Single Malt Scotch

[nomadicwookie]

So what's your favorite bargain basement Scotch? What's the one you don't mind spending a ridiculous amount of money on because it's just that good? For me I think Glenfiddich 12yr is the best bang for the buck. Nothing fancy but smooth and enjoyable. KenyanSandBoa also mentioned Balvenie Double Wood in a recent thread which I think is also an excellent value. I was never a big fan of scotch for many years, probably due to the fact that all I'd had was Dewars or Chivas. Then for Father's day one year I bought my Dad a bottle of Macallan 18yr old. Well, that one reinvented the wheel for me. Earthy, smoky, wonderful. So, what does it for you?

[SmokeyJoe]

My favorite is the Glenlivet Nadurra (16 yr), but it is a little pricey.

Best "bang for the buck" for me is the Speyburn 10 yr...

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb28/Revtiger/Speyburn10.jpg

About $26, and as BarneyBandMan said, "I would drink this!" (Which is a little odd because he WAS drinking it.) :ss

[mmblz]

was doing quick google while thinking about this and noticed that kl wines has Glenlivet 12 for $23.50
that is an incredible price!
might have to buy some myself!

http://www.klwines.com/detail.asp?sku=620004&cid=TPV-Googlebase

[wolfandwhisky]

My favorite is the Glenlivet Nadurra (16 yr), but it is a little pricey.

...

The Nadurra is an excellent malt - and for the price? Definitely worth getting a bottle.

Also, I'd recommend the Balvenie 12 DoubleWood:
http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/showthread.php?t=31096

[BigCat]

When I first started drinking scotch, I didn't like Glenfiddich at all. Then my sister-in-law gave me a sampler for Christmas with the 12, 15 and 18. I was pleasantly surprised with them all, but epecially the 12. At about 35 bucks a pop around here, that's not too bad. I also have to revisit the Glenlivet 12, because I was never impressed with it either, though the 18 is one of my favorites.

I also like Balvenie, but its just over $50 a bottle here. Not that it is too much, but its less of a bargain than some others being mentioned in here. Though for the money, I actually prefer the Macallan 12 yr sherry cask. Same price and just tastes richer to me with characteristics similar to the balvenie.

[Tripp]

I'm an Islay fan, my favorite low end malt is Bowmore Legend, generally runs about $30.

[wolfandwhisky]

When I first started drinking scotch, I didn't like Glenfiddich at all. Then my sister-in-law gave me a sampler for Christmas with the 12, 15 and 18. I was pleasantly surprised with them all, but epecially the 12. At about 35 bucks a pop around here, that's not too bad. I also have to revisit the Glenlivet 12, because I was never impressed with it either, though the 18 is one of my favorites.

I also like Balvenie, but its just over $50 a bottle here. Not that it is too much, but its less of a bargain than some others being mentioned in here. Though for the money, I actually prefer the Macallan 12 yr sherry cask. Same price and just tastes richer to me with characteristics similar to the balvenie.

If you were pleasantly surprised with the Glenfiddich on the last go-round, I'd recommend finding the Glenfiddich 21 - it is a caribbean rum finished whisky, which pairs well with cigars due to the rum influence. (Springbank and Balvenie also have rum-finished whiskies.)

And Macallan richer than Balvenie? Blasphemy!! :c
(just kidding - to each their own!)

[CheapHumidors]

Glenlivet 12 is my go-to every day scotch. Not too expensive but good flavor.

[BigCat]

And Macallan richer than Balvenie? Blasphemy!! :c
(just kidding - to each their own!)

Yeah I said it! I think the Macallan has more body too. But they are both great scotches in my book.

Thanks for the suggestion on the 21. I'll have to give that a try. :tu

[Ogre]

I bought a bottle of Yamazaki 12 last night, lack of choices. I was impressed with it. It is a Single Malt made in Japan. It has a strong butterscotch flavor and went down real smooth. I usually drink Glenlivit 12.

