Interesting Scotch Recommendations

[jazzy77]

I do not like scotch, but am working on building up my husband's scotch collection, and his birthday is coming up.

So far I've bought:

Bruichladdich 15 y/o (thus far, his favorite)
Longmorn 15 y/o
Compass Box Hedonism
The Balvenie Single Barrel 15 y/o or Double Wood (it went away so fast I can't remember which one it was)

I've heard him say that he doesn't like Laphroaig (something about tasting of band-aids, it's probably the peat?)

He has mentioned that he wants a bottle of The Balvenie Portwood, but I'm debating on buying him some he's never tried before.

Doesn't anyone have any recommendations on intereresting scotches that might complement his existing collection? Is there anything new and interesting?

[bayoucook]

Since I had The Balvenie, that's it for me - seems like he enjoyed it too since it went quickly. Sorry I can't help further with this one. I'm a one-scotch girl now.....

[comestible]

I just tried a bottle of Oban 14, and I really like it. I found a local shop that has it for $45 plus tax, which is lower than I'm seeing it elsewhere, sometimes by a lot.

Very nice flavor. Not especially peaty, but intriguing, on the easy-drinking side but still has just enough bite. Flavorful! I will buy this again.

[Pain et Vin]

For starters, anyone who doesn't like Laphroaig doesn't deserve scottish. But, that also means avoiding Lagavulin (which was recommended here), Caol Ila, Bunnahabhain, and pretty much anything from Islay - generally all have that (glorious - in my opinion) peaty, medicinal characteristic, albeit, to varying degrees.

[elbopix]

For something completely different, but quite scotch-like, I would recommend giving a Japanese Whisky or Amrut, an Indian Whisky a try. Only 2 Japanese varieties are available in the US - Yamazaki 12 and Yamazaki 18. Japanese whiskies tend to be light and fruity. Very easy to drink. Amrut is full of flavor! Other Japanese brands are available online through sites like royalmilewhiskies.com. Amrut should be hitting the shelves in the US in the coming months.

[foodieseattlelady]

Glenmorangie Portwood finished

[chazzerking]

Something different that I haven't seen mentioned; Scott's Selection Single Grain Whiskey. I received a bottle as a gift recently, and I'm blown away by this stuff. It was distilled in 1964, and bottled at cask strength(96.4 proof) in 2007. It's smooth but powerful, with notes of toast, butterscotch, heather with a little peat discernable, but not pronounced. I don't know how much it costs, but it's amazing stuff.

[comestible]

Chazzer, you just reminded me of a wonderful scotch experience. I was a performer at a music festival this summer, and after the concert someone brought out a bottle of cask-strength Caol Ila, and it was maybe 20 years old. I know it cost over $100. But I've never had one like it, incredibly intense in flavor, very concentrated, and requiring some water to bring out all the flavors and aromatics. We were all amazed.

[chazzerking]

After posting, I loooked it up and it's $260 a bottle. Expensive, but oh, so good.

[The Ranger]

Aberlour 12-year
Ballentine 17-year
Balvanie Double-wood
Balvenie Portwood
Bowmore 16-year
Bruichladdich 12-year
Cardhu
Caol Ila 12-year
Craggenmore 12-year
Highland Parks 12-year
Ila of Jura 10-year
Lagavulin 10-year CS
Lagavulin 18-year
Macallan 10-year
Oban 10-year

Avoid like the plague:
Laophraig 10- and 18-year
Glenfiddich 12- and 18-year
Glenlivet
Glenmorangie
Talisker 10- and 25-year

[CA Scotch Chick]

I don't know how much you are spending, but I just had several tasting flights at Keen's in NYC. Dome of the scotches are wicked expensive. But, in the lower cost tasting flights (which we haven't yet reviewed), the Bruichladdich 17 year was excellent, and very different from the 12 and 15 (117.99 on the internet), the Macallan Cask Strength was quite good and also different from the Macallan 12 and 18 (he'll want to add a drop of distilled water - 60.99 on the internet) and the Talisker 25 year was outstanding (not peaty at all - 199.95).

CA Scotch Chick
www.scotchchix.com

[CA Scotch Chick]

Oops, made an error. Just wrote up the reviews, and although the tasting menu we had said Bruichladdich 17, they were out of it, so they substituted the Bruichladdich 20 (oh, darn). So, that sweet candy finish was on a Bruichladdich 20, not 17.

