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Any scotch drinkers

I love single malt scotch whisky, and generally keep anywhere from 4-6 bottles in rotation at all times.

Though I am partial to Islay and Speyside varieties (Laphroaig, Lagavulin, Bowmore, and Bunnahabhain being favorites), I also keep some Highland and Lowland varieties on stock as the mood strikes.

I am pretty ritualistic when enjoying my scotch - only single malt (usually a double dram), consumed "neatly" from a glencairn nosing glass (never with ice or water). I savor the flavor, and don't like anything to interfere with it for the most part (although, a full flavor Honduran cigar is a nice change of pace accompaniment).

A very good web resource is Malt Madness (http://www.maltmadness.com/)
 
Yeah, gotta have the glencairn glasses. It really does make a difference. I may add a teaspoon of water to cask strength, it helps bring out more flavor around the alcohol. Ralfy.com is also a pretty good sight for reviews.
NI4NI said:
I love single malt scotch whisky, and generally keep anywhere from 4-6 bottles in rotation at all times.

Though I am partial to Islay and Speyside varieties (Laphroaig, Lagavulin, Bowmore, and Bunnahabhain being favorites), I also keep some Highland and Lowland varieties on stock as the mood strikes.

I am pretty ritualistic when enjoying my scotch - only single malt (usually a double dram), consumed "neatly" from a glencairn nosing glass (never with ice or water). I savor the flavor, and don't like anything to interfere with it for the most part (although, a full flavor Honduran cigar is a nice change of pace accompaniment).

A very good web resource is Malt Madness (http://www.maltmadness.com/)
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Bowmar Mariner 25year…….or if you have to settle of a cheap single malt….any Malcolm or Talisker.
 
NI4NI said:
I love single malt scotch whisky, and generally keep anywhere from 4-6 bottles in rotation at all times.

Though I am partial to Islay and Speyside varieties (Laphroaig, Lagavulin, Bowmore, and Bunnahabhain being favorites), I also keep some Highland and Lowland varieties on stock as the mood strikes.

I am pretty ritualistic when enjoying my scotch - only single malt (usually a double dram), consumed "neatly" from a glencairn nosing glass (never with ice or water). I savor the flavor, and don't like anything to interfere with it for the most part (although, a full flavor Honduran cigar is a nice change of pace accompaniment).

A very good web resource is Malt Madness (http://www.maltmadness.com/)
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I am an Islay man myself. I keep a rotation of about 5 single malts, but my "go-to" is Bowmore. It has the typical smoky/peaty start, but has a decent hint of lemon and honey (combined with a touch of seaweed) to make it more of an everyday sip. While I keep Laphroaig in the rotation, it is typically only poured when guests request it or if it is a really cold winter day.

I also enjoy Auchentoshan 21. A great every day scotch and really good on the warmer days.
 
My Speyside favorite is The Balvenie. Their whisky range is so good that it's hard to play favorites. In my current rotation is the Single Barrel 15-year (a little more complex with a subtle licorice finish), and the 14-year Old Caribbean Cask (very nice spicy fruit/cinnamon finish). For scotch beginners, the DoubleWood is a very good choice (nutty sweetness).

I've had their 30-year and 40-year offerings, and both were fantastic (but can get quite pricey).

I have also taken a liking to Caol Ila, but I had to work on it. The first few drams were the 12-year variety, and seemed a bit "raw" to me at first (but, I persevered). The 18-year is a bit more rounded.


The next Islay whisky on the bucket list is Bruichladdich (specifically, the 10th Anniversary Cask).
 
I love the Glenmorangie that is finished in the Sherry barrels. Bowmore is also very nice. I was at my neighbors last nite and we started talking about scotch. He said he wasn't a scotch drinker but he had a bottle from a client that he had had for several years and never got around to trying and would i like to try it? It turned out to be a 30 year old highland park, and yes it was so delicious. So now i'm going to have him over and try a few of my stock, but I already warned him I've got nothing close to that!
 
