# Scotch



## georgiarebel6165 (Dec 5, 2016)

What are your recommendations?

Have tried some of the cheaper stuff Loch Lomond & Iverhouse which are still pretty good for the price


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## elfiii (Dec 5, 2016)

You can't go wrong with Glenlivet but you could always step up to Macallan.


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## Jeff C. (Dec 5, 2016)

elfiii said:


> You can't go wrong with Glenlivet but you could always step up to Macallan.



I'll drink to that.


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## georgia_home (Dec 5, 2016)

A few of the old hunting crew used to drink the JW Blue Label.

They would buy it at the duty free heading in. since then, I've figured out how much it costs, $$$ but it sure was smooth!!!

prior to that, and since, my experience with scotch left me with too many bad experiences.


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## Nugefan (Dec 6, 2016)

Dewars ....


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## kc65 (Dec 6, 2016)

as my dad used to say "wanna feel like the bottom shelf drink off the bottom shelf. wanna feel like the top shelf drink off the top shelf"...I recommend famous grouse...at 30.00 for a 1.75 ltr..its everything a good scotch should be, woody, petey and its what the scots drink...


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## pnome (Dec 6, 2016)

Laphroaig is my current favorite.  I'm partial to the Islay malts.  

Just a heads up, there is a big difference in taste between a highland malt, and an Islay malt.   Islay malts are not for everyone.  Sort of an acquired taste.

Other Islay malts:
Lagavulin
Caol Ila
Ardbeg
Bruichladdich


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## Elkhntr (Dec 6, 2016)

Dalmore.... 12yr highland single malt


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## NCHillbilly (Dec 6, 2016)

Any single malt Highland that I've tried is drinkable to me, regardless of price. No blended Scotch is drinkable to me that I have tried. McClellands single malt Highland is good for the price, IMO-around $30-$35. I will not pay $750 for a bottle of likker, it's just not gonna happen.


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## Miguel Cervantes (Dec 6, 2016)

NCHillbilly said:


> Any single malt Highland that I've tried is drinkable to me, regardless of price. No blended Scotch is drinkable to me that I have tried. McClellands single malt Highland is good for the price, IMO-around $30-$35. I will not pay $750 for a bottle of likker, it's just not gonna happen.



McClellands is the only Scotch I can drink. The older the better. The rest are just paint removers for antique refinishing.


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## TJay (Dec 6, 2016)

Another vote for the Glenlivet.  Or Glendronach.


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## specialk (Dec 6, 2016)

I have tried and tried and tried.............and tried to drink scotch.....just can't get to liking it.....


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## bigelow (Dec 6, 2016)

Lismore is not bad $22


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## Killdee (Dec 6, 2016)

specialk said:


> I have tried and tried and tried.............and tried to drink scotch.....just can't get to liking it.....



Id druther drank kerosene


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## georgiarebel6165 (Dec 6, 2016)

specialk said:


> I have tried and tried and tried.............and tried to drink scotch.....just can't get to liking it.....



Can't say that's its my favorite or actually my first choice, but it does have its moments (usually with a good cigar).  Julia Reed of Garden & Gun just wrote an article about being a Southern Scotch drinker...

"One of the many stereotypes we Southerns have long had to put up with is that all of us are unreconstructed devotees of corn liquor"

Also found this quote in 1968 Playboy article:

Difference between Bourbon and Scotch drinkers
"The Bourbon man thinks the Scotch man is a status-seeking show off.  The Scotch man doesn't think about the Bourbon man at all"


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## NCHillbilly (Dec 6, 2016)

georgiarebel6165 said:


> Can't say that's its my favorite or actually my first choice, but it does have its moments (usually with a good cigar).  Julia Reed of Garden & Gun just wrote an article about being a Southern Scotch drinker...
> 
> "One of the many stereotypes we Southerns have long had to put up with is that all of us are unreconstructed devotees of corn liquor"
> 
> ...



I like bourbon, Scotch, and untaxed corn likker about equally well.


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## Cmp1 (Dec 6, 2016)

Killdee said:


> Id druther drank kerosene



Tried it once,,,, no thanks,,,, JD on the rocks for me or Manhattan,,,, Fridays fishbowl,,,, but no coke,,,,


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## fireman32 (Dec 6, 2016)

Crown or Southern Comfort here.  Taste buds ain't refined enough to enjoy scotch.


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## GA native (Dec 7, 2016)

What Hillbilly said. Single malt scotch is the best. Blended scotch is bottom of the barrel stuff, literally.

So, the Glenlivet, McCallan's(be sure to add water, it is uncut), Glenfiddich. The older the better.


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## Head East (Dec 7, 2016)

I'd say it depends on what you like.  The Iverhouse you mentioned is a blended scotch whisky.  I suspect the Loch Lamond you have had is too.  The Iverhouse is a barley malt nose with sweet citrus taste.  

If you are looking a similar type single malt I'd say one of the brothers Glen.  Glen Livet, Glen Fiddich, Glen Kinchie, or Glen Elgin.  These would be light and less smokey flavor than a Highland Park or Lagavulin.

The following chart gives a good indication of the flavor spectrum.  

I favor MacAllan and Glens.   I looked at a MacAllan 30 the other day for my collection...I am trying to decide how good Santa has been this year.


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## Triple C (Dec 7, 2016)

Single malt...Lagavulin 16.  Like it on the rocks or with a splash of club soda.  From the island of Islay which produces the smoky - peaty finish.  It is one fine scotch and a little pricey.  Another I like is Oban.  As for the blends, the really good ones, most folks couldn't tell the difference in a single malt and blend in a blind taste test.  Ain't nothing wrong with a good blend.  For an every day, around the fire pit scotch, Johnny Walker Black is hard to beat.  It's a blend.

