Let's talk about Scotch, man!

[John Beef]

What's your favorite Scotch?

I'm not a high end connoisseur of it, but I do enjoy a glass on Saturday nights. Neat. No water, no ice. Only on Saturday because otherwise I'd buy a bottle and it would be gone in no time - it's like crack mixed with candy in a bottle. I have bought Glenlivet 12 a number of times, mainly because it's cheap-ish and readily available. It's good; as one reviewer put it, "There's a reason why it's the best selling single malt in the US" but you know, McDonalds is the top selling restaurant in the US too, so sales figures are less than a benchmark for quality.

I'd like to branch out. I'm not a blend type of guy, virtually every blend I've had hasn't lived up to even the cheapest single malts.

Recently I have had a bottle of The Grangestone 18. I bailed out a faculty member at work and he insisted on getting me a bottle of something as a thank you. I said a small bottle of glenlivet would be fine. He brought me this Grangestone which is a little nicer than I would normally buy. But it is delicious.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Scotch is the one thing I rarely drink, but if somebody is offering some J. Walker Blue? Neat please!

 

[Rango]

I'm sipping Tequila mostly these days - Don Edwardo, Don Julio, 'Tres Generations, Cazadores Anejo...Patron if there's nothing else around. I don't drink much so I only drink the good stuff!

Been curous about Scotch for a long time but don't know where to start.... Had one once that tasted like the bottom an ashtray. Not looking for "smokey". Grew up with two chain smokers and it dislike anything that tastes of tobacco.... Any Good Single malts that are not peat smoke flavored?

 

[Shawn@PRS]

I'm a total wuss when it comes to dark liquor. I like the idea of sipping a glass of Scotch, but I just can't come to terms with the flavor. I'm going to keep an eye on this thread and see what everyone recommends. Hopefully I can find a Scotch I like.

 

[james]

I'm a total wuss when it comes to dark liquor. I like the idea of sipping a glass of Scotch, but I just can't come to terms with the flavor. I'm going to keep an eye on this thread and see what everyone recommends. Hopefully I can find a Scotch I like.

Is it against the rules if I bring in a few different drams in SEALED (don't fire me) containers?

Whisky is super fun to get started with because it's just like beer or wine. A Bordeaux is nothing like a California chard, but they're both wine. A black chocolate stout is nothing like a lambic, but they're both beer. Whisky can be equally varied (and polarizing). It's also a lot cheaper than developing a taste for wine!

I like a lot of different scotches, but my kryptonite is sherry. Give me smokey, peaty Islays all day...I cannot do the Macallan/sherry type scotches.

 

[james]

John, are you into bourbon at all? If you want to keep the thread scotch specific, no problem...but there's so much great whiskey production in the States right now.

 

[gush]

We do a shot as a band right before showtime. SoCo and sweet lime. delicious.

 

[jfb]

Whisky is super fun to get started with because it's just like beer or wine. .

Agreed. It is also fun to be the guy at the event with Scotch instead of beer or wine.

As with most anything else Wikipedia and YouTube proved to be a big help.

I still watch Ralfy's Whisky Reviews on YouTube. Check him out.

Give me smokey, peaty Islays all day.

Same.

Here are two of my favorites from the smokey, peaty Islay variety.

I also really like Highland Park. It's smokey, peaty but not near as much so as the above.

 

[Shawn@PRS]

Is it against the rules if I bring in a few different drams in SEALED (don't fire me) containers?

Whisky is super fun to get started with because it's just like beer or wine. A Bordeaux is nothing like a California chard, but they're both wine. A black chocolate stout is nothing like a lambic, but they're both beer. Whisky can be equally varied (and polarizing). It's also a lot cheaper than developing a taste for wine!

I like a lot of different scotches, but my kryptonite is sherry. Give me smokey, peaty Islays all day...I cannot do the Macallan/sherry type scotches.

Bring 'em in, Paul won't mind.

 

[Dancing Frog]

I am kind of partial to Lagavulin 16 and Highland Park 18 myself.

 

[John Beef]

John, are you into bourbon at all? If you want to keep the thread scotch specific, no problem...but there's so much great whiskey production in the States right now.

I've had a few I really like. 1792 comes to mind as one I really enjoyed. I haven't had a lot of them but I know they're out there.

Mostly the stuff you see every day, the Jim Beams and Jacks and Maker's Mark, I really don't care for at all. Not smooth, not drinkable. Suitable only for mixing. Not my thing.

Hey, a similar subject, what's the worst scotch you've ever had? I was on the road in 2005 or so, a guy was in our hotel room with a bottle of "scotch" which was store brand (some grocery chains on the west coast have store brand liquor, it's awful but super cheap). It was in a 1.75 L plastic bottle. It tasted like friggin turpentine. I told him "That's not scotch!" and he showed me the bottle and pointed to where it said "Scotch" in big letters... I couldn't believe it. I didn't feel right afterward and vomited into a flower pot. Good times!

 

[Mikegarveyblues]

More of a fan of Bourbon Whiskey's myself but there's usually a bottle of Bells or Famous Grouse in the cupboard.

 

[rugerpc]

I'm a total wuss when it comes to dark liquor. I like the idea of sipping a glass of Scotch, but I just can't come to terms with the flavor. I'm going to keep an eye on this thread and see what everyone recommends. Hopefully I can find a Scotch I like.

Shawn, you never said whether you, the PTC crew and Paul either liked or didn't like the Shanghai we left you guys...

 

[Shawn@PRS]

Yes it's tasty. More of a liqueur than a strong drink. Is it a traditional recipe? My wife's family makes their own honey liqueur which it resembles.

 

[Boogie]

I like a lot of different scotches, but my kryptonite is sherry. Give me smokey, peaty Islays all day...I cannot do the Macallan/sherry type scotches.

Macallan is a nice place for many to start because it has such a complex nose and finish, but is not overly powered in peat, smoke or seaweed (if offered Tallisker, just say NO!). But if you don't like sherry (they're aged in sherry casks, not mixed with sherry) then that's a killer. I concur with the Highland Park 12 and 15 but Macallan 18 is at my all time top spot...sentimental reasons.

 

[JMintzer]

John, are you into bourbon at all? If you want to keep the thread scotch specific, no problem...but there's so much great whiskey production in the States right now.

I've shown up to the last few Experiences with a rather large bottle of Knob Creek.

Livers were tested, that's all I'll say...


Jamie

 

[kingsleyd]

I think we should get Eric C to host a big PRS get-together at the shop in Lexington. (or somewhere nearby since the part where E and B work isn't exactly set up for a crowd) As a group activity (besides geeking out over guitars) we could head out to a couple of nearby bourbon distilleries...

(and, Jamie, that would allow me to finally reciprocate on a home visit! you'd enjoy my basement...)

Oh, and with regard to the OP, I'm partial to Lagavulin 16 yr myself, although after a visit this past fall to Scotland and sampling various single malts at Cadenhead's, I was quite smitten with the Campbelltown variety. (the shop bottles their own straight-from-the-barrel single-malts)

 

[wilerty]

Sorry, I'm Irish ... Jameson

 

[rugerpc]

Yes it's tasty. More of a liqueur than a strong drink. Is it a traditional recipe? My wife's family makes their own honey liqueur which it resembles.

It is a recipe I made up. It has all natural flavor ingredients including fresh ginger and real vanilla beans. It isn't meant to compete with stronger drinks- more like an after dinner drink or a bed time nosh as we use it.

 

[rugerpc]

Sorry, I'm Irish ... Jameson

+1