[Closed] Recommend me a whisky

Telling us what you already like is a good starting point.

Springbank 10 yr old gets my vote

Aberfeldy 12 year old - like drinking honey.
Compare with
Cragganmore 12 year old - classic speyside..

I'm on Cognac to cure a cold.

Yamazaki 12.

Bruichladdich Rocks
Lagavulin 16yo

Not really an expert - like Old Pulteney and Talisker but happy to try anything really

I used to love the smokey peaty ones like lagavulin, not for me anymore, heartburn in a glass. Perhaps I should give the Speysides a go.

Any Islay one 😉

Aldi's 8 year old is quite nice. And cheap!

Yamazaki is nice but its not got an identity to it its just a good whisky.

depends one of my faves is Tomintoul 14yr non chil filtered.

I also loved Johnnie walker green label however you might struggle to find that anymore.

Whisky rules

Oh and the welsh Pendryn(sp?) is well worth a go!

it's not got an identity to it, it's just a good whisky.

One more reason I enjoy it so much - it irks many a whisky snob.

We're currently quaffing Swedish Whiskey.. I'm too pissed to give you the name of it but blinkin ek, it's nice.
From Waitrose if you are interested..

Phffffpt.

If starting from scratch, or with an empty cupboard at least - Dalwhinnie and Laphroaig (or Bowmore, or Talisker, or Ardbeg).

if you like Smoke and Peat yeah Islay unless you try Bunnahabhain

Anything Islay for me, Lagavulin 16 being the pick of the bunch.

Currently sipping some Black Grouse I got as a pressie last week. Very impressed! Probably my new favourite blend.

Never had a 'bad' malt yet, I love em all! Got 2 hip flasks of Jura Superstition for our bothy trip on Friday 😀

[i]unless you try Bunnahabhain[/i]

In which case I'll say the 12 yr old is possibly my favourite.
Or Caol Ila.
Or most stuff from Bruichladdich.
Or Laphroaig 1/4 Cask.
Or....oh never mind!

Like CFH I'm a fan of Japanese whisky, those from the Suntory distillery have a really distinctive floral aroma/flavour. The Yamazaki 12 is a great place to start, or maybe a Hibiki 12 which comes in a fabulous bottle! To contrast that I'd choose something from Islay...the Lagavulin 16 mentioned above is superb, as is the Laphroig Quarter Cask (probably a tenner cheaper too).

But my best recommendation is to buy [url= http://www.amazon.co.uk/101-Whiskies-Before-Revised-Updated/dp/0755360834/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1410983511&sr=1-1&keywords=100+whiskeys+to+try+before+you+die ]101 Whiskeys to Try Before You Die[/url]

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...and a couple of [url= http://www.whiskyglass.com/ ]Glencairn whisky glasses[/url]

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Isle of Jura Superstition

The Dalmore 15

Yamazaki is nice but its not got an identity to it its just a good whisky.

Machrie Moor if you can find it.

Also, check out [url= https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCp0k3OKqfkPW0HdRLA8JWZg ]ralfystuff on YouTube[/url] for opinionated and entertaining, if somewhat eccentric, reviews.

Here you go, that Swedishh stuff I wus onnabout..

Phfffft.

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Old Pultney, delicious stuff

Bruichladdich Has always delivered for me, and as common as it is I love a Glenmorangie.

Talisker used to be my favourite, but that was before I had an Oban.

In true stw fashion I'll recommend what I have Bruichladdich. Actually looking at my shelf I don't - must go and get some in. Also Mortlach as it requires sampling to find just which one you want. And Kilchoman.

[i]And Kilchoman.[/i]

The smallest distillery on Isla, who, in case you didn't know, produce as much whisky in a year that Caol Ila does in a week.

Lovely stuff but not so 'readily' available.

Any islay, been to,all the distilleries and tasted too many expressions to mention, favourites are ardbeg supernova ( just released a 2014 version) and a bruichladdich valinch aged in calvados casks which is really rather nice

Got a gift of a single grain recently that's decent (it was that one that's been marketed heavily, comes in a blue square bottle). Had a few previously from Gorgie - not my style by a long way, but a good choice for something different. Tastes extremely light (IMHO), nice contrast to the usual suspects.

Talisker- it's like a really tasty fire. Or Jamesons.

MacCallan 18. Very expensive but bloomin lovely.

Bunnahabhain is also lovely but not after the MacCallan as it tastes like someone added water to it.

Some of the supermarket own bottled single malts can be very good too.

Tesco's £21 10yo Islay single malt is very good.

Another one to consider is the Penderyn's Portwood, some amazing whiskeys are coming out of that new distillery.

On a related note, there's at least three distilleries planning to open/reopen next year - one highland, one borders and one in the western edges of Argyll.

Looking forward to trying their wares in 10-15 years!

Caol Ila

But I still in all honesty prefer Jamesons - proper drinkin' whisky 🙂

The lads round the village have a monthly whiskey night and the two standout selections over the last year have been Hibiki 12 and The MacAllan Gold.
Both easy to drink. Not peaty in the slightest.

I'm definitely a novice, but from what I have been told smokey (peaty) whiskeys are from the isles whereas smoother whiskeys are from the Highlands.