CA Scotch Chick
www.scotchchix.com

[dwh]

<<<<<Based on the samples you give, I'd suggest something from one of these distilleries: Glenrothes Old Pulteney Scapa Bunnahabhain.

Late in the thread, but here is a plug for Old Pulteney, which I've been able to get for between $19 and $24 over the last few years. If scotch means murky, if scotch means burnt-rubber, then the Old Pult is not for you. It is a bright, fruity (and we're talking pears, mangos & tart apples all in abundance) substance unlike anything else labeled single malt. For all it's lushness, it is also assertive--there are a few bright-styled Speysides but they tend to be kind of thin or "flabby" (kind of dull and washed out, and die out after the bottle has been open for more than a few weeks). Old Pult has been by far the best value malt in the last several years for my buck.

[jazzy77]

Thanks for all your excellent suggestions! I ended up getting him The Balvenie Portwood (long story, but involves his birthday being right before graduation and leaving me no time to order any of the more interesting varieties). I am printing this thread out for my "future gifts" folder, though.

[howaboutthat]

Nothing uninteresting about The Balvenie -- a fine choice!

[howaboutthat]

A few more suggestions:

Ardbeg (various bottlings, including Ten, Uigeadail, perhaps even Lord of the Isles -- I've never tasted a bad Ardbeg!) They are peaty/smoky but somehow lighter and less astringent than Laphroaigh. The Uigeadail is cask strength, and my overall favorite scotch. Your husband might need to acquire a taste for Ardbeg, but if he does, it will greatly simplify your future gift-giving! Also a nice complement to the more laid back scotches on your existing list.

Highland Park 18 (complex and different, lying somewhere between Islay (peaty) and Macallan (sherry) style scotches. Of course, you can't go wrong with a Macallan, either!

Bunnahabain -- very good for the price; indeed, very good at a much higher price

Cragganmore Distiller's Edition -- a surprise standout among my friends, who otherwise tend toward the peaty types. Very smooth with a citrus-like character. I have never seen a bottle of scotch disappear so quickly (well, the contents, anyways)

Lagavulin Distiller's Edition (as well as the standard-bearing, 16-year old)

[Scargod]

I've drank a lot of Ardbeg and perhaps that's why I like to add a dash of 10 YO Laphroaig to my Jonnie Walker Black.

[joshuaresnick]

I haven't had the Cragganmroe Distiller's Edition, but I've had the 12 year and the Signature Series 11 year, and I really like them both. They seemed smooth as smooth can be and not the least bit lacking in flavor. Got any recommendations for a Cragganmore lover?

[howaboutthat]

Dalwhinnie, Bruichladdich, Balvenie, Bunnahabhain, Highland Park, Macallan, Glendronach, & Auchentoshan, perhaps? Not a big fan of Bowmore, but others take to it handsomely. Oban and Talisker probably would not be to your liking. Definitely try to track down the Cragganmore Distiller's Edition.

[jspear]

How about Johnny Walker Blue?

[blair_houghton]

Johnnie Blue is not going to impress anyone who's had good scotch. It's smooth, but a little sweet, and insipid. Good but not impressive. Dull, in a word. Laphroaig used to taste and smell better than it does now. I suppose you have to have a tobacco-deadened palate to tolerate it. Macallan is always better, and the Macallan Cask Strength (an unfiltered scotch) is a lot of fun. Macallan anything is a good day, really. If you want to try something American, Wild Turkey doesn't disappoint. The 101 rye is good and a good thing to try for a different experience. The 101 bourbon is just plain good.

[tim irvine]

Second (or is it now fourth or fifth) on Glen Rothes. Agree Cigar Malt is a good "everyday" sort of whisky. So is Tamdhu. Went to a scotch tasting/dinner years ago that did the "classic malts," starting with Dalwhinnie (heathery, honeylike) and worked its way around to end with Lagavulin. Lagavulin is an amazing whisky but a hard "first gulp" for some. Went to another tasting/dinner, vertical of McAllans. 18 was my fave overall but they had some really old one, like a 21 or 25, that they served with bread pudding. Wow!

All of those "woody" Glenmorangies are interesting, but the scotch gets lost in some of them.