[wolfandwhisky]

I bought a bottle of Yamazaki 12 last night, lack of choices. I was impressed with it. It is a Single Malt made in Japan. It has a strong butterscotch flavor and went down real smooth. I usually drink Glenlivit 12.

The 18 is also very well regarded. Also from Japan is Karuizawa - the prices seem to really have gone up, but if you can find a bottle I would highly recommend it. :tu

[colimo]

tbe glenlivet, mccallan and balvenie are all good choices....for around $ 20/btl i usually get either Lismore or McClellands as an everyday drinking scotch...both good for the price when i dont want to touch the good stuff

[Ogre]

I am having what I would say is the BEST Single Malt I have ever had. Its the Glenfiddich Caoran Reserve. The bottle was a gift from a friend.

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc9/ogre3239/Glenfiddich12Caoran.jpg

[nomadicwookie]

I didn't even know this existed. Gonna have to hunt some down.

[markem]

I've been known to ply cigar smokers on my patio with scotch. I don't know anything about bargain basement ones, however.

If you have questions about 25 y.o. and older and specialized bottlings, I may be able to provide some info from my experience.

Haven't bought any scotch since I quit regularly drinking it, maybe in 2000. Still have 20 or so bottles left (nearly all gone!). The 27 y.o. Rosebank private bottling is an exceptional example of the craft. Only a few wee drams left in that bottle. It shall be missed.

[Bigwaved]

what patio? what scotch? :DI've been known to ply cigar smokers on my patio with scotch. I don't know anything about bargain basement ones, however.

If you have questions about 25 y.o. and older and specialized bottlings, I may be able to provide some info from my experience.

Haven't bought any scotch since I quit regularly drinking it, maybe in 2000. Still have 20 or so bottles left (nearly all gone!). The 27 y.o. Rosebank private bottling is an exceptional example of the craft. Only a few wee drams left in that bottle. It shall be missed.

[mithrilG60]

I'm with markem, life is too short for cheap scotch but if I had to choose a "bargin" scotch it would be Smokehead for about $60 locally (that's as cheap as malt gets in BC :( ) or significantly less if I pop over to Alberta or WA. My "cheap" scotch used to be Ardbeg 10 and Laphroaig 10 before demand pushed the former to $100/bottle and discontinued the latter in Canada.

In terms of favourite regardless of price?

Toss up between the Laphroiag 15yr (Prince Charles' favourite whisky, awarded his Royal Warrant to the distillery for it), Bowmore 17yr (now re-released as an 18yr) the Ardbeg Airigh Nam Beist, Lagavulin 16 and Longrow 14.

The picture's a little out of date now, but this is my whisky cabinet. I tend to buy in doubles and triples so most of the tubes behind the bottles have an unopened bottle in them as well. My friends refer to them as "shark's teeth" bottles :r

http://gallery.mithril.ca/albums/whiskey_cabinets/cabinet_20080324.jpg

[captain53]

There is no such thing as a "bargain basement" Single Malt if you appreciate the fine qualities of Single Malt then the basement is no place for you to shop. Laphroiag is about the lowest level Single Malt that one can appreciate IMHO.

[Brutus2600]

My first SMS was a Glenfiddich 12yr...couldn't stand it at all. Learned from my mistake of buying a full 750ml and started trying every single small bottle of SMS I could find. Finally settled on Glenmorangie and bought a bottle of their 10yr. I really enjoyed that and tried their Sherry and Port cask matured bottles too. I've tried many others but I always find myself enjoying these as the best bang for my buck. At ~$60 a bottle it's not cheap, but really that's about as cheap as I can get without getting into bottels I don't like. Of course you can find better stuff for more money, but these have been my favorite "every day" drinkers.

[Eleven]

There is no such thing as a "bargain basement" Single Malt if you appreciate the fine qualities of Single Malt then the basement is no place for you to shop. Laphroiag is about the lowest level Single Malt that one can appreciate IMHO.


I found a bottle of Bowmore for like 20 bucks in Dayton Ohio last year. Of course that was before I found out I was not a fan of Islay!

(MithrilG60, SWEET Ikea whiskey cabinet! I have a shelf like that, never thought to use it for my booze!)

