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- I dislike Scotch
Scotch Scotch Scotch.
I'm not a fan of peet. But I really like bourbon - the nutty and toasty flavors really get me. Knob creek does the trick specifically.
I've been told I have yet to taste a good scotch and thats why I don't like it. Any recs for a decent price? I'm not moneybags over here.
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759 - Reply by RBoulanger, Mar 7, 2008.
Bourbon's are sweeter, lighter/smoother and more approachable than Scotch. You should work your way up to Scotch slowly via the whisk(e)y steps in between. I suggest a few trips to the bar so you don't have to go whole hog on a bottle that you don't like.
-Bourbon (51% corn): Knob Creek, Maker's, Jim Beam, Wild Turkey, etc.
-Tennessee Whiskey (also mostly corn, but technically not a bourbon): Jack Daniel's, George Dickel
-Rye (51% rye - almost extinct) Old Overholt
-Canadian Whisky (multi-grain... lots of rye used): Canadian Club, Crown Royal, Black Velvet
-Irish Whiskey (multi-grain or single-malt, usually unpeated): Bushmill's, Jameson, Tullamore Dew
-Blended Scotch Whisky (wheat, corn & barley): Dewar's, Johnnie Walker, J&B, Famous Grouse, Chivas Regal, Cutty Sark.
-Single Malt Scotch Whisky (made only from malted barley - expensive)
Lowland: Glenkinchie
Speyside (getting peaty): Glenfiddich, Glenlivet, Macallan, Balvenie
Highland: Dalmore, Glenmorangie
Islay (these are the peaty bastards): Bowmore, Lagavulin, Laphroaig
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1245 - Reply by mark, Mar 7, 2008.
Good list. You can get whiskey flights at some bars in NYC so that might be a good place to start without breaking the bank. I'll add a few of my own favorite here:
Bourbon: Maker's (is the best QPR bourbon in my opinion), Woodford Reserve, Corner Creek, Black Maple Hill, Pappy van Winkle's Family Reserve (expensive but delicious)
Rye: as RBoulanger recommends, Old Overholt is a great starter -- cheap and (relatively) easy to find, Sazerac is also solid if you can find it.
And the only thing I have to add on the Scotch is a plug for Lagavulin. What a great whisky.
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1 - Reply by MoetChandon, Mar 8, 2008.
I don't like peety whiskys either, so I drink unpeeted ones like Highland Park. Lovely :-)
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233 - Reply by ccarpita, Mar 10, 2008.
Oban is also a good scotch. I will still take bourbon over scotch 9/10 times, because the smokiness doesn't sit well with other drinks.
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2 - Reply by necroprancer, Mar 11, 2008.
I would like to second that vote for Oban, and also add Clynelish and Dalwhinnie. If you don't like peat, then I'd recommend sticking with the Highland Scotches. They tend to show little or no peat and are more floral and fruity. Of the ones I've mentioned I think Dalwhinnie 15 yr is the best made. It's has a sort of silky mouthfeel that sets it apart from other Highlands in it's price range. That said it's still gonna cost you about $55 to pick up that bottle, and so you may be a little better off trying it and a few other highlands at a bar (preferably not a smoky one). Anywho, Scotch is awesome.
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3 - Reply by kiwisteve, Mar 11, 2008.
If you are looking for a good blened whiskey you can't go past Famous Grouse, relativey well priced. A good Friday evening tipple to get the weekend heading in the right direction!
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22 - Reply by VRider, Mar 12, 2008.
Nobody mentioned Ballantine's, which is my usual choice, especially if I want to know myself out. :-)
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693 - Reply by gr, Mar 12, 2008.
@RBoulanger: My favorite scotch got left out there, but it's possible that it's in a "still peetier than that" tier. Talisker. The only single malt from the Isle of Skye. Great stuff.
Also, a bourbon that's less-commonly seen and not terribly expensive is Bulleit. It's only moderately more expensive than even Jim Beam, but it's a lot better.
@ccarpita/necroprancer: I also like Oban, but it's only so-so under 12 years.
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8 - Reply by vintagesf, Jan 7.
The Scots consider Scapa to be the best representation of a traditional whisky. Even the 7 y.o. is quite smooth and very flavorful, with a very long finish. I, for one, like the peat flavors. Talisker is readily available and good. Once you start drinking the Islay malts, though, you won't go back to the lowlands. Lagavulin is probably the smoothest. A few years back when traveling through Heathrow I found a double matured Lagavulin that was so silky it was too easy to drink. They put out a new bottling every year for a few years, but there was never enough to be exported to the States. My favorite of all is Port Ellen, a distillery that closed in the early 80s. You can still find them around, but at a price becoming more dear by the day. Peat, seaweed and iodine and hey have the longest finish I have ever experienced.