Anybody tried Nadura?

[chazzerking]

nadurra is a lot peatier than regular macallan. It is very smooth, for the abv though

[smalt]

thanks for the tip, will have to try tamdhu...usually drink talisker when out with coworkers....oban in other places....selection is slim when in bars in my area....the person that introduced me to single malts was into knockando, which i find too light for my tastes.....

[comestible]

Just have to remark that I happen to have recently bought a 10-year-old Tamdhu, just to try it, and have to say it is pretty rough. I wouldn't get it again. If they produce one with more age, I'd go for that.

[smalt]

Can't think of the name of it at the moment, but there's one that is made in Oregon, written up in some money-type magazine for being a good value - now THAT was rough!

thanks for the perspective.....

[folprivate]

McCarthy's. It was well rated so I bought a bottle. The nose is a bit medicinal but the scotch was very smooth for a whiskey only aged 3 years. Can drink it neat but it is one I prefer with an ice cube

[Chinon00]

Cask Strength doesn't mean unfiltered it means that it hasn't been diluted to a standard strength with water.

[jazzy77]

All of these suggestions have been great - in fact, I'm at a loss at what to buy.... I'm going to have to bring a list to the guy at my liquor store.

The un-chill filtered scotch seems really interesting - do you have any recommendations?

[David Carlson]

You've gotten a lot of good suggestions already. Since you're not a Scotch drinker yourself, if you want to get him something "new", you might try different bottlings from the distilleries you know he likes. Either a distillery bottling at a different age or finished in a different type of case, or an Independant bottling. They will often do Single Cask bottlings and often don't chill-filter or add coloring. Un-chill filtered Scotch can look cloudy, but the process removes flavors from the Scotch. Caramel coloring can change the flavor (but you have to have a fairly discerning palate to notice most of the time).

[jhopp217]

I don't know much about Scotch, but I had something called LittleMill Lowland Single Malt recently, and it was very good.

Aside from that I like MaCallan's.

I recently bought my father a bottle of Johnny Walker Blue, but I know a lot of Scotch enthusiasts don't like it because it's a blend. It's about $180 a bottle and not too many drinks taste better. Two Bartenders told me the best is Chivas Regal Royal Salute. It too is over $150 but they both said it's better than JW Blue.

[theginguy]

[quote] Jazzy77 says: "So far I've bought:

Bruichladdich 15 y/o (thus far, his favorite)
Longmorn 15 y/o
Compass Box Hedonism
The Balvenie Single Barrel 15 y/o or Double Wood (it went away so fast I can't remember which one it was)

I've heard him say that he doesn't like Laphroaig (something about tasting of band-aids, it's probably the peat?)"[/quote]

Well, the Bruichladdich is an Islay, but strangely enough, it's not heavy in the peat. I see that he likes the Balvenie as well. I love the "Doublewood."

I was going to maybe suggest the Lagavulin? This is also an Islay and very peaty, but very very good. But if you don't think peat is the answer, then maybe you ought to stick with a Highland or Speyside. Here are some suggestions.

Of course Balvenie.
The Macallan.
The Dalmore.
and maybe even Glenlivet 16 cask strength?

I like the Balvenie the best though but my everyday scotch is Glenlivet 12.

[alanbarnes]

Interesting that he likes Bruichladdich but not Laphroaig. Some Laphroaigs have a particularly strong iodine (band-aids, plastic pool toys) flavor. But Bruichladdich has a fair iodine component, too. Maybe a taste of a different Laphroaig is in order. But not for his birthday.

Since the Balvenie disappeared so quickly, what about another sherry-cask Scotch? MacAllan has several delicious options at various price points. Aberlour is tasty, too.

I just don't get tired of the Balvenie. Although I liked the straight sherry-cask whisky that was available a decade or two ago better than the doublewood stuff that's sold now.

[aivri]

If you want different, get him a membership to the Scotch Malt Whiskey Society:
http://www.smwsa.com/join.html
He'll get one bottle for the membership price and access to their whiskeys. I'm not a member, but a Scottish friend of mine is and took me to the SMWS bar in London. Had the best whiskeys of my life there. Highly recommended.

[cmolitor]

I love smwsa! dropped my membership a year ago, but still have 3-4 bottles in my bar. i HIGHLY recommend it for a true scotch fan...