EDIT! - Brutus2600, Glenmorangie is one of my favs too, if you like that, Aberlour isn't too far off in taste profile, even a little smoother I think, those are my 2 go-to's now!

[mithrilG60]

(MithrilG60, SWEET Ikea whiskey cabinet! I have a shelf like that, never thought to use it for my booze!)

I searched for a whisky cabinet for a very long time before happpening across that Lack bookcase at IKEA. The problem with most bookcases/wallunits/etc was always their shelf height. I've got a couple bottles, like my Glen Garioch 21yr that came in presentation boxes instead of regular tubes and the Lack bookcase was would fit them. The fact that it looks ok too was a nice by-product ;)

[Brutus2600]

EDIT! - Brutus2600, Glenmorangie is one of my favs too, if you like that, Aberlour isn't too far off in taste profile, even a little smoother I think, those are my 2 go-to's now!

I'll have to see if my local store has some Aberlour...I'd definitely be interested in trying it.

And all this talk got me wanting to drink some scotch! So I broke out some Glenmorangie and an Opus X I've been waiting to smoke for awhile. So far pretty tasty! :tu

[mosesbotbol]

Not sure I would call this a bargain Scotch, but I picked up a bottle of Ardbeg Supernova. Wow is a good intro. Very complex and sweet with an orange and sea taste with a finish that keeps going and going!

Highly recommended, but might not be to everyone's taste.

http://deadlinescotland.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/ardbeg-supernova-1.jpg

[ChicagoWhiteSox]

Moses, what's the msrp on that scotch? Also, was it aged in sherry barrels?

[mosesbotbol]

Moses, what's the msrp on that scotch? Also, was it aged in sherry barrels?

I got it for a song, but I think MSRP if you can find is around $150? In UK it is going for almost double that I heard.

As for barrels? I don't know, but it claims to be the peatiest Scotch ever created.

[Evonnida]

I myself am a fan of Oban... I've yet to try the Ardberg or Laphroig, but both should be happening soon. On a side note, does anyone decant their scotch?

[mosesbotbol]

On a side note, does anyone decant their scotch?

I would if there were a few drinking the same bottle and I thought we'd kill what I decant, but that hasn't happened yet.

Decanting would be a good idea in the right situation and is commonly done.

[cobra03]

Im working on a bottle of Aberlour 12, which is fantastic and not to terribly expensive, but my everyday scotch is McClellands highland. At $23 a bottle its hard to beat. imo

[mithrilG60]

On a side note, does anyone decant their scotch?

I'm not really sure when this would be an advantage as the point of decanting is to either aerate the decanted or separate out sediment (or both). Sediment should never be a problem with whisky and aeration will pre-maturely age the whisky by loosing much the aromatics and with it the whisky's character. That's the same reason you don't want to let a bottle sit for a long time at 50% or less volume.

Decanting might be an advantage if you were hosting a large tasting or event where you could reasonable expect the entire bottle to be consumed over the period of a few days but I probably wouldn't do it otherwise. Whisky also naturally self-decants when you use a proper tulip or thistle shaped glass, and that glass also allows you to nose the aromatics which are just as good (and IMHO often better) as the tasting of the actual liquid ;)

[Slow4v]

Macallan 17yr Old

[hotreds]

Highland Park 25

[GolfNut]

Lagavulin is our favorite here. We wait until we can afford another bottle and switch to something else when we run out......like now. $80/bottle here.

[scoot]

I am having what I would say is the BEST Single Malt I have ever had. Its the Glenfiddich Caoran Reserve. The bottle was a gift from a friend.

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc9/ogre3239/Glenfiddich12Caoran.jpg

This stuff is seriously good. I was able to sample some at the Whisky Guild's Whisky Classic and chat with the guy there from Glenfiddich about it. Its the standard Glenfiddich 12 but they finnish it in Islay Scotch barrels. A damn shame they don't distribute it in the states.

