High End Scotch Recommendations?

2

Replies

  • DantonD
    DantonD Posts: 15 Member
    Laphroaig is good. Very smokey and peat-y.

    Personally, I prefer Bowmore 18 year (it's along the same lines as Laphroaig), and Lagavulin. Lagavulin is a little more expensive, at least where I am, and probably a little "tamer" as far as smokiness.

    Can't go wrong with any of these three.
  • numindan
    numindan Posts: 163 Member
    Personally I was always a fan of Oban 14.
    Oban 14 has always been my favourite go-to Scotch since I was old enough for my da to give me wee sips :drinker: Then again, we have family in Oban so that might explain our fondness for it...

    Laphroaig Triple Wood or Quarter Casks are lovely if you prefer peated scotches. We tend to drink those more on summer nights round the fire than in winter in our house though. Bruichladdich has a yummy line of peated scotches as well.
  • lukeout007
    lukeout007 Posts: 1,237 Member
    Not gonna lie...I have no idea what "Peat" is....
  • Silverkittycat
    Silverkittycat Posts: 1,997 Member
    Not available... But. Highland Park is.

    Single malt, 40 year. 18 otherwise.

    I don't drink it, I'm going on other's recommendations. :smile:
  • lukeout007
    lukeout007 Posts: 1,237 Member
    Single malt, 40 year.

    40?

    Now that sounds interesting...whats the price tag like on that?
  • Silverkittycat
    Silverkittycat Posts: 1,997 Member
    $2000.
    That's why I listed the 18 year.
    I don't drink it so 2K is more than I'd spend. :)
  • Moonblood
    Moonblood Posts: 199 Member
    I like Oban 14 and Macallan 12.
  • garyl7593
    garyl7593 Posts: 38
    Dalmore 12yr old or Oban 14 yr old....... ;)
  • 76tech
    76tech Posts: 1,455 Member
    Not gonna lie...I have no idea what "Peat" is....

    islay (eye-luh) scotches are very peaty - the matled barley is dried over burning blocks of dried peat.

    they can have iodine scents (think band-aids) as well as smoke.

    imagine cthulhu wrapped in seaweed, set ablaze, and then you make s'mores using his burning flesh. lagavulin, laphroiag and ardbeg are like that.
  • numindan
    numindan Posts: 163 Member
    Not gonna lie...I have no idea what "Peat" is....
    My boss, whose husband is a scotch drinker, describes peated scotches as those that smell of old gym socks and cigars :noway:

    Peat was a form of fuel in Scotland (and other countries I believe) made from decayed vegetation. It's the only thing legally allowed to be "added" to a scotch and have the end result still be termed a Scotch. They use peat fires to malt the barley. You'll find it mostly in Islay region scotches. It adds a smokey, oily flavour to the end product.
  • Silverkittycat
    Silverkittycat Posts: 1,997 Member
    18 year is just over $100. :wink:
  • JDMPWR
    JDMPWR Posts: 1,863 Member
    Personally I was always a fan of Oban 14. You also can't go wrong with Macallan 18. Highland Park is also very nice. All of them are in the $50-$100 range. Laphroaig is nice as is Lagavulin.

    ^^^ This man knows his scotch. McCallan 18 is my top notch go to. It's within my budget and what I have worked my way up to financially.
  • mals422
    mals422 Posts: 41
    Thanks for asking this question! I'm looking forward to trying some of these.
  • lukeout007
    lukeout007 Posts: 1,237 Member
    imagine cthulhu wrapped in seaweed, set ablaze, and then you make s'mores using his burning flesh. lagavulin, laphroiag and ardbeg are like that.

    Friend request sent.

    Lol.
  • harrietlg
    harrietlg Posts: 239
    i've just come back from islay touring the distilleries! my boyfriend says lagavulin and talisker are the good ones, it depends what kind of taste you like, if you like a smokey taste i would go for laphroig
  • Kenzietea2
    Kenzietea2 Posts: 1,132 Member
    What's your price range? For around 40 bucks glenlivet 15 year is not bad for the price.
  • lukeout007
    lukeout007 Posts: 1,237 Member
    What's your price range? For around 40 bucks glenlivet 15 year is not bad for the price.