[Captain]

If you want something very unusual, and really good, Linlithgow. Find it in a cask strength version. It is a closed Lowland distillery, most of the cask strengths I've seen come in with elss than 120 proof and are very drinkable neat at that potency. It would take about 3/4 of your budget.

Perhaps I'd also go with a Ben Nevis.

I am not fan of Scapa. It's one fo the last malts I'd buy. For me it left a metallic taste in the back-middle of my tongue, and I did not like it.

If you want some good reviews, look at maltadvocate.com

[slofood]

The Macallan,12 year (but 18 is better). I agree, Laphroaig sucks. But my friend loves it, so it's a matter of taste. Definitely give him The Macallan.

[nissenpa]

Macallan is a good one to have on hand. I also like the Highland Park 12. My husband and our two friends are solely Scotch drinkers and for some reason or other our many Scotch tastings always include a bottle of Woodford Reserve which is a bourbon. We have not had a get together without it in three years.

[cockscomb]

laphroaig sucks??? wouldn't it sound a little better if you were to say "i don't like laphroaig"??

[Scargod]

Sucks, rocks, is cool! Very informative and educational. Information I can work with. Not

[alanbarnes]

Now don't get me wrong. I enjoy a good Islay malt, and Laphroaig definitely makes some tasty ones. But as noted below, some of their bottlings have a particularly distinctive iodine element. Good for those who believe that "if a little's good a lot must be better." But they push the boundaries of palatability, and the uninitiated might might conclude that Laphroaig sucks.

Talisker, on the other hand - if you don't like that, you're just a pussy.

[Scargod]

If you can't drink Ardbeg 10 you're a pussy or wimp. Take you're choice.
Generic Leapfrog 10 is pushing it for many people and I often cut it with something else.
I'm lovin' my Lagavulin 16, as we speak.

[alanbarnes]

Ardbeg - bring it on. But there was a Lagavulin I tasted about 20 years ago that was reminiscent of a tasty Islay malt that had been infused with Band-Aids and plastic pool toys. Comes a point where each of us decides that discretion is the better part of valor.

[Scargod]

There are a number of edible/drinkable items that turn me off because of my background working with plastics and chemicals, including phenol formaldehyde resins, and anything that smells like burning plastic or taste reminds me of them (think Durian)!
I don't think I would like something like Laphroaig Lp1.

[alanbarnes]

Mistyped - meant Laphroaig, not Lagavulin.

[smalt]

had to laugh at "leapfrog"....love the nickname, didn't much care for the taste, but that was when i was first starting out that it wasn't handed to me. was given a bottle of lagavulin as a gift and have to admit i did better with the lagavulin than the "leapfrog".

was out with coworkers and friends just the other night...the single maltin' guys at the table did the "i'll have what she's having" a few times over.....it was a talisker night....

[Scargod]

Talisker cannot hold a candle to Lagavulin. It is more like a McCallan than Lagavulin. More Speyside-like to me.

[smalt]

apologies, did not mean to infer talisker & lagavulin were alike. reference to talisker was purely anecdotal.....

[Scargod]

No prob... I was just commenting... anecdotally. :)

[smalt]

i was just thinkin'....maybe i was drinkin' when i typed that....a talisker no doubt. although i do have an open bottle of macallan-15 sitting next to the talisker....

[Scargod]

Smart guy. I, too, have another within reach for emergency backup purposes.

[smalt]

scargod: one of the usually open bottles in my stash is a dalmore cigar malt, but haven't seen any in the state of washington since before christmas. maybe because i turned a lot of my friends on to it. darn! thought they bought them up to make me a christmas gift of them!

[Scargod]

I stopped smoking cigars over eight years ago, though there is the very rare 420 experience. I'll have to try and find some of this. Sounds fascinating and tasty.

[smalt]

as a lagavulin fan, you'll likely be disappointed with the dalmore...it's kind of chocolatey....the beauty of it is that it's one of the less expensive bottles with a satisfying taste that works out great for an "every day" versus an expensive "celebratory" type SM....

[Scargod]

Perhaps, but I did a blind taste test many years ago and I liked Johnny Walker Black over everything else and many were pricey single malts. My tastes have evolved, but JWB is my everyday scotch. I consider it "sweet".

