ever had--the 18 year would be more in your price range

I may also pickup Macallan 12, Glenmorangie Port finish, Highland Park anything is good...

[Spinnaker]

Damn son, you got fancy tastes. Nice choices, but a little pricey for daily consumption.

I keep stocked:

1. Johnnie Red - nice and smokey blend
2. Dimple Pinch 15 - very smooth blend
3. Glenlivet 12 - smooth single-malt and affordable as far as single-malts go
4. Yamazake 12 - not technically Scotch, but the smoothest 12 year single malt whiskey I've ever had--the 18 year would be more in your price range

I may also pickup Macallan 12, Glenmorangie Port finish, Highland Park anything is good...

I've seen the Glenlivet 12 and Dimple Pinch of the shelf, may have to pick up a bottle of each. I don't drink every night, and when I do I only have a finger or so, so I like to slowly enjoy it! (I'm otherwise very unfancy).

[Deserion]

I love Glenlivet or Glenfiddich. It's been a while since I've had either, but they pair very well with a handmade cigar.

I only have bourbon in the cabinet right now, though I need to get around to replenishing the scotch.

[synthsis]

Off the top of my head:

2 bottles of Johnny Blue (1 a wedding gift, 1 a bday gift)
8yr Speyburn Single ($30 bottle and surprisingly good)
15yr Glenfiddich Single (got it on a cruise duty free)
Hitori Yamazaki (Japanese double barrelled into a sherry cask)
10yr Laiphroag Single
Johnny Black
Johnny Anniversary

I actually need to restock soon as a couple of these are kinda low. I tend to gravitate towards Scotch in the winter and craft/good beer in the summer. I had a "perfect storm" a while back where I ended up finishing off 3 bottles in one night with a buddy. There was only about a glass or so left in each, so it really put a dent in the cabinet.

[synthsis]

Bought this for myself after buying my brother a bottle of Blue as a gift (because we all know Blue is a rip off); and would drink it over the Blue if given a choice.

Granted, Blue is very expensive and seems to be rising, but IMO, one of the smoothest Scotchs you can drink even though it's a blend.

[Spinnaker]

Granted, Blue is very expensive and seems to be rising, but IMO, one of the smoothest Scotchs you can drink even though it's a blend.

I would try that Glenmorangie posted above, IMO far better than the blue, still a blend, albeit less smokier so it depends on your tastes.

The Blue wouldn't sell if it wasn't good, I just think it's more about conspicuous consumerism than anything else.

[synthsis]

I like my Scotch dark and sweet, I've found ones from the Spey region tend to have this characteristic, which is why I like my cheapy $30 Speyburn.

I did get to drink a 28yr Dalemore, and it was very tasty. Read about it here:

http://newfoundfreetime.blogspot.com...d-whiskey.html

[smittyATL]

Off the top of my head:

2 bottles of Johnny Blue (1 a wedding gift, 1 a bday gift)
8yr Speyburn Single ($30 bottle and surprisingly good)
15yr Glenfiddich Single (got it on a cruise duty free)
Hitori Yamazaki (Japanese double barrelled into a sherry cask)
10yr Laiphroag Single
Johnny Black
Johnny Anniversary

I actually need to restock soon as a couple of these are kinda low. I tend to gravitate towards Scotch in the winter and craft/good beer in the summer. I had a "perfect storm" a while back where I ended up finishing off 3 bottles in one night with a buddy. There was only about a glass or so left in each, so it really put a dent in the cabinet.

I've received Johnnie Blue as a gift twice. Neither bottle made it to the next day.

The bottle is quite attractive, but it makes a better drink than ornament.

[SpiffyGTI]

I'm a big fan of this stuff:

[ElixXxeR]

I'm a big fan of this stuff:

I ordered this out once and really enjoyed it.

I'm partial to single, Islay malts (except for Bowmore, which always disappoints) and I have these on my shelf right now:

Arbeg Uigeadail (my absolute favorite)
Laphroaig 10 Cask Strength
Lagavulin 16
Auchentashen Three Wood
Oban 14 (I've been to the distillery; pretty neat)
Chivas Regal 18
Johnny Walker Black
Cutty Stark (awful)
Yamazaki 12 (not Scotch, but quite good)

If anyone needs/wants a cheap blend for mixing or sipping on the rocks, I highly recommend Ballantine's Finest. Cheaper than many other brands, and much better than crap like Cutty and JW Red, while actually offering a distinct and mature flavor.

I lived in Scotland for a few months in 2008 and have been hooked ever since.

[synthsis]

I forgot about the doublewood, it's a standard here at my house too.


I have a funny story about a bottle of Johnny Blue. It was the night before Thanksgiving 2009, a notorious "drinking" night. Well, we didn't want to go out, since it's usually full of rookies, so we went to my buddies mom's place, since he was visiting from Maryland. I was in a really bad spot with my current work gig and I knew the Ax was on it's way down at my neck. Two of my employee's were also friends with this buddy, so it was the 4 of us, who all worked together at one point. Anyhow, one of them went to the local liquor store to get a bottle of Johnny Black for us to split for the night. Well, when he was at the store, the girl at the counter says, "Did you say Johnny Blue?" and he went with it. Let's just say I've never seen a $200 bottle of Scotch disappear so fast.

tl;dr- buddy went to buy a bottle of Black, splurged on a bottle of Blue. it disappeared quickly.

