[DanTheMan]

I believe you like peaty whisky.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islay_whisky

Oban is not peaty... has some very subtle flavors that are accentuated or altered with foods, cigars, etc.  I like it quite a bit.  Macallan is similar but with a touch more peat.. Highland Park has a little more peat.. ...But if peat's the flavor you like, the Islay's are the ones to stick with for a while. 

If you ever want to try every flavor available in a whisky, try Yoichi from Japan, Nikka distillery.  It is like a perfectly timed flavor rainbow that flows over your tongue while you drink it.  I don't think you can get it in the US but you can import it through the UK.  It is an unforgettable experience to drink it.  This is a serious reference whisky for me.  It's tough to say which bottle to get.. I would suggest to buy the highest you can afford within their line. 

On a completely different/unrelated note.. I recently tried a surprisingly enjoyable whisky, Glenlivet Nadurra Natural Cask Strength, 16yr.  I normally do not care for Glenlivet... so I was surprised that I enjoyed it.

Have fun,
Carl

A good but cheap Islay is Finlaggan.

Another great Japanese is Yamazaki.  Very much as you described the Yoichi in the flavor department--one thing after another with a long aftertaste.  It's a little rough as far as burn goes, but otherwise incredible.

Right now I'm enjoying the smooth nature of Jameson's 12 year.  I have to say this is an incredible whiskey.  Smooth and Sherry cask character.  No peat, no problem.  I never thought I'd enjoy this as I didn't really think Redbreast was anything to write home about.  They should be very similar and yet I love this one.  Not sure if my taste has changed or what.  I often find I'm in the mood for different whiskeys on different days.  I should just get a collection of all my favorites, but I like trying new things.

My favorite cheap Irish is actually Kilbeggan.  Barley with a less than subtle Bourbon/ vanilla flavor.   Great cheap hooch.

Dan

[acresm22]

I can heartily recommend White Horse for a blended scotch. It uses Lagavulin single malt...good peaty blend.

http://www.whisky.com/brands/white_horse_brand.html

[ctviggen]

Another great Japanese is Yamazaki.  Very much as you described the Yoichi in the flavor department--one thing after another with a long aftertaste.  It's a little rough as far as burn goes, but otherwise incredible.

I have the opposite opinion of Yamazaki:  I've listed this as a "do not buy again".  I thought it was way too sweet. 

However, I tried it a long time ago, back when I loved Ardbeg and the like.  Now, I'm into the less peated or non-peated whiskeys and ryes (some bourbons, but these tend to taste two similar).  I may give Yamazaki another try. 

[Double Ugly]

Over the past month, I've averaged 2 bottles of Glenmorangie's 12-year old 'The Lasanta' per week. 

I'm no Scotch reviewer and I'm not about to begin tonight, but I'm mightily impressed, especially for a $50/bottle single-malt.  The local store owner claims it's a longtime favorite among his Scotch enthusiasts and I believe it's safe to assume I can now be added to their numbers.

Though I'm currently enjoying a 18-year old Glenfiddich, I'd prefer to be in the company of another bottle of 'The Lasanta'.  I purchased the 'fiddich because (1) I thought it'd be a nice variance and (2) 'The Lasanta' was sold out.   

[satfrat]

High Jim. 

[cmj3]

I drink Lagavulin, but it's a bit steep. After trying many different brands, I found that Famous Grouse is a reasonable alternative for every day drinking.

[Double Ugly]

High Jim. 

Hi Robin.  It's been a while.

I hope this finds you well, and your work 'issues' resolved to your satisfaction.

[kgturner]

I picked up a bottle of Glenmorangie Lasanta yesterday and have confirmed that I'm an Islay lover at heart. This Scotch is too light and sweet for me to drink on a regular basis. It might be a good after dinner drink...almost desserty. Very distinct honey and vanilla flavors.

Kevin T

[zybar]

Over the past month, I've averaged 2 bottles of Glenmorangie's 12-year old 'The Lasanta' per week. 

Two bottles per week...it takes me 6-12 months to kill two bottles.   

Hope you are doing well Jim.

George

[Double Ugly]

Two bottles per week...it takes me 6-12 months to kill two bottles.   

I run hot and cold.  I'll go literally years without touching the stuff, but then some unseen trigger gets tripped and I'll have at least a couple of fingers every evening.

Hope you are doing well Jim.

It's been an interesting couple o' years but yes, I am.  Thanks for asking.

Still happy in Boston?

[mgalusha]

A good friend gave me a bottle of "The Lasanta" for Christmas this year. I've been enjoying it very much but it depends on my mood. Some days a peatier malt is preferred, some days something sweeter. It's all good, especially when settled into the listening chair with some good music. 

Good to see you posting Jim, hope all is well for you.

mike

[jackman]

You guys are real men, as far as I'm concerned.  Not joking here, a bottle of Scotch lasts me about 5 years or so.  I love the aroma and can take a couple small swigs but that's about it for me.  Did you love it from the start or did you have to build up an appreciation for the taste? 