[The Ranger]

What's your take on JW Red? (That's my FIL's everyday scotch.) BTW: I don't know why, but I also find JWB "sweet," too; it's absolutely off-putting and I like sherry-casked SMS, like Balvenie's 12 yo.

[sku]

Last year, I did a blind tasting of the very basic blends (JW Red, Chivas, Dewar's, Cutty Sark, J&B) and JW Red came in first by a long way. It's certainly not my favorite, but it easily beat the other competitiors in its price and availability range.

http://recenteats.blogspot.com/2008/0...

[The Ranger]

Interesting; thanks!

[smalt]

i started out on j&b, then moved to chivas.....can't say i've had a jw red....i have had a jw blue, but don't remember it.....

[The Ranger]

One of my FIL's very best friends is a JW officiando; she loves all their flavors but prefers blue. She's shared JW Blue and JW Gold with us (over "I don't drink alone") and both were enjoyable but nothing I would ever spend money on. Give me a Balvenie, Cardhu, or Auchentoshan.

[Scargod]

You are comparing Speysides with a more Islay style of scotch in JW. From my experience, very different.
I like JWB's style, yet I sometimes add a dab of Laphroag to it.

[sku]

Based on the samples you give, I'd suggest something from one of these distilleries:

Glenrothes
Old Pulteney
Scapa
Bunnahabhain.

[AnneInMpls]

Ditto on the Glenrothes. I was a Bruichladdach girl, then my boss (at a former job, alas) gave me a bottle of Glenrothes as a present. I love love love the stuff. Sadly, I no longer work for this boss, but we're life-long friends (of course).

Sku's other recommendations sounds good, too - I gotta try them.

What a nice wife you are to buy good Scotch for your husband! My husband isn't a drinker - I do the drinking in the family - but he's never bought me any scotch. Luckily, he has other good characteristics (like the tendency to give me Charbay Grapefruit Vodka as a present).

Anne

[sku]

Now that's a great boss!

[smalt]

I third or fourth the 'rothes! Yum!

Additionally, I like the McCallan-15 if you can find it - better than 12, less expensive than the 18....

And for an everyday drink, the Dalmore Cigar Malt is surprisingly good for its price.....

Laphroaig was introduced to me with the description as having the taste of "wet band-aids". :-)

I like Talisker, but did not like Lagavulin.

Also like the Balvenie Double Wood.

[CA Scotch Chick]

Have you Glenrothes fans tried Highland Park 12? I always think Glenrothes is my favorite until I get to have Highland Park 12 again. It is has all the smoothness of Glenrothes with a buttery/butterscotch palate.
Yum.

CA Scotch Chick
www.scotchchix.com

[smalt]

Thanks for the tip, CA SC! Will snag a bottle next trip out to stock the supply....

[comestible]

Interesting; I just bought a bottle of the Highland Park 12, and am drinking some now. It strikes me as lighter than the Glenrothes, a very good Scotch in its way, but I think I prefer the density and mouth-filling quality of the Glenrothes. Just personal preference. Some folks have told me the HP to try is the 18 y.o., but I haven't had the nerve to pony up the cash for it.

[dcscotchchick]

I'm going to have to try these two side by side sometime. CA Scotch Chick and I will be cracking open three different Glen Rothes over the 4th of July weekend. I think I'll pick up a HP now too.

Comestible---is there anywhere you can order just a finger or two of HP 15 or 18? CA Scotch Chick has had both and actually prefers the 12. Just thought I would suggest that before you shell out the $.

DC Scotch Chick
www.scotchchix.com

[smalt]

scotchchicks: which 3 years of 'rothes will you have, if i may ask? i have an '89 open and a '93 waiting...and a collector bottling of unremembered vintage around here somewhere....

[CA Scotch Chick]

Ooh. Sounds yummy. Our three way will be the 1991, the 1994 Signatory Unchillfiltered, and the Select Reserve.

CA Scotch Chick
www.scotchchix.com

[comestible]

I bought a bottle of the Glenrothes Select Reserve, my familiar fave, and tasted it tonight against the Highland Park 12. They are both fine scotches, I think. The Highland Park hits the soprano and alto notes, the Glenrothes is more alto and baritone (does that make any sense?) <grin> Both are fruity/vanilla and complex to my mind. It was a pretty unsophisticated tasting though; no water added and no palate cleansers. My shop had the 1991 GR, but it was almost twice the price of the SR.

