I have a good friend who will be visiting. She and her husband are huge (yuge) Scotch drinkers. I am not and know nothing about Scotch. However, I'd like to have a decent bottle in the house for them.

What do you advise? I don't want to go bananas, but want to get something I can serve without flinching.

Thanks!

If they are really in to Scotch they probably drink mostly single malts. The problem there is that single malts vary considerably and unless you know the style they like you won't know what to get.

Maybe one of the mass market single malts like Glenlivet or Glenfiddich would work, the 12 is fine or the 18 if the price isn't too high. They're good scotches and easy to like which is why they are popular.

Or perhaps a blended scotch. Johnny Walker black label comes to mind, also Chivas.

I'll bet MarkJ has suggestions too.

The big differential is: do they like smoky (peated) scotches or non-peated? There are excellent choices in both categories, but people usually have a preference of peaty or not.

Not a clue... I think I've heard them talk about Glenlivet/Glenfiddich

BUT does it matter re: peat/no peat if they actually had a scotch vacation in Scotland, where they went to various distilleries?

Otherwise I'll just get a decent bottle of whatever and hope for the best.

Costco may be getting some of their holiday scotch choices in right around now. Might be worth checking out. They usually have a lot of the usual suspects plus some extra special stuff. They also have a Kirkland branded scotch; not sure how it rates.

Ping markj and/or pj, too. They probably have some suggestions.

Well, I frankly haven't tried Glenlivet/Glenfiddich. Macallan's another major one; I think it splits the difference between smoky and not. As a number of them do.

I'm liking Balvenie 12 Doublewood these days. Not smoky/peaty, it's rich and delicious. But I think it's up around $55. Glenmorangie 10 is floral/spicy, not quite as good I think, but a great value at $40.

In the peaty department, Laphroaig 10 is smoky but balanced, not overpowering, also $40-50. There seems to be a race going on to make the smokiest scotch these days, not unlike who can make the hoppiest IPA.

Almost anything from "Islay" is going to be smoky, just to warn you.

quote:

Originally posted by RealPlayer:
In the peaty department, Laphroaig 10 is smoky but balanced, not overpowering, also $40-50. There seems to be a race going on to make the smokiest scotch these days, not unlike who can make the hoppiest IPA.

Speaking of smoky, have you tried the new hipster scotch drink "100 year old cigar"? It has one of the smoky Laphroaigs in it, along with some rum and a liqueur called Cynar.

I wouldn't call it tasty but it does taste like you are smoking a cigar.

Yes, there are many many things that are all called Scotch and the only things they have in common are that, by law, they are made from malted barley, they are aged a minimum of three years, and they come from Scotland. After that, you might as well say your friends "like beer" or they "like roses" or they "like cheese" or they "like British comedies" (Benny Hill, Monty Python, and Catherine Tate are (and now for something) completely different).


The most common and well-liked Scotch style is Highland. Nearly everyone who "likes Scotch" will drink and appreciate a good Highland. Even people like me who prefer an Islay (heavy, smoky, peaty), will enjoy a good Highland.

Macallans is good and comes at a variety of pricepoints. Buy the one that fits your budget. I suggest the 12 year old. Very very good, but not outrageously expensive. The 18 is even better, but starting to get into the eye-watering price range. Anyone who turns up their nose at Macallans is a snob, not a Scotch drinker.

One of my faves is Glen Moray. It's a Speyside which is the same region from which Glenfiddich comes. It's like drinking butter.

Glenmorangie has more personality, but they have introduced a bewildering array of varieties. If you find Glenmorangie on sale, get the plain oak cask variety.


If you want to go out on a limb and get a Scotch with a lot of punch, get any of the Bowmore varieties. It is an Islay. "Surf" is a good value and I think it has a pleasantly complex character with a bit of sea breeze (hence the name).


There are a few good blends, but most of them are pretty much all like one another... which was the whole reason for blending Scotch. By law, a "blend" can have up to 50% "grain neutral spirits", that is, "plain grain alcohol", that is, "basically vodka". Most blends still taste like Scotch, but are low on character. My take is that the more heavily advertised, the less interesting. A couple that generally stand out in their price range are Teachers Highland Cream and Famous Grouse. By the way, Famous Grouse is the most popular Scotch in Scotland.

But...

There is yet another category that is usually overlooked: "Pure malt" or "vatted malt". A "pure malt" is a blend, but it is a blend of nothing but single malts -- NO grain neutral spirits. So it retains all the full-body and complex character of single malt, but well-rounded and smoothed out in the way blends are. Pure malts are the unsung bargains of the Scotch world. The two I have had more than once are Old Sheep Dip (buy it just for the name!) and Angus Dundee. When we still had state-run liquor stores, Angus Dundee was in the price range of a better blend or the cheapest single malt, but was much much much better than either.


I hope some of this helps.


I personally love Talisker Dark Storm which is only available in duty free stores in airports in the U.K. A little hard to get on short notice.

quote:

Originally posted by Steve Miller:

quote:

Originally posted by RealPlayer:
In the peaty department, Laphroaig 10 is smoky but balanced, not overpowering, also $40-50. There seems to be a race going on to make the smokiest scotch these days, not unlike who can make the hoppiest IPA.

Speaking of smoky, have you tried the new hipster scotch drink "100 year old cigar"? It has one of the smoky Laphroaigs in it, along with some rum and a liqueur called Cynar.

I wouldn't call it tasty but it does taste like you are smoking a cigar.

Cynar??? That's flavored with artichoke. Weird.

Now I need to find a bottle of Old Sheep Dip!

quote:

Originally posted by pianojuggler:
Glenmorangie has more personality, but they have introduced a bewildering array of varieties. If you find Glenmorangie on sale, get the plain oak cask variety.

I second this. The reason I second it is that for the uninitiated, it's a great starter scotch. But, aficionados like it, too. You're likely to have quite a bit left after feting your guests, so whatever you buy may as well be something that you might enjoy yourselves.

Disclaimer: Scotch aficionados, don't crucify me for the following.

If worse comes to worse, and neither of you enjoy it, consider using it in place of bourbon in cocktails or recipes involving cranberries . The extra smokiness of the peat isn't really a deal-breaker.

Yes, pj and Matt, Glenmorangie is very good. I think I bought it so often I tired of it somewhat. Stick with 10 yr old.

And I totally endorse vatted malts. The mainstay at our house is Monkey Shoulder, the one most common locally. Also had Copper Dog, also quite good. Haven't tried Sheep Dip, which does appear around here.

Old Sheep Dip! I think I have to get that for Son1; he’s a big Scotch fan. Loves the Islays. We met up with him in Scotland last summer (2018) for a bit of travel.

I had Famous Grouse with my breakfast parritch in Glasgow...

I had a bottle of Monkey Shoulder once. Did not care for it at all.

My mainstay is the Balvenie 12 or 15.

I do love a good peaty malt too. Lagavulin 16 is my favorite. Try the Lagavulin 8 year if you can find it. It's affordable, and while not as good as the 16 year, a good substitute for it, and about half the price.

quote:

Originally posted by AdagioM:
Old Sheep Dip! I think I have to get that for Son1; he’s a big Scotch fan. Loves the Islays. We met up with him in Scotland last summer (2018) for a bit of travel.

I had Famous Grouse with my breakfast parritch in Glasgow...

In Scotland the three basic food groups are porridge, haggis, and whisky.

Like many things, the name Old Sheep Dip was originally an obfuscation so that farmers could try to hide their liquor purchases by recording the purchase of "sheep dip" on the ledger instead of "two gal - Glen Goober Fine Old Scots Whisky".