My last bottle was a Glenmorangie. Very solid scotch. I've been wanting to try the Yamazaki but can't find it anywhere. Have heard good things though. In these hot summer months a nice mellow speysider is nice. I'll probably hit the peat bomb Islays this fall and winter.
 
If I'm looking for smooth, I like my good old Glenlivet, but when i want something with flavour I usually go with an Islay. ATM I don't have a favourite islay, but always drink my scotch in my whisky glass with 3 ice cubes.
 
I was able to find an online retailer that sold Talisker 18 so I ordered 3 bottles. I love this stuff! I also have Ben Riach 20 in my own private stash. For company I have Oban 14 and Johnnie Walker Green.
 
My recent favourites are Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban (AKA Glenmorangie Port Wood) and Balvenie Doublewood. I love how the distillers are starting to experiment with aging scotch in different barrels for periods of time. I will always enjoy a few old, traditional stand-bys though: Lagavulin, Highland Park, Macalan, Dalwhinnie, Glenmorangie, Laphroaig, and probably a few others. So...more than a few, I guess. Yes, I do like my single malts!
 
interlooper said:
Last night a few pals and I were sipping on Caol Ila (18 yr). Had been sitting unattended for quite a while, so we thought it appropriate to give it a run. It has a decent blend of sweet and smoky, ends a little on the dry side and, for an Islay Scotch, had a fairly light peaty taste.
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To my uneducated palette, that stuff was like drinking liquid smoke! I have never tasted anything like it.
Compared to the Glenlivet 16 year that I was drinking just before it, it was a whole different world.
 
Oban, kind of a thick smokey smooth single malt and you just simply cannot go wrong with any of the Macallan's. Even the 10 year old which I think just came out a few years ago has all the Glenlivit and Glenfiditch and Johnny Walkers beat hands down in my book. It is an aquired skill and I am happy for anybody if they have a favorite !!
 
gulfnut said:
Oban, kind of a thick smokey smooth single malt and you just simply cannot go wrong with any of the Macallan's. Even the 10 year old which I think just came out a few years ago has all the Glenlivit and Glenfiditch and Johnny Walkers beat hands down in my book. It is an aquired skill and I am happy for anybody if they have a favorite !!
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Macallan is pretty decent; the best thing about it is that is often in stock at restaurants, and because it is fairly well balanced, it makes a great after dinner drink. I think it is best had with a very thin sliver of ice, or with 2 drops of water.
 
interlooper said:
Macallan is pretty decent; the best thing about it is that is often in stock at restaurants, and because it is fairly well balanced, it makes a great after dinner drink. I think it is best had with a very thin sliver of ice, or with 2 drops of water.
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Saw this thread and poured myself a 12 year Macallan. Don't have it very often but always enjoy it. I'll have to try one of the others in this thread.
 
Highland Park and Bowmore are my regulars. I often experiment with others but seem to always migrate back to those.
 
TheProfessor said:
Highland Park and Bowmore are my regulars. I often experiment with others but seem to always migrate back to those.
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I am a Bowmore man as well. I love the Islay distilleries and Bowmore is the more friendly of the bunch; great for guests who are not used to an Islay peet.
 
Seeing this thread pop up inspired me to pour a single finger of Suntory's The Yamazaki 18 Single Malt from Japan. So very very good.
 
I don't know whether this scotch has already been mentioned. About a year ago glenfiddich brought out a special edition called snow phoenix. Basically a few of their roofs collapsed over some batches that were distilling. Rather than lose the whole lot they bottled it all and it resulted in a mix of different aged scotch as far as I am aware it was bottled with no age listed but according to glenfiddich it ranged from 13-30 years. When I learnt of this I went out and bought myself 10 bottles of it, have had one on the go for a year and the other 9 are in my cellar. It is an incredible scotch, tastes well above the price point they put it at. It is both woody and very fruity. I'm glad I bought so many because I think im going to end up drinking all 10 one day rather than collecting them.
For an everyday scotch I think that Chivas 12 year is fantastic. I have 12 and 18 year open at the moment and have had a few bottles of 25 in the past but the 12 year to me tastes the best of the three.
 