DC -- I don't know where to order a finger or two of the HP 15 or 18. Purportedly, there are bars here in NYC where you can do that...but I haven't kept up with these esoteric scotch-friendly establishments.

We have sources here for good scotch at good prices (sometimes). Warehouse Wine & Spirits in NYC has Glenrothes SR at $29.95 and HP 12 at $34.95. Bayway Liquors in Elizabeth, NJ had a heady, peaty Ardbeg 10 for only around $30 - 35. Splendid.

[CA Scotch Chick]

Keens near Herald Square has Highland Park 15 ($15) and 18 ($16). Keens is at 72 W. 36th Street. Their site has a map.

I just had the privilege of sampling all their scotch flights. Working on getting their full scotch menu up on our site but the picture is so large, I'm having trouble getting it to load. If you opt for a flight and can't afford to splurge on the Rockefeller, go for the Great Scotts. For just 8 dollars more than the next flight down, you get some really fine scotches.

I only made it to Keens, but when I was researching the trip I discovered that the other excellent scotch sampling places in NYC were the Brandy Library, St. Andrews, Club Macanudo (cigars too - no sneakers), Lexington Bar and Books (full blown dress code), Hudson Bar and Books, and D.B.A.

Thanks for sharing your awesome tasting notes, and yes, the alto v baritone makes perfect sense.

Also thanks for the Warehouse Wine and Spirits tip. Is it a big bin store? We are doing a piece on them, and we're lookin' for tips in all the cities.

One more thing, if you like Arbeg 10, have your tried Caol Ila?

CA Scotch Chick
www.scotchchix.com

[dcscotchchick]

I loved your analogy comstible! Let us know if you make it to any of the places CA Scotch Chick mentioned. I may be making a trip up that way soon and would love any recommendations.

[comestible]

Thanks, DC and LA scotchchicks! I'm not at my home computer just now, but no, I haven't been to the NYC tasting places, but I appreciate the recommendations! I'll check them out.

Warehouse is a large liquor store on Broadway near 8th Street. Some writers on Chowhound have found some of the wine offerings substandard, but the liquors good. Certainly good prices, I think.

No, I've not tried Caol Ila, I'll look for it if you recommend it!

Keens sounds like a steakhouse (If I've googled the right place) with, I assume, a nice scotch-friendly bar. I have heard of D.B.A. -- since they're way downtown they're probably a little less costly.

Cheers all!

[CA Scotch Chick]

Thanks for the Warehouse liquor lead. It is now on my list.

Keens doesn't list their extensive scotch list on their website - a silly oversight. It is huge - over 250 whiskys.

Cheers,
CA Scotch Chick
www.scotchchix.com

[smalt]

Alert, alert alert! Found a Glenrothes sampler in a nearby WA liquor store today - '85, '91, and select reserve in miniature versions of the 'rothes round bottles.....limited number of this packaging, no doubt....Glad I spotted it, there weren't many left!

[nissenpa]

I would love to have gotten one of those for tasting purposes!

I'm in the DC area.

[smalt]

I haven't cracked mine open, still admiring 'em... :-) i did find that my open bottle of 'rothes is an '85, i'm somewhat surprised to see i still have an '85, to be honest. but oh is it so smooth and better than i remembered! i have not yet had the select reserve, but have had the other two before.

check around, nissenpa, mine were found in the "other" washington on the west coast..... good luck!

[BigWoodenSpoon]

The '85 is delightful but the larger bottle is kinda spendy if you can find it.
The '91 is a staple around our house, butterscotchy goodness.
My husband says the Select Reserve would make a nice cooking Scotch.

[David Carlson]

A drop of water improved the Select Reserve immensely...

[joshuaresnick]

If you haven't been to the Round Robin bar at the Willard, I highly recommend it. Great Scotch collection.