[Tripp]

On my honeymoon in the Caribbean last month I picked up a 1L bottle of Laphroaig 10 for a song. :D

[jmsremax]

Also, I'd recommend the Balvenie 12 DoubleWood:
http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/showthread.php?t=31096

Jim poured me a glass when I visited his place and it was good.

[hotreds]

Recently tried some Rosebank 1991 Gordon MacPhail Cask Strength. Outstanding.

[Bill86]

I've not had too many scotches but I like Macallan 12 and glenlivet 12 for a cheaper scotch. But Macallan 12 is my go to bar scotch if they have it.

[JDTexan]

Glenmorangie is one of my favs too, if you like that, Aberlour isn't too far off in taste profile, even a little smoother I think, those are my 2 go-to's now!

I have been drinking these this summer for about $35 a bottle and loving every dram.

[CBI_2]

I am still learning about single malts but the best I have had was Glenlivet 18Yr. that my neighbor gave me.

Since I now work at a liquor store, that has some of the best prices anywhere, I just got a bottle of Glen Moray 12Yr. old for $19.99 that I think is very good.

BTW. The store I work at has Glenlivet 21Yr. for $99.99 right now.

[SmokeyJoe]

Picked up a bottle of this on a whim. Haven't tried it yet (maybe tonight!).

The Singleton of Glendullan

http://www.drinkhacker.com/2008/10/06/review-the-singleton-of-glendullan-scotch/

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb28/Revtiger/singleton-of-glendullan.jpg

Anybody try this one?


:ss

[CBI_2]

Picked up a bottle of this on a whim. Haven't tried it yet (maybe tonight!).

The Singleton of Glendullan

http://www.drinkhacker.com/2008/10/06/review-the-singleton-of-glendullan-scotch/

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb28/Revtiger/singleton-of-glendullan.jpg

Anybody try this one?


:ss

Never tried it but I saw one bottle come into the store and it didn't sit on the shelf very long.

[SmokeyJoe]

Tried The Singleton tonight...

Caught a fruity/floral scent right away. Had a nice body to it. It was more peaty than I normally like, but it wasn't overpowering. Thought this review I found nailed it:

...Glendullan distillery presents its first American offering this fall, The Singleton, a 12-year single malt that most Scotch enthusiasts will likely find perfectly pleasant, if a bit entry-level.

Produced in the crowded Speyside region, Glendullan's 40-proof Singleton is a darker 12-year than most, but the taste is fairly light. Buttery smoke is first on the nose, and in the quaff. Floral notes are secondary, followed by light apple, nutty almond, and faint grassy tones. It's very approachable for a Scotch pro, but I probably wouldn't unleash it as a first-time whisky on a newcomer to the spirit. The more I drink it the more I like it, though I do prefer more honey/vanilla sweetness in my whisky.

On a secondary note: The bottle is an oblong number that resembles an (oversized) flask, a design that's really growing in popularity these days.

Not a terrible price for a Scotch that is likely to be hard to come by for the immediate future. Give it a try if you're a single malt enthusiast.

B+ / $36 / www.malts.com

I look forward to a few more drams. :tu

[Wolfgang]

Questions. Im normally a rum guy but I thought at the ripe old age of 22 id start branching out.

Im just getting into Single Malts. I just went to Total Wine and talked to them a little and grabbed a bottle of Glenfiddich 12, and Bunnahabain 12.

I came home to find an old unopened bottle of Mcallan 12. I realize it doesnt age outide of the cask but is there a way to tell when this was bought? I also came upon a couple bottles of J&B (any good?)

Based on what i have rounded up is there anything I'm missing?
Doing a tasting with a friend of mine later this week, is there a particular order youd all recommend?

Any and all help is appreciated. :al

[SvilleKid]

Not a fan of Scotch. Prefer bourbon. That being said, I think I could drink Talisker Distillers Edition just about ANY day of the week. Not expensive, generally $50-65 per bottle range, but NOT available at all in Bama, and difficult to find elsewhere since it's a limited production item.

[captain53]

Questions. Im normally a rum guy but I thought at the ripe old age of 22 id start branching out.