I enjoy the Highlands single malts. The peaty stuff doesn't do it for me.
 
I enjoy many single malts and blends, with a preference for some peatiness. BTW, I highly recommend using a Glencairn or Reidel Single Malt glass, and serving these up neat.

For the single malts, my favorites are Lagavulin 16, Talisker 10, Ardbeg Uigeadail, HP 12, Laphroaig Quarter Cask, and, if you are lucky enough to have a well-stocked liquor store, Amrut Fusion and McCarthy's 3y. Those last two are from India and Oregon, respectively, and are technically not Scotch, but are made with Scottish barley. All of these are really enjoyable. I sometimes want a lighter drink, so I'll go with Clynelish 14 or a blend like JW Green Label (all malt) or the newest JW Double Black. Redbreast 12 is my Irish whiskey choice, a sweeter drink with no peat whatsoever. I keep most of these in my cabinet rotation.
 
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Highland Park and Bowmore are my regulars. I often experiment with others but seem to always migrate back to those.
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I am a Bowmore man as well. I love the Islay distilleries and Bowmore is the more friendly of the bunch; great for guests who are not used to an Islay peet.
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I concur!

Just getting ready to leave for a single malt scotch tasting. 6 different scotches, can't recall the line-up right now, but one actually isn't a scotch, it's a single malt vodka, distilled in Scottland!?!?!

This tasting is an annual event, and for the past few years, there has always been a "wildcard". Vatted malt (called Sheep Dip) a couple years ago, then a Japanese single malt last year, and this year the single malt vodka.

Looks to be quite interesting - I will report back later if able!

Edited to Add:

My Scores:

Valt (single malt vodka) 14/50
Imperial 1991 (Speyside) 33/50
Balvenie Carribean (Speyside) 30/50
Old Pulteney 1995 Cask Strength (Northern Highlands) 40/50
Springbank 12 Year (Cambletown) 35/50
Ardbeg Corryvrekan (Islay South Shore) 40/50

Brief Comments:

Valt: too many harsh flavours to be a good vodka, far to tame and un-aged to be a good scotch.

Imperial 1991: nose was reminiscent of some factory floors I've walked through, otherwise some light malt sweetness and a dry almost peppery finnish. Comes from a distillery that is currently mothballed.

Balvenie Caribbean Cask: lacking the rum flavour notes that I expected from a scotch aged in rum barrells.

Old Pulteney Cask Strength: the 60% alcohol content did not overwhelm the malty/grassy palate, or leave any burning dryness in the finish.

Springbank 12 Year Cask Strength: smoky/oily nose with some earthiness & dried fruit in the palate, presence of alcohol in the nose/palate/finish (58%) was more prevalent than I like.

Ardbeg Corryvrekan: Not cask strength, but still over 50% for alcohol content...smoky, medicinal nose with extremely complex palate and finish - had my head spinning a bit, especially with 2 cask-strength scotches preceding. Need to try this one again for a fair assesment.
 
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Bruichladdich, Glenlivet, Glenfiddich (18 years +), Dalwhinne, and anything from my brother in laws Scotch cabinet. Pour it over Whiskey Stones (don't want dilute it!)fire up a good stinky cigar and I'm a happy camper.

Tastes in whiskey vary but so do the flavors, thats part of what makes it such a wonderful drink. It is a dream to one day go to Scotland and walk (with a few staggers) the whisky trail. From what I was told by someone who had been down the trail a few times it is the experience of a lifetime.

Theres a nice new little wine and whiskey bar I need to take my brother in law out to here soon. I doubt there are many libations mentioned here that aren't on their shelf...
( http://thebothy.ca/content/whisky-bothy )
 
Single malts, my favorites are Lagavulin and Laphroaig. Blends, I like JW black.












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I used to drink a lot of scotch but the last year or so I've switched to Irish Whiskey, mainly Tullamore Dew.
 
My bro got me a bottle of Walker Black for Christmas. It will be a very merry Christmas.
 
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