If someone is new to drinking Scotch they probably should go with either a blended Scotch such as Dewars or with one of the lighter single malts such as Oban or Dalwhinnie. Leave the smoky ones till later. There are some good tutorials on the internet about the different areas that produce scotch. For a standard recipe there sure are wide variations between the different brands.
If you're not a scotch drinker, I'm of the opinion that a blended is a better starting point. My favorites are in no particular order The Famous Grouse Johnny Walker Black The Black Grouse (more peaty)
Just starting down this rabbit hole as a good friend pushes me towards the finer things in life. I’m a research guy (to a fault) and have decided on the following single malt offerings to start: Glenmorangie 10yr old Auchentoshan 12yr old The Balvenie 12yr old
I found this intersting, even though it is about 50 times more expensive than any reasonable person would spend. The Macallan 55 year old Lalique Crystal Decanter Considered the love child of Scotland and France, the Macallan 55 is one of the finest Whiskies in the world. This limited edition Scotch is a representation of artistry, spirit, and class. Bottled in 1910, the unique bottle was crafted by perfume bottle designer Rene Lalique. This Whiskey is celebrated as a true gem of two nations. Bottle Price: $12,500
I have done extensive personal research on this topic. I also have researched the finer bourbons. Of the three you listed (they are all decent) The Balvenie is the best (my opinion). As you continue your research you should try to sample Oban 14 and Dalwhinnie. They are my favorite. Both are a highland scotch with a softer and fruity profile. I don't care for the heavy smoke some scotch has. Most scotch will have several different styles and different aging. Almost all are better if older but then they are also more expensive. Also recommend you try some of the Japanese whiskeys. Hibiki is my favorite. For borbon try Woodford Reserve and Basil Hayden's. My opinion.
Love a Balvenie! Great shout. Their "Doublewood" is very reasonably priced as far as whiskey goes and is a wonderful dram. I also like The Glenlivet 15 and Bruichladdich as an Islay.
I'm from Kentucky, and I'm familiar with how bourbon is made. I assume Scotch, Irish, and Canadian whiskeys use different mash bills, barrels, and aging processes, but I'm sure there's a lot more to it. Can someone here give me the lowdown?
When tasting adding a splash of a decent mineral water can really open things up. I like Gerolsteiner, Apollinaris, even San Pellegino in a pinch. Obviously you don't want any of the flavored varieties, just the mineral water.
Scotch, by law, has to be made from barley. American whiskey (by federal law) has to be made from at least 51% corn and aged in new american white oak barrels for at least two years. Interesting though - many of the scotch brands are aged in used american whiskey barrels. Thats where Jim Beam and others send their used barrels since they cannot be used a second time.
Canadian Whisky (no e) is often referred to as Rye Whisky here, even though Rye may not be the dominant grain in the blend. There are a few standard regulations for something to be called Canadian Whisky (an official title)- it must be aged in barrels for at least 3 years, but the barrels do not have to be new.
This thread was pulled out of the depths!! As a scotch drinker, I would say that there is a bit of a learning curve for this particular spirit, but well worth it. Though I am sure the OP has had ample time to discover what he likes (since this thread is 10 years old!), I will solicit my expert advice to anyone coming across here, however. Many consider the most approachable Scotch for Americans to be Glenfiddich since it is aged in bourbon barrels. It takes a little of the harsh edge off for newcomers, and it is a fantastic scotch for anyone looking to get into them. I would say it is equally approachable for any beginner, and a fantastic option for seasoned drinkers as well. Blended scotches tend to garner a lot of votes for newbies as well. They don't have as much character as single malts, but they are typically very smooth, and almost always much cheaper. I would suggest either the Black grouse, monkey shoulder, or Dewars. Once you start getting into Scotches more, the names that rule the roost are Macallan and Glenlivet. Both are high quality and found nearly everywhere. Some drinkers stop at the above, but many connosuers find their way to aged scotches (usually 18 years and up) and/or to Islay scotches (which have amazing characteristics of smoke, peat, and salt). These are more personal decisions that only the individual Scotch drinker can decide on for their own tastes, but there are top ten lists galore if you care to surf the net.
I can believe it. The 'peat moss' I get, but the other descriptors (iodine, wet gauze, and burnt sticks) aren't compelling flavor profiles I'd normally seek out.