Also like the Dalmore 12yo, but prefer the two above.

Not really an expert - like Old Pulteney and Talisker but happy to try anything really

Given that you like these I would suggest Oban, Scapa and Highland Park and if you feel like splashing out a little Old Pulteney 21 yo

The Arran 14yr old

Clynelish worth a punt if you like the more distinctive whiskies. Oban also. Cragganmore for a nice Speyside. Glen Elgin / Mortlach for a robust Speyside. Springbank for something completely different.

Islay, my favourites are Caol Ila / Lagavulin - different in character but lovely in their own way.

I've got 3 bottles of scotch and a bottle of bourbon at home.

Lagavulin 16: for me and special, special friends
Bowmore 16: for me and good friends
some other whiskey: for anyone
Makers Mark bourbon: cocktails!

😀

Bought an Aberlour 10 as it had ten quid off at Tesco and put the money saved into a vintage port!

I also noticed that the Welsh Madeira Whisky was down by 6 quid so I think I'll go back and get that tomorrow...

Try a bottle of Scapa.

I've currently got 4 on the go:

Ancnoc 1998 - pretty hard to get hold of now, but so easy to drink, very smooth.

Talisker Port Ruige - like drinking a peaty bonfire, I can't get over the smell, it's like autumn in a country village 🙂

Balvennie 14 year Caribbean cask, very balvennie, but with a bit of spice, smells like a boozy christmas cake, takes a drop of water very well

Auchentoshan 18 year old. Challenging. tried it the first night i bought it and really didn't get on with it, tried it again last night and it was better, not as deep as highland / speyside...

But, if I was going to recommend one, this will be my next bottle, it's getting very very good reviews at the moment...

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Green Spot. Irish. Absolutely delicious. Currently my favourite tipple.Happened across a bottle in Waitorse after reading about it in 101 Whiskies...

I had a tour of the Cardhu distillery last week on my travels around Scotland, fascinating stuff. Included a tasting of 3 of their whiskies, I ended up with a bottle of the Cardhu 15.

Still a total whisky novice really but I know the kind of stuff I like so tend to try new ones within that general area on the tasting chart.

I really like Glenmorangie (on special offer in Sainsbury's at the moment), Cardhu is lovely and I've almost reached the end of a bottle of Glen Garioch 12.

Personally I can't stand the really smoky ones like Ardbeg and Laphroaig.

Lagavulin 16 is nice.
The Macallan is generally nice at most price points.
Glenfiddich 18 is like honey burning its way slowly down your throat - which is a good thing.

The Suntory boys made a head distiller an offer he couldn't refuse a few years back and now make extremely drinkable stuff - definitely in the Scots style rather than Irish, American or Welsh.

Speaking of which I'd skip the Irish, American and Welsh - I just don't get it (but others do I suppose).

Can only be the 45 Year old Royal Salute Tribute to Honour for me.

I really like Glenmorangie

+1 - possibly my favourite easy drinking Scottish malt, perfectly balanced

I'd skip the Irish

Bushmills Malt is very lovely, though on the smooth side

Agreed. I don't like whisky too smooth. Irish is too much like vodka for me - but others like it.

I got some Chivas Regal for my birthday, not what I'd have chosen but surprisingly pleasant - again quite smooth though.

DP

Got bought a bottle of 12yr old Royal Lochnagar for doing some work on a mate's car. It's great, a proper smooth Speyside single. Doubt it'll last the month out.

Personal recommendations for a contrasting pair:

Jura Superstition, as mentioned above. Island, but rich and slightly sweet with it.

BenRiach, the older the better (but not Curiositas, that's an inland, not island peat monster!) Some like it loads though, for that reason.

hot_fiat - Member
Got bought a bottle of 12yr old Royal Lochnagar for doing some work on a mate's car.

I hope it wasn't as a degreaser

Just picked up a bottle of Aberlour for £22 at tesco. Claims to be a highland and a Speyside - lovely and smooth though, bargain price as well.

"highland" is a region, same as Speyside.. 🙂

I've got a bottle of Black Grouse (famous old grouse but with more highland park in it) and its quite good for the price. Ledaig is good as a budget buy with some peat. Ardbeg is great but not cheap 🙂

Makers Mark bourbon: cocktails!

Heresy, that's a waste of one of the best bourbons on the planet.

10 year old Aberlour is lovely, way nicer than the 12. More sort of caramelish.

Never tried the 12 year Aberlour but this 10 is always a treat at £22 and going down well so far!

Kcal- I know highland and speyside are both regions, just that in whiskey terms they're usually distinct from each other these days 🙂

I have carefully avoided whisky thus far as I have enough expensive hobbies already; I think it might be time to dip a toe in the water though, seeing as Waitrose have sent me two £10 off £40 vouchers in an attempt to tempt me back! They always seem to have a wide selection so can anyone recommend a couple of bottles from the most middle-class of supermarkets at around the £40 mark?

I've put a discount voucher assisted Ocado (Waitrose?) order in today, I've gone with a couple of recommendations off this thread, Penderyn and that Swedish stuff that bikebuoy was supping. I'm hoping it's nice. It'll be getting on for Christmas before I get round to trying it, though. . . . . . maybe.

Bushmills 16 is stonking!