"Scotch Straight Up, Any Single Malt Will Do..." Sir Sean Connery

So, do we have any lovers of a great Single Malt Scotch here...I bet we do....What are your favorites and why?? I do love reading discriptive Scotch reviews...Makes me think I have tasted more than I can afford to...

I'll start things off briefly, by saying I've never tasted a bad Single Malt so far, can't say the same for blends...And although it's popular to bash Glenfiddich and Glenlivet, I find them both charming...And the 'fiddich 15 is fantastic aswell as the 'livet 18...
Last week I participated at a jam session and our host treated me to The Macallen 18...twas brilliant...But a couple days later while shopping, I could only find a bottle of Glenfiddich 12, and it was still absolutly charming...I think maybe Sir Sean is right...

What do you think??

 

I think I've never had good scotch. I've tried Chivas Regal and some Dewar's. Both made me want to eat something so I could get the taste out of my mouth.

I've heard too many people talk about how good scotch is and since I haven't liked either of the two I've tried, I can say that I just haven't tried any "good" scotch.

 

Far out Mang!

While I am a fan, my palate is probably not as sophisticated as some folks. However, I like Glenmorangie Single Highland. Of all the regions, I prefer Highland over the others. Last on my list is any malt from Islay, they are too smoky for me.

Were I to pick a blend, it would have to be Balentines Finest 12 Year.

 

My favorite is Laphroig.

Around here all you can get is the 10 year old stuff.

Would love to sample some older Laphroig or a single barrel.

 

I see your "Far Out" and call you...
I think I like the Highland area aswell and the Speysiders...The only Glenmorangie I've had was the 10 year Original...and while its a youngster it was an absolutely fine youngster...I'd love to share a wee dram with you and your lass sometime...

For blends I'm really into Vatted Malts...like Johnnie Walker Green Label...Which for those unfamilier, are blends of only Single Malts with no grain...The JW Green Label is only Single Malts at least 15 years old, and is far better tasting than the Blue Label; YMMV; which cost quite a bit more......

 

Well Bob, don't feel bad...I'm not a big fan of Blended Scotch either...But the Single Malts are a different thing altogether, and they don't really have to be more expensive....You can pick up a bottle of Glenlivet 12, or Glenfiddich 12 for around $30...and the taste is soooo smooth...Its like another whole different kind of drink... You just want to drink over a couple ice cubes or straight up with maybe a teaspoon of water...

 

I am a fan of Glenfiddich all around ... the taste is amazing. I'm not sophisticated enough to be talking year to year, just an overall taste.

But give me some JW Green ... it is ON!

 

I'm a fan of Glenfiddich aswell....Id rather have the 'fiddich than the more expensive JW anytime...I'll pick the least expensive Glenfiddich 12, over the most expensive JW Blue Label everytime...And thats about taste not the price...
So maybe we'll share a wee bottle of Glenfiddich instead of a dram of JW Green.... :=D

 

Good to find some fellow Scotch drinkers on here. Myself, I favour the Islay region above all others; that rich, peaty smokiness does it for me every time. I currently have a 16 yr old Lagavulin (my absolute favourite) and an 18 yr old Caol Ila on the go, and I could quite happily drink either all night. Glenlivet is a good go-to Single as it's very easy drinking, but doesn't have quite enough character for it to be a favourite of mine. I'm also a fan of the Balvenie 12 yr old, as that has quite and amusing toffee-like after taste.

My personal preference is to take a Single Malt straight, with just a touch of water. I find that really frees up the flavour. I believe it was Sammy Davies Jr. who said "Never drink Scotch without water, and never drink water without Scotch"

 

Sammy was a wise man...
I've heard the Scots call the adding of just a touch of water to Scotch, "Releasing the Serpents". I'm all for it, seems to bring out a bit more flavor in many Scotches...

Has anyone tried "Monkey Shoulder"??....I've heard its a great blend of 3 single malts from the Balvenie and Glenfiddich Distillery...But I've never had the pleasure...I'm also curious about "Famous Grouse 12" I've heard thats a Vatted Blend of only Single Malts including Highland Park and The Macallen...But I can't find it easily around here....

 

I will admit I drink scotch straight rarely, I prefer a rusty nail, ahh Drambuie....

 

Any version if Grouse will not let you down My Friend. The Black Grouse is very fine indeed!

 

I enjoy the Single Malt. Haven't really had it in a while though. Too poor to be buying bottles of it. I can't believe how expensive the stuff is. Latest stuff I've had is Chivas Regal (Love it), Dewars, Glenlivit, Glenfiddich. Thinking I might buy some Cutty Sark next after seeing it used a lot in "Mad Men".

 

Cutty Sark is horrible, and I don't use that word often.... If you're going down that road I suggest J&B instead.

 

Thanks for the tip. I remember trying Cutty Sark in College, but don't remember how it tastes. I'll look for J&B too.

 

New

If you're checking out the cheap blends...Teachers Highland Cream is very cheap, but makes a great mixer...and on the rocks with a splash of soda and a twist of lemon...Taste better than some Scotches twice the price.​

 

Thanks for the tip...Saw a bottle of "Black Grouse" the other day, and was giving it some SERIOUS thought...I'll have to go back and score...

 

Cutty Sark and water at the NCO club on Phu Cat Air Base was like 25 cent including a show.. went through a lot of Cutty and water.

 

We all know Johnnie Walker Black Label is good...very good...But we all also know Red Label not good...WRONG !! I played a concert at a Jazz Festival the other night and there was a litre of JW Red in the dressing room...What nice concert organizers...Well I opened it to take a sniff and was shocked...It smelled like a quality scotch...not a bit of petrol or acetone, like so many blends...I was so shocked, I had to tast it...So I tried a dram straight up and was very pleasantly surprised...I liked it very much!! Later had a wee dram over ice and I'm here to say, JW Red is one of the finest low priced Scotches I've ever tried...Better than some twice the price... I'd have to put it up there with Teachers Highland Cream...

Just in..You really can't tell just by sniffing....I sniffed some Famous Grouse the other night and thought I had found my wife's finger nail polish remover, but it's a great mixer....J&B smells mild, but deffinately needs the coke or some mixer...And Teachers has a touch of petrol to the smell when you first open it, but taste great...even neat...

JW Red or Teachers Highland Cream...I think those are the two best I've seen so far for the Scotch drinker on a budget....Both of these are great mixers aswell as Famous Grouse, and many of the less expensive blends....BUT for sipping and you don't have the change for a single malt, Teachers Highland Cream is the BEST economy brand I've tried. And truly better than most middle shelf brands I know...For me its the best sipping scotch next to a Single Malt and it cost less than half of what you pay for JW Black Label.

I've been told Teachers and Black Bottle are the two best kept secrets on the Scotch scene...I haven't found Black Bottle yet, but Teachers is a must try for a blend.

 

i love to drink any Macallan 18 or 21 never could get into scoth and a couple of buddies at the cigar lounge bet me if i tasted macallan i would love it and I did