Most scotch drinkers don't like the sweetness of bourbons.  If you want a nice bourbon without a lot of sweetness give Buffalo Trace a try.

If you're ever in Scotland and visit the Highlands, google Glenturret distillery.  One of the oldest there and you can't buy it here in the states.  Worth the tour, tasting and dinner.


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## NCHillbilly (Dec 7, 2016)

Triple C said:


> Single malt...Lagavulin 16.  Like it on the rocks or with a splash of club soda.  From the island of Islay which produces the smoky - peaty finish.  It is one fine scotch and a little pricey.  Another I like is Oban.  As for the blends, the really good ones, most folks couldn't tell the difference in a single malt and blend in a blind taste test.  Ain't nothing wrong with a good blend.  For an every day, around the fire pit scotch, Johnny Walker Black is hard to beat.  It's a blend.
> 
> Most scotch drinkers don't like the sweetness of bourbons.  If you want a nice bourbon without a lot of sweetness give Buffalo Trace a try.
> 
> If you're ever in Scotland and visit the Highlands, google Glenturret distillery.  One of the oldest there and you can't buy it here in the states.  Worth the tour, tasting and dinner.



That's funny, the really sweet aftertaste is exactly what I don't like about Buffalo Trace. I'm more in the line of Knob Creek or Woodford Reserve for bourbon flavor. I think white label Beam at half the price is a lot better than Buffalo Trace for my taste buds, for that matter.


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## Triple C (Dec 7, 2016)

NCHillbilly said:


> That's funny, the really sweet aftertaste is exactly what I don't like about Buffalo Trace. I'm more in the line of Knob Creek or Woodford Reserve for bourbon flavor. I think white label Beam at half the price is a lot better than Buffalo Trace for my taste buds, for that matter.



Got Woodford Reserve in the cabinet right now.


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## KyDawg (Dec 7, 2016)

Give me Knob Creek. Not a Scotch drinker.


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## georgiarebel6165 (Dec 7, 2016)

That's a cool chart for selecting different types.  Molly MacPherson's over in Richmond Hill offers Starter Flights that allows you to taste Scotch from all five regions (and they do vary a lot) or a Finally Aged Flight where everything is over 18 years old

Got a fine list made up so far from this thread for the next time I make a run store.

A Bourbon thread sounds like a good idea too


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## BeerThirty (Dec 12, 2016)

I'm all about the smooth, sweet and caramel scotches.  I say if you can't drink them neat, then it's not good enough.  Never much cared for the really peaty kinds like Lagavulin,etc... just too smokey.  Anyway, here are a few of my favorites:

Balvenie Doublewood 12 is my go to.  About $55, but drinks like a $100 bottle.

Also, Bunnahabhain is another great single malt Islay I found.  About $65/bottle.

Lastly, if you can afford $160/bottle, the Macallan 18 is phenomenal.  Tastes like an angel peed on your tongue...


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## Georgia Hard Hunter (Dec 14, 2016)

I'm a 15yr Pinch in the dimple bottle man


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## riverbank (Dec 15, 2016)

I don't always drink scotch, but when I do, I take the advice of a man with "beer-thirty" as his screen name. Stay thirsty my friends.


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## Miguel Cervantes (Dec 15, 2016)

BeerThirty said:


> Lastly, if you can afford $160/bottle, the Macallan 18 is phenomenal.  Tastes like an angel peed on your tongue...



I'm not sure that isn't new sigline material right there now.


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## chainshaw (Dec 15, 2016)

GA native said:


> What Hillbilly said. Single malt scotch is the best. Blended scotch is bottom of the barrel stuff, literally.
> 
> So, the Glenlivet, McCallan's(be sure to add water, it is uncut), Glenfiddich. The older the better.



There are some darned good blended Scotch brands out there. Monkey Shoulder, Black Grouse, Sheep Dip, Pinch....are all great blended whiskeys that are not bottom of the barrel.

For reasonable single malts, it's tough to beat the 15 Year Glenlivet. I also really like Glenmorangie. 

This one may be hard to find.......


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## Miguel Cervantes (Dec 15, 2016)

Here's my go to. Affordable and smooth as can be. Gotta have it neat though. Looks like some restocking is needed.


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## Jeff C. (Dec 15, 2016)

Miguel Cervantes said:


> Here's my go to. Affordable and smooth as can be. Gotta have it neat though. Looks like some restocking is needed.



Here\_/ I'll help you finish it.


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## Miguel Cervantes (Dec 15, 2016)

Jeff C. said:


> Here\_/ I'll help you finish it.


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## elfiii (Dec 15, 2016)

Miguel Cervantes said:


> Here's my go to. Affordable and smooth as can be. Gotta have it neat though. Looks like some restocking is needed.



A fine choice. I just restocked on Glenlivet 15 so next time around it will be MacAllan.


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## Miguel Cervantes (Dec 15, 2016)

elfiii said:


> A fine choice. I just restocked on Glenlivet 15 so next time around it will be MacAllan.



Lemme know if you pony up for the 18 yr Macallan. Jeff and I will pay you a visit.


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## Jeffriesw (Dec 16, 2016)

I normally drink Bourbon or Rye, but I will say, Macallan 18 is a fine drink if you have the pockets for it.


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## Head East (Dec 17, 2016)

Miguel Cervantes said:


> Here's my go to. Affordable and smooth as can be. Gotta have it neat though. Looks like some restocking is needed.



This is a fine choice! 

Mrs. Santa said I was good this year...Ho Ho Ho !


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## riverbank (Dec 18, 2016)

I'd like to try a sip of that stuff, but then I'd feel like I owed you 20$


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## Nicodemus (Dec 18, 2016)

Since the last and only Scotch I ever tried was Johnny Walker Black, