Any One for a Scotch?

[SkinnyGoomba]

Yeah, its getting pretty high up on the list. Any experience with Oban 18? my whisky guy was going on about it, I have oban 14 and while it's good, it's certainly not my go-to.

 

[archibaldleach]



Yeah, its getting pretty high up on the list. Any experience with Oban 18? my whisky guy was going on about it, I have oban 14 and while it's good, it's certainly not my go-to.

I decided to spring for the Oban 18 instead of the 14 when I was stocking my bar. Definitely worth the premium IMO and a very solid scotch.

 

[Master-Classter]

I've spent hours and hours and finally finished reading this thread from the beginning...

Truth be told I'm a complete novice, though I have some sense of taste from my fragrance hobby... So my plan was to just buy one bottle that's a good representation of each section of that tasting chart thing with the quadrants and work through them all and see what I like or not and then branch out from there...

So far I own Highland Park 12, which I really like, very balanced. Others on my list of possibly buys are Belvenie double wood and a Talisker and an Auchentoshen (12?), unless you guys suggest otherwise.

Was in NYC and stopped by Astor's plus US/CAD border. These are all pretty much blind buys...
So here's what I got below, how'd I do?
And what would you recommend from here?

Some goodies, not absolute steal prices, but considering I'm from Ontario, I'm just happy to even see these and get them for a lot less than locally.
1 liter Laphroag QC ($48 duty free), 1 liter Ardbeg 10 ($65 duty free), Macallan 12 ($60+tax), Lagavulin ($68+tax)

And picked up another of my favorites, TF 20 ($50, locally it's $70-80). Don't know much about Bourbon so based on what i've heard of, got this Eagle ($30), figured it was worth a shot.

And hell, how could you pass on this? I actually quite like Beam and it was 1.75 liters and it was, get this, $22.

 

[aravenel]

I hope you like peat!

 

[archibaldleach]

^^ Good choices. The Ardbeg and Laphroaig will be extremely peaty, the Lagavulin peaty but a bit smoother, and the Macallan will be sweater.

 

[J011yroger]

Lots of Islays. Eagle Rare is cheap, and drinkable, more drinkable than Jim Beam.

If you find that you like bourbon 1792 is a steal. It is quite excellent, and reasonably priced. I like it as much as the Beam small batch offerings. (Bookers/Bakers/BH/KC)

J

 

[Longmorn]

Ah, MC - welcome to the dark side.

If you're looking to branch out from what you've got there in order to get a handle on other expressions of Scotch, I'd suggest:
- Glenlivet (best to try the 15 or 18 if you can, as the 12 isn't very expressive).
- Glen Grant
- Mortlach
- Longmorn
- Glenfarclas
- Glen Kinchie (quintessential Lowland Scotch - moreso than Auchentoshan).
- Oban
- Bruichladdich Rocks

I think Balvenie is overrated, but many disagree.

Search for 'un-chill filtered' Scotches that are bottled at cask strength (>47%).

 

[J011yroger]

You liked The Rocks enough to try again?

J

 

[Longmorn]

I tasted it at a liquor store the other day alongside Macallan Cask Strength and Springbank 12 Cask Strength. Like most Bruichladdich it's very well made. Not the best from that distillery, but a pretty good introduction to their core expressions, IMO (as opposed to the Port Charlotte and Octomore lines).

 

[archibaldleach]

Glenlivet 12 to me is a good everyday drinking scotch that is decent, inexpensive and can be served on the rocks or even mixed without feeling bad about it. I love the Glenlivet 21 and find it to be one of my favorites along with Laphroaig 10, Lavavulin 16 and Oban 18. Glenlivet 18 is also good.

 

[StephenB]

I think the Glenlivet 12 even for the price gets a lot more praise than it should. But I think I'm in the minority on that one.

 

[Longmorn]

Glenlivet 12 to me is a good everyday drinking scotch that is decent, inexpensive and can be served on the rocks or even mixed without feeling bad about it. I love the Glenlivet 21 and find it to be one of my favorites along with Laphroaig 10, Lavavulin 16 and Oban 18. Glenlivet 18 is also good.

If you can hunt down the G&M bottling of 21 year old Glenlivet it is outstanding and a great value, too.

 

[Tom Miler]

Idd when you go to less popular distilleries like Tomintoul, Glen Scotia or even Bunnahabhain on Islay, the still are somewhat rusty. Luckily it has absolutely no effects whisky

 

[J011yroger]

Rust on a copper still?

J

 

[Tom Miler]

Not a very good whisky day for me I think I will start keeping my best bottles on the floor to prevent them from falling from anything ...