I'm sitting here drinking. I started with some Macallan 12 and them moved on to some Lagavulin 16. They couldn't be more different, but I can't decide which I like best.

Scotch drinkers, What do you like an why?

 

I quit drinking years ago but whisky was one of my passions
Highland Park-18yr old was my favorite wonderful balance
Ardbeg-10yr-LOTS of peat if you like Lagavulin you'll love this
Springbank-12 yr old different style
Longrow-made by Springbank again peaty with nice balance
Talisker is wonderful, liked Cragganmore.
Macallan is great but easy to like, made in sherry casks gives it a sweetness. Preferred the 18 to the much more expensive bottlings like the 25.
Lots of independant bottlings available from the scotch malt whiskey society or Gordan and Macphail are more interesting than the distillery standard bottlings
Oh yeah and don't forget blended bottlings. Royal salute is fabulous!

 

I love scotch. Scotchy, scotch, scotch. Here it goes down, down into my belly...

 

The last bottle I bought (months ago) was McClelland. The bottle came in a fancy cardboard sleeve. It wasn't expensive at all, and it had a strong flavor of wood ash, which I enjoyed. I'm not a scotch buff, I'm more of a beer connesseur.

 

For the life of me I just can't get into whiskey. I get a headache after about 15 min regardless of how much i sip by then.

 

Scoresby... also comes in a convenient shatterproof plastic 1/2 gallon bottle.



Seriously, every scotch I've ever tried tastes like mule *** - some, of course, worse than others. It tastes like I'm licking a wet, moss-covered, rotten log. I prefer a nice bourbon instead.

 

highland park and macallan are certainly the easy standbys.

but saying "i have a favorite" is like saying "I am always in the same mood" which is not often true.

So what I'd suggest is branch out. Forget what people suggest as tasty and smooth and get something ugly and funky.

I'd suggest the following:
Caol Isla
Oban
Laphroig (this is everywhere if you want to sample)

 

Laphroig is ok

Mcallan boring

Balvienne yay

Lets hear it for da nasty

 

Don't forget that for tasting, the first few sips (and whiffs) are king. After that, you may as well just sit back and enjoy the rest, because your taste buds are shot. Definitely don't bother with any kind of A/B comparison tasting once you've consumed some.

 

Glen Ness is my daily. Relatively inexpensive, and I like it.

Recently tried branching out to a couple random bottles and found them both far too oaky (sp? tasted like wood).

 

I normally drink Bushmills Black when I'm in a whiskey mood, but otherwise it's Laphroaig - very smoky and peaty, can't drink too much. I just tried Caol Ila on Sunday, it was much more dry and lean than maybe any scotch I've had, but still smoky and interesting. I think it needs another taste or 5 to sort out.

 

If its bourbon you like you should try some of the AH Hirsch 16 yr old, the 20 was even better but I don't think there is any left to buy.

earlier was accidental repost, had two windows open

 

Uh, you posted this 10 posts ago. Are you SURE you don't drink anymore?

 

Ugh thanks for quoting all my scotch spelling errors! I had to post without fact-checking because the boss walked in!

 

Ha - I was home and could check the bottles first.
I also noticed I have an old bottle of Pig's Nose - not too bad, but there's better for the $.

An old acquaintance from Scotland drinks Famous Grouse when he's drinking for distance(which is usually). It's pretty good for a relatively mild blend.

 

I was pleasantly surprised at stuff like Basil Hayden's (which is not Scotch). I think I remember liking it better than Johnnie Walker Black.

 

Laphroaig is alright but if you want an Islay that's a little less turpentiney the Ardbeg Ten is real nice IMO, one of my favorites. For whatever reason, I associate Islay malts with dreary cold rainy weather so don't usually touch them in the summer. Maybe that's just me.

Balvenie Doublewood is good. Oban 14 is good. I like the Dalmore (12 yr?), Macallan, Highland Park, Talisker, hell I can enjoy most scotch. Received a bottle of Deanston as a gift and it's okay but not impressive. Glenlivet is ubiquitous but doesn't particularly excite me.