Im just getting into Single Malts. I just went to Total Wine and talked to them a little and grabbed a bottle of Glenfiddich 12, and Bunnahabain 12.

I came home to find an old unopened bottle of Mcallan 12. I realize it doesnt age outide of the cask but is there a way to tell when this was bought? I also came upon a couple bottles of J&B (any good?)

Based on what i have rounded up is there anything I'm missing?
Doing a tasting with a friend of mine later this week, is there a particular order youd all recommend?

Any and all help is appreciated. :al

Just like Cigars - drink what you like and buy what you drink. As a scotch newbie you got some popular newbie stuff that are good quality but not usually preferred by seasoned single malt folks. Just got to try them till you find what you like best which is all that matters.

I just poured 3 fingers of Lagavulin 16 over my standard 3 small cubes of distilled water ice which is my favorite but many of my Malt friends find Lagavulin too smokey for them.



J&B is upper medium quality blended not single malt so not even in the running.

[Wolfgang]

So being a newbie I should learn from the three bottles what I prefer. Correct me if im wrong but Macallan would be the cleanest and Bunnahabvain would be the peatiest? I suspect im going to like the smokey peaty flavor best. Its a flavor throughout my life im drawn to.
We shall see.

[captain53]

So being a newbie I should learn from the three bottles what I prefer. Correct me if im wrong but Macallan would be the cleanest and Bunnahabvain would be the peatiest? I suspect im going to like the smokey peaty flavor best. Its a flavor throughout my life im drawn to.
We shall see.

Heavens no I did not mean you should learn from 3 bottles or anything like that. It is so similar to cigars - try as many as you can. Macallan is on the sweet side but I have never tasted Bunnahabvain.

[Wolfgang]

I was speaking as to what style highlands, lowlands, Islays etc not just the three brands i currently have. I am by no means close minded.

[warren G.]

I enjoy Balvenie Double Wood 12, Cragganmore 12, and Laphroaig quarter cask. I don't remember buying much for them (not over $50ish).

[GolfNut]

I just poured 3 fingers of Lagavulin 16 over my standard 3 small cubes of distilled water ice which is my favorite but many of my Malt friends find Lagavulin too smokey for them.

My favorite too! I like it neat. Perfect during the cold months. :tu

[mosesbotbol]

http://gallery.mithril.ca/albums/whiskey_cabinets/cabinet_20080324.jpg

I take it you fancy Scotch? That is an impressive collection you got going, especially being in Canada. :tu

[hotreds]

Wild Scotsman is very good, distilled by the only master distiller in the US of A, a local fellow(to me) to boot!

http://wildscotsman.com/whisky/

[hammondc]

Just pokin around in here. Just finished a bottle of Balvenie Doublewood. Looking around to see what to try next. I really loved the Balvenie and want to try another with that sweet front end.

[eldondo]

Some of my favorite Whiskys (left to right: Highland Park, Macallan, Glen Grant, Tobermory Ledaig; all distilled in 1973)

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_80cpfcgf55U/TEm2YgQZYKI/AAAAAAAABBU/9o0tjAHAcI8/s1600/4_times_1973.JPG

Another all time favorite is Ardbeg Lord of the Isles... hard to get for a decent price...

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_80cpfcgf55U/S91EXwEpTFI/AAAAAAAABlw/4Awg-3n7XBM/s1600/ardbeg_loti.JPG

[ChicagoWhiteSox]

Some great bottles Heiko.

[eldondo]

Thx... I have some more 73s (which is my year of birth) comin at this weekend... pix'll follow...

[hammondc]

so..........in the effort to find a cheaper alternative to Balvenie Doublewood, I picked up some Abelour 12. It is very very very very very close on the front end and the nose. Very sweet and oaky and a bit of vanillla. I LOVE that flavor. However, the Abelour is a LOT more astringent on the backend. It almost burns going down. It is very close, but the search still continues. For another $13, I pick Balvenie.

[mosesbotbol]

Costco is selling Macallan made 16 year sherry wood finished Scotch for I think $60 a bottle.

Has anyone tried this batch?