    $50-$100
  • garyl7593
    garyl7593 Posts: 38
    Also Glenmorangie Nectar D'or... works!
  • HFunk84
    HFunk84 Posts: 10 Member
    The Old Pulteney 21 Year Old Single Malt Whisky was a really tasty dram... if you can get it.
    Personally, my constant fav is Aberfeldy 21 year. It's a Highland whiskey, not as peaty as some of the ones from Islay. If you like peaty though, Ardbeg is a wonderful distillery constantly producing good product.
  • kaitimae
    kaitimae Posts: 727 Member
    bump so i can try some of these.
  • LPCoder
    LPCoder Posts: 404 Member
    Oban!
  • grendel322
    grendel322 Posts: 105 Member
    Laphroaig 18! Or, second the Ardbeg 10. But they are intense, smokey and peaty!
  • harpnnag
    harpnnag Posts: 14 Member
    Ardbeg is my definite fav, (could be described as a "bonfire in your mouth") followed by Highland Park 12 --- very different. Both devine. My husband is a 12 year old Jameson Irish Whiskey fan. Totally clean in taste compared to Scotch single malts but also delightful. sigh....can't wait for the lake to warm and to have a scotch at the bon fire or on the end of the dock on a warm summer night........
  • leannems
    leannems Posts: 516 Member
    I think the key to some of these answers is whether you like single malt or a blend. You have to figure that part out before you go forward with any of the recommendations. It's a pretty personal choice.

    For example, the McCallan 18 recommended is a single malt. The Johnnie Walkers are a blend.

    For single - yes, I recommend the McCallan 18. For blend, I prefer Chivas 18, which is a bit ,more chocolaty compared to the Chivas 12 which is more vanilla, although it's hard to tell the difference unless you're doing a tasting.

    Decide on single malt vs. blend first and then ask for recommendations.
  • HeatherFP13
    HeatherFP13 Posts: 81 Member
    Bump

    I'm going to have to come back here and write these down. My husband is a scotch drinker and he likes trying new ones. Our 10th anniversary is this summer, and I thought I'd surprise him with a really nice bottle (one he wouldn't spend the money on himself regularly). I, however, don't drink it...and didn't know what a nice bottle is LOL Thanks for this thread!
  • bakatare2k
    bakatare2k Posts: 17
    I drink all types from ones that are fairly light (Macallan 10 Year Old / Fine Oak) to super peaty (Lagavulin)

    Depends on what you want from your Scotch (Honey, Oak, Peat, Smoke, etc)

    It’s all personal preference.

    I can tell you my buddies that are not really scotch drinkers love the Maccallan 15 Year Fine Oak, taste of new oak , sweet honey/vanilla hints

    My personal favs. are the Oban 14, Lagavulin 16, Balvenie Double Wood or the Madeira Cask

    Best way to see what would be worth it would be to go to someplace that has a nice selection of Scotches and try them out....

    Anyway you go with alot of the suggestions, you won’t go wrong but it defiantly is up to your personal palate
  • castadiva
    castadiva Posts: 2,016 Member
    If you're not keen on the peaty options (I'm not), Strathisla, if you can find it, is sublime. The 12 year old is very, very good, the 25 year old is something else again. The 30 year old is heavenly, but around £100, so I'd stick to the 12 or 25. Balvenie is also super - I have the 12 year old Double Wood for 'everyday', and the 21 year old is excellent. Macallan is always safe, and Tomatin is a rare gem.
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    There's a whiskey (or whisky) for everyone - you need to try a few and see which you like.

    I know Laphroaig has a huge supporters club - personally to me it tastes like TCP, and I find it over-poweringly peaty and agressively seaweedy. A more refined West coast malt is the 18-year old Talisker, voted the world's greatest whiskey a few years back.

    For scotch, I prefer the honeyed Speysides. Cragganmore is my all time favourite.

    But being Irish, I'm fond of the whiskies we have here too, my favourite being Busmills, which has a lovely nutty flavour.
  • Tivo8MyNeighbors
    Tivo8MyNeighbors Posts: 151 Member
    bump

    Also, though I'm more of a bourbon gal myself, my husband loves Laphroaig.
  • annemckee
    annemckee Posts: 170 Member
    Laphroaig (lah-froyg)
    Talisker
    Highland Park
    Jura
    Bowmore

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