[cockscomb]

wow.. mini glenrothes bottles? as much as i love the whisky itslef i would love to have a few of the minis.

i would agree with some other posters here that are suggesting other islays (even though he doesn't like laphroaig) and suggest bowmore darkest if you can find it. a sherry cask aged islay that tends to soften those hard, peaty edges. and for a real splurge, bowmore black. but it is a real splurge.
ardbeg (my all time favorite) makes a sherry cask aged whiskey called Uigeadail which is not so common either but excellent. quite different form it's usual leaner style as a result of more sherry cask aging. as well, if you can find any '74 or '75 Provenance, it's a true collectors item. i actually held onto a bottle for 5-6 years before we had an all elk dinner. mmmm, elk skewers and ardbeg...

[cannedmilkandfruitypebbles]

That uigeadail is knock your sox off smokey. Generally if i'm looking for a campfire in my scotch, I reach for any Ardbeg. It's good stuff but not for those weary of peat. Bowmore Darkest is a great rec.

[cockscomb]

you're right.. i always have to throw ardbeg in for reccomendations. it's a fault of mine.

[cannedmilkandfruitypebbles]

Although the OP says the aversion is to the medicinal taste of Laphroaig, not the peaty taste. I think these are two very different things. Lagavulin has a nice balance with a good dose of smoke that's not cloying. I think of it as a beefed up Cragganmore- even though it's not from the same region i find this to be another well balanced Malt. And given that the OP's favorite is the Bruchladdich (mild, thin, with a touch of smoke), i think Cragganmore would be a nice compliment to the collection.

[yumbrad]

I've seen a bunch of (naturally) "yeah, Laphroaig sucks" or "yeah, Glenrothes dot dot dot" posts, and some recommendations that include The Macallan.. I've tried only 10 or so Scotches, including a bottle that was a gift to my father-in-law that cost (internet pricing) $500. That one was good, no doubt (can't remember the label). But, contrary to most posters here, I thought The Macallan was so-so, and my favorite thusfar has been a Laphroaig 15! Any recommendations for someone apparently on another plane from the OP's husband, to expand my horizons beyond my current fave, the Laphroaig 15? (note, I came here via google -> scotchchix.com -> back, because scotchchix.com doesn't allow comments (a non-corporate blog that denies comments? how 2005!). I had wanted to comment on their rum vs. scotch post...)

[DavidT]

The single-malts from the isle of Islay are likely the most distinctive whiskies produced in Scotland. Other brands of single-malts from Islay you might want to try include Lagavulin, Caol Ila, Arberg & Bowmore (which is the least peaty of those four).

Trader Joe's sells a whisky called Finlaggan that is relatively inexpensive ($17 a bottle) and comes from Islay as well. At that price, it is obviously not in the same league as the others.

[cockscomb]

if you like laphroaig, ardbeg is definitely the way to go. while i love the others mentioned by davidt, lagavulin, caol ila and bowmore have a sweeter component than the other two. if you can find independents of port ellen, try that as well. port ellen continues to do the maltings for a few of the other islays but will be really hard to find any distillery bottlings as they stopped production years ago. i would also suggest going to campbeltown and try springbank or longrow (one of the other wharehouses that springbank intermittently operates)

as much as i am a fan of all the islays, i have found caol ila, lagavulin, and bowmore to be less appreciated by other islay followers who love laphroaig
i think it really is a geographical and a style thing. the southern distilleries in islay are even more distinctive for their medicinal qualities compared to the northerners or those who impart more of the sherry barrel aging on their whiskies.
i do often drink jw black for it's high percentage of caol ila for a less expensive sipper as well

ardbeg 10 is great. the uigedail as i mentioned above is the one ardbeg whisky that is done in sherry so it too has a little richer body than the others.
i have to say that my all time favorite is the provenance from ardbeg bottled at cask strength. unfortunately it is one of those collectors items that will cost a few hundo but ultimatley worth it.. the last time i was at the bar at the peninsula in chicago they offered it (not sure where you are though)

[Scargod]

Having drank Leapfrog and Ardbeg I much prefer the Lagavulin 16. Just marvelous. I also cheat by adding a dollop of it to cheap Do-hers and it ends up being better than Johnny Walker Black!

[dcscotchchick]

Hey Comestible--I am tasting HP side by side with some GR right now and am now realizing how different they are. CASC and I are finding the HP to be more complex and full than any of the 3 GR we have.

Whenever you can try them side by side let us know what you think. You may still disagree but it makes for a fun day!