[eldondo]

Costco is selling Macallan made 16 year sherry wood finished Scotch for I think $60 a bottle.

Has anyone tried this batch?

Definetly something better than the Fine Oak crap....

[Tredegar]

I have only recently moved into Scotch. My first bottle was Laphroaig Quarter Cask and it was decent. Very much an iodine hint to it. I was looking for a bottle of Scotch for my dad for Christmas and got him a bottle of Tomatin 12 year old. I will have to try it when he opens it. I got myself a bottle of Longmorn 15 year old. It had been sitting on the shelf at the store a while because the box had about an 1/8" of dust on the top of it. I tried that last night and I really liked it! Very mellow and on the sweet side. It's very creamy and buttery. Apparently they stopped making it though and now sell a 16 year old instead.

[eldondo]

Tasted a nice range of Bowmore Single Malts yesterday evening....

You wanna read more? Check out this: http://bit.ly/e6yP2P

[Ogre]

Great review, my exposure to Bowmore has been limited. Will have to hunt some down.

[eldondo]

I like Islays in general... Bowmores can sometimes have an intensive aroma of lavender, which is very unpleasant, but those were all great...

[Ogre]

I still have to say The Glenrothes is still the best I have had. I would love to do a trip to the distilleries and sample them at the source. Just may have to look into doing just this.

[Wolfgang]

Hey guys. I just ran across this product that wont water down your Scotch but will still keep it cold. Looks cool to me

http://www.thinkgeek.com/caffeine/accessories/ba37/

[ODLS1]

Scotch aficionados help me out. I want a GOOD Scotch, under $50. Best bang for my buck for that price. I don't know much about it but I know different regions produce different characteristics (don't recall specifics). Now, I know this isn't a good Scotch, but the only one I have had is Johnnie Walker Black Label. I did not care for it. Not quite terrible, not quite choking it down, but it was bland and the little flavor it had was not good. I drink it straight/neat at room temp, just like my bourbon. I want as much flavor as possible. Cask strength would be awesome, but I bet those are way over my price range. Sucks most are 80proof. I love smokey flavors so I am thinking I will like some Scotch. Thanks for any tips!

[eldondo]

On Friday evening it´s time for another Whisky Tasting in the Griffins Business Lounge in Kreuzlingen...

We´d a very nice evening with some good Whisky in the range from 7 to 25 years, good Partagas cigars (which went well with the booze) and some really good company which is the most important part for me...

A more detailed report can be found on my blog: http://bit.ly/LaphroaigTasting

[BigCat]

Scotch aficionados help me out. I want a GOOD Scotch, under $50. Best bang for my buck for that price. I don't know much about it but I know different regions produce different characteristics (don't recall specifics). Now, I know this isn't a good Scotch, but the only one I have had is Johnnie Walker Black Label. I did not care for it. Not quite terrible, not quite choking it down, but it was bland and the little flavor it had was not good. I drink it straight/neat at room temp, just like my bourbon. I want as much flavor as possible. Cask strength would be awesome, but I bet those are way over my price range. Sucks most are 80proof. I love smokey flavors so I am thinking I will like some Scotch. Thanks for any tips!

A lot of people consider Johnnie Black to be good scotch. I think its ok. It is a blend, not a single malt. Actually under $50 there are only a few single malts available that I am aware of (assuming Michigan prices). Glenlivet and Glenfiddich 12 years are the most commonly available. Neither does anything for me, though plenty of others enjoy them. In the blended category, you can pick up Chivas or Dewars 12 year, both of which I find to be pretty good, with a preference for the Dewars. If you can spend $50, the single malt possibilities are much higher. Glenmorrangie makes a lot of good scotches priced right at $50. I prefer their quinta ruban. Macallan 12 year is good too. For smokier/peatier scotches, Laphroiag 10 yr and Highland Park 12 yr are right in the price range as well. Those are my thoughts. I'm sure others can chime in as well.

[jmsremax]

I have been really enjoying highland park 12 yr

[spizz]

Highland is good.