I used to work with alcoholic beverage companies helping to develop new items.  I would get free stuff including bottles of bourbon and scotch, but would usually give them away to people who appreciated them more than I did because I'm too big a wuss.  Do you drink them with water or ice or straight?

[ctviggen]

Straight, aka "neat".  I never had that hard of time gravitating to drinking it neat.  I started out drinking it that way.  It did take a while to get to the point where the 100+ proof stuff was drinkable this way, though.  The flavors are reduced if you drink with ice, which is good because the really cheap blends are swill. 

[kgturner]

I had to work up to drinking Scotch. I bought a bottle and just slowly learned to appreciate the flavors. When trying out a new Scotch, I always start off by drinking it neat. I'll then add water to see what tastes/flavors develop. I don't like cold Scotch too much so I don't add any ice.

Kevin T

[golfugh]

I've had a Macallan 25 for 3 years, but I've also gone through several Oban 14 in that time.  Speaking of Islay's, give a Bunnahabhain 12 a try.  It doesn't have the dirt smell of the average Islay, less peaty, slightly sweet.  Great Islay!!

Drink it with 4 ice cubes, no more - no less!  Never with water.

[jackman]

Thanks guys!  I'm going to hit the local liquor mega-store, Binny's, this weekend.  They always have demonstrations of various spirits.  I will look for some "Starter Scotches" and keep you posted!

[EthanH]

You guys are real men, as far as I'm concerned.  Not joking here, a bottle of Scotch lasts me about 5 years or so.  I love the aroma and can take a couple small swigs but that's about it for me.  Did you love it from the start or did you have to build up an appreciation for the taste? 

I was just commenting to a friend this weekend how the thing I love about scotch is that the more of it you drink, the better it tastes.   I find that as I drink more types of scotch I find myself enjoying more flavors and aromas that I previously never noticed or particularly cared for.

As far as getting a taste for scotch is concerned, I had a glass of Talisker 18 when I was still in college and was really blown away.  I then bought a "budget" whisky, namely the Balvenie Doublewood, which I didn't really care for, but found aspects in it that I enjoyed.  As I tried more scotch I recognized the flavors that I tend to like, and eventually I bought a few bottles of decent stuff that I was into.  Since then it really does seem like the more of it I drink the better it tastes (this is pretty much the case both generally and nightly).

[Bill O'Connell]

Since it is only 11:30am here I can't start to have a little sip but just picked up the Ardbeg Uigeadail. They had a sticker on it that somebody gave it 95 points. Thought ,what the heck I'll give it a try. Any opinions? Have to run out to pick up my new suit so couldn't go back in previous threads to far to see if anybody has tried. I'm sure somebody here has. 

 While I was there picked up the Glenmorangie Original 10 year.
 Hoping it will be as good as the Highland Park 12 year which is my usual.

Has anybody tried the whiskey Buffalo Trace? I had a glass or 2 a while back and really enjoyed the flavor of this.

[cryoparts]

Has anybody tried the whiskey Buffalo Trace? I had a glass or 2 a while back and really enjoyed the flavor of this.

Good, inexpensive whiskey.  However, Buffalo Trace produces come incredibly great single barrel bourbons:  Thomas H Handy Sazerac, Sazerac, William Larue Weller, and George T Stagg.  All are barrel strength, and taste different each bottling. 

The above are just fantastic, every bit as complex and satisfying as a great single malt scotch, such as my regular Glenrothes '85, a Laphroaig 15 (or a 10 in a pinch), Talisker 18 (or in a pinch, the 15, or even 10), IMO.

Peace,

Lee

[Demarche]

I just recieved this e-mail blast and thought that there might be some interest here.

"Dear Friend of Laphroaig,

I'm excited to bring you a bit of news about one of our expressions. In the past, we bottled all Laphroaig Cask Strength at 55.5% ABV and without a bottling date or batch number. Now, however, the Scotch Whisky Association has mandated that all cask strength single malt Scotch whiskies display the bottling date and batch number on each bottle.

So to that end, we are now going to bottle each batch individually, straight from the cask. This means the ABV will vary from batch to batch, changing the flavor slightly and making each batch a unique expression in its own right – each will impart a nose and taste no different than the very moment it was recovered from the barrel.

And the best news is, you're the first to know about the official arrival of Batch #1 to the U.S.  It's from the very first batch we ever made this way. So it's very special to us and one of our most interesting batches to date.

Batch 1 Facts
ABV: 57.8%/115.6 proof
Batch Date: February 2007
Tasting Notes: A full blast of massive peat smoke and seashore salt leads to a fading sweetness at the finish.
Batch Quantity: 5,100 bottles
Availability: Wherever Cask Strength is sold.

I hope you get a chance to taste this historic bottling firsthand, and I'd love to hear what you think about it.


Sláinte,
Simon Brooking
Master Ambassador, Laphroaig"