[Spinnaker]

Arbeg Uigeadail (my absolute favorite)

I've read good things about this, does it taste like medicine though?

I had another glass of Johnny Blue last night and will stand that is is yawn. Very smooth, but at the cost of a lack of flavor and finish.

[ElixXxeR]

I've read good things about this, does it taste like medicine though?

I had another glass of Johnny Blue last night and will stand that is is yawn. Very smooth, but at the cost of a lack of flavor and finish.

It tastes much like other Islay malts. Perhaps a bit less iodine than Laphroaig, but it just smacks you in the face with flavor. It's cask strength, so a bit of filtered water tones down the bite and opens up the flavor bouquet.

And I completely agree with you about JW Blue. I have a 375ml bottle from a friend and it's just too dull. Green is probably the most interesting JW.

[Village Idiot™]

I ordered this out once and really enjoyed it.

I'm partial to single, Islay malts (except for Bowmore, which always disappoints) and I have these on my shelf right now:

Arbeg Uigeadail (my absolute favorite)
Laphroaig 10 Cask Strength
Lagavulin 16
Auchentashen Three Wood
Oban 14 (I've been to the distillery; pretty neat)
Chivas Regal 18
Johnny Walker Black
Cutty Stark (awful)
Yamazaki 12 (not Scotch, but quite good)

If anyone needs/wants a cheap blend for mixing or sipping on the rocks, I highly recommend Ballantine's Finest. Cheaper than many other brands, and much better than crap like Cutty and JW Red, while actually offering a distinct and mature flavor.

I lived in Scotland for a few months in 2008 and have been hooked ever since.

A man after me own heart.

I just crushed a Laphroaig 10 last Saturday. I love smoke flavor and can't get enough of it. My favorite beers are cask aged that have that smokey flavor.

[smittyATL]

It tastes much like other Islay malts. Perhaps a bit less iodine than Laphroaig, but it just smacks you in the face with flavor. It's cask strength, so a bit of filtered water tones down the bite and opens up the flavor bouquet.

And I completely agree with you about JW Blue. I have a 375ml bottle from a friend and it's just too dull. Green is probably the most interesting JW.

Islay always has that ultra-smokey taste.

[smittyATL]

Picked up some Johnnie Red this week. It tastes a little like smokey medicine in a good way.

[SurferbobGolf]

I've got a bottle of Johhny Gold sitting in the cabinet.

[2.FOH!!]

Currently in the cabinet:

-Aberlour 12 yr (sherry casks mmmm)
-Ardmore (no age statement, but I believe it's 8yr)
cask strength & non chill filtered, but I was underwhelmed. Needs to mature.
-Ardbeg 10 (favorite 10yr)
-Highland Park 12 (favorite 12yr)
-Lagavulin 16 (favorite any year)
-Laphroaig 10 (2)
-Glenmorangie 10
-Glen Fiddich Solera (haven't opened it yet)
-Talisker 10 yr (huzzah! Excellent, but packs a bite)

Bowmore Legend was a decent cheaper daily dram @ $25, but the last bottle
was leaving the taste of sugar free bubblegum in my mouth so I've switched
to McClelland's Islay. They aren't an actual distillery. Their islay malt is actually
6yr Bowmore & it's really surprisingly good for $20. A drop of water helps.

Their Highland malt is decent, too.

I love scotch....

[MVZOOM]

Yum, Isley malts.

We usually have in the cabinet:

- Glenmorangie 10yr
- Dimple (I think it's a 12)
- Chivas Regal

The special scotches that appear regularly

- Talisker, usually just the 10y/o. I like that peaty, smokey bite
- Laphroaig - can't remember the version, but generally entry level

I don't really like JW Red or Black. Have had Blue and agree it's extremely smooth, but it really is fairly insipid. I started on Cardhu (spelling?) and liken that as a single malt to the overall texture of Blue as well as the fact that it's extremely light on flavour.

Cheers - Mike

[archangel06]

I'm currently rebuilding, but my scotch bar holds the following at the moment:

-Talisker 10 Year Old
-Macallan Select Oak (No year on bottle, but the internet suggests it's 10-12 Year Old)
-Macallan 12 Year Old
-Balvinnie Doublewood (12 Year Old)
-Glenmorangie Nectar D'Or
-Glenfiddich 15 Year Old

It's a work in progress

[Rathi]

-Glenfiddich 15 Year
-Glenlivet 15 Year
-Auchentoshan 12 Year
-Johnnie Walker Gold
-Johnnie Walker Double Black
-Johnnie Walker Black

I'm loving the Glenfiddich and it's decently priced, around $65 here in Ontario... yes that's decent here

[smittyATL]

Went to a local Scotch tasting this week, my first, by these guys.

http://www.gordonandmacphail.com/
http://www.benromach.com/benromach.html

Tried five Scotches and a Scotch liquer called Atholl Brose.

They mixed the Atholl Brose with unsweetened ice tea, 1:5. This stuff made some of the tastiest sweet tea I have ever tasted.