[Patrick B]

Scotch aficionados help me out. I want a GOOD Scotch, under $50. Best bang for my buck for that price. I don't know much about it but I know different regions produce different characteristics (don't recall specifics). Now, I know this isn't a good Scotch, but the only one I have had is Johnnie Walker Black Label. I did not care for it. Not quite terrible, not quite choking it down, but it was bland and the little flavor it had was not good. I drink it straight/neat at room temp, just like my bourbon. I want as much flavor as possible. Cask strength would be awesome, but I bet those are way over my price range. Sucks most are 80proof. I love smokey flavors so I am thinking I will like some Scotch. Thanks for any tips!

Laphroaig. Islay region, smokey and peaty.

[billybarue]

Chivas is my everyday go to. I am a fan of blends just as much as single malts. 16 year lagavulin is my hands down favorite. Black bottle (blend of all the islays) is my favorite blend.

given that, and saying I am not a fan at all of Dewars unless you use it in mixed drinks so as not to sacrifice good scotch, I was talked into a Dewars single malt called ABERFELDY. Never heard of it before, but after an in-store dram sample, I was sold. Reasonably priced full flavored Scotch that you might try in your line up. Tastes like a blend to me, and not too reminiscent of highland. Frankly, tastes a lot like Chivas 18.

[Aero95]

Scotch aficionados help me out. I want a GOOD Scotch, under $50. Best bang for my buck for that price. I don't know much about it but I know different regions produce different characteristics (don't recall specifics). Now, I know this isn't a good Scotch, but the only one I have had is Johnnie Walker Black Label. I did not care for it. Not quite terrible, not quite choking it down, but it was bland and the little flavor it had was not good. I drink it straight/neat at room temp, just like my bourbon. I want as much flavor as possible. Cask strength would be awesome, but I bet those are way over my price range. Sucks most are 80proof. I love smokey flavors so I am thinking I will like some Scotch. Thanks for any tips!

I would also look at Balvenie Single Malt Double Wood 12yr. Its less then 50 at Party Source.

[stoogie007]

if you can get your hands on a bottle, or a glass at a bar, highly recommend this - higher alcohol content, combo is Islay sea brine, smoke, plus unique flavors such as pine - great w/a strong stoogie! put in a little distilled water, really opens it up - towering nose and flavor - firestorm of a whisky!

[stoogie007]

A lot of people consider Johnnie Black to be good scotch. I think its ok. It is a blend, not a single malt. Actually under $50 there are only a few single malts available that I am aware of (assuming Michigan prices). Glenlivet and Glenfiddich 12 years are the most commonly available. Neither does anything for me, though plenty of others enjoy them. In the blended category, you can pick up Chivas or Dewars 12 year, both of which I find to be pretty good, with a preference for the Dewars. If you can spend $50, the single malt possibilities are much higher. Glenmorrangie makes a lot of good scotches priced right at $50. I prefer their quinta ruban. Macallan 12 year is good too. For smokier/peatier scotches, Laphroiag 10 yr and Highland Park 12 yr are right in the price range as well. Those are my thoughts. I'm sure others can chime in as well.

definitely agree re the Laphroaig 10 yr... if they ever release it outside duty free, I highly recommend the Johnnie Walker Double Black - it is about $60 for a 1 liter size in duty free

[Ogre]

Just picked up a bottle of Laphroaig 10. Very different then anything I have tried to date. I was not sure with the first taste, the iodine. But after that is was vary enjoyable (means I like it). I am now learning the differences between the regions.

[billybarue]

Recently scored a couple distillers Editions from Caol Ila and Lagavulin. Rockin - and maybe best part they are not fifths but full litres!

[gator_79]

Macallan 12 year is usually my go to, Balvennie Double Wood would be a close second. Oban 14 is also very good for a change of pace.
I also have a bottle of Glen Moray 16 yr. that I pick up at the distillery while I was in Scottland. It's a little spicier than the 3 listed above but remains smooth at the same time

[stevcatter]

If you want to a good taste single malt scotch then prefer 12 years old Dewars whisky,its really good.