[comestible]

Interesting! I assume your HP is the 12. Well, just tasting the Glenrothes SR against the HP 12, as I described earlier, I thought the Glenrothes was "chewier,", denser mouthfeel, hence my "baritone" description. But I really liked them both and found complexity in both. I certainly am curious about the specific-year Glenrothes and the HP 18 though. I have an unopened SR so I need to find another HP, or even another brand, to taste against it.

[dcscotchchick]

Correct--our HP was 12.

We just posted our reviews this morning if you'd like to check it out.

DCScotchChick
www.scotchchix.com

[smalt]

Four months later.....

I found a bottle of HP12 and tried it last week....First cut was that I still prefer Glenrothes over HP, my HP felt a little rougher than 'rothes....However...I'm no quitter....I'll set 'em up for a side-by-side one of these nights....perhaps it was my frame of mind....(I haven't yet convinced any of my co-layoffees to open a single malt specialty bar in my neck of the woods!).

[Dave and Stuff]

Have you had the Charbay whiskey? It's about $300 a bottle, but what I've read of it is AMAZING...Someday my lotto numbers will come in.

[chazzerking]

I just noticed your question/post. I bought a bottle of the Charbay whiskey last fall, and while it is excellent,I'm not real bullish on it at the pricepoint they have selected. It is a much more complex flavored whiskey than I expected, but lacks a distinctive character that I would expect from a super premium liquor. If you can find someone with a bottle, by all means have a drink and savor it. But I wouldn't recommend springing the 3 billsplus change that they charge. If you are going to spend that kind of money(or actually some less) I'd recommend a bottle of Scott's Selection Single Grain Whisky. It is a Scotch distilled in 1964 and bottled in 2007. Smooth doesn't do it justice and the nose is an incredible blend of toffee, heather, chocolate, peat(soft) honey and a myriad of spices. at $260 it can't really be called a bargain, but it's wonderful and worth it if you can spare the price.

[sku]

Also, thinking more about it, Dalwhinnie and Glenfarclas.

[tdg]

I second the Scapa rec above, and also add Tomintoul 16.

[nissenpa]

I third the Scapa and second the Glenrothes.

A nice peaty number (but not medicinal like Laphroaig) is Caol Ila.

[Tbird1980]

I second the Glenfarclas 25. No need for ice or water. Nice and neat.

[Scott M]

How much are you willing to spend.

You could look for a bottle of Highland Park Bicentenary.

On the lower price range the 12 yo Highland Park is quite good.

[jazzy77]

I don't know...probably under $200. If I find two interesting bottles that can both share space in that price range, I'll buy both.

Have you had the Highland Park Bicentenary? What's it like?

Just so you all know, I didn't buy ALL of them for this particular birthday, they get spread out over the gift-giving holidays....

[Scott M]

Yes, I have had it several times. When it was first released it was around $100 a bottle but that was probably 10 years ago. Not sure what it goes for now. It has a very long lingering finish. Flavors of orange zest, chocolate, honey, with a creamy mouth feel. There is a smoky peatiness component but nothing like the Laphroaig. The Laphroaig tends to be a very medicinal tasting scotch.

[CA Scotch Chick]

Ooh, I have got to try that Scott. I love the Highland Park 12, but don't care too much for the 15 and 18. How does it compare?

On topic, I would second recommendations and suggest:
Highland Park 12
Glenrothes 1991
Bruichladdich 12 and Bunnahabhain 12 (two non - peaty Islay scotches)
Bruichladdich Yellow Submarine (very different from the 12 - still not overly peaty
Caol Ila 12 (smoky but not overly peaty)

CA Scotch Chick
www.scotchchix.com

[dcscotchchick]

If he likes the Bruichladdich then definitely go with the Bunnahabhain. I also recommend Highland Park 12 and as an introduction to some peat the Caol Ila.

Not a scotch but definitley worthy of drinking is Woodford Reserve. It's bourbon but it's beautiful bourbon.

[ed1066]

Marry me, please.

[chazzerking]

I'll have to give an amen to that proposal. I like Glengoyne 17, which is relatively inexpensive for its quality. As to the woode scotches, Glemorangie has quite a wide array of flavors, of which the Madeira is my favorite. Another staple of my cabinet is Springbank, a Campbelltown smoothie. As a represetative of the pure Highlands, dalwhinnie is a floral heathery pleasure. Get them all and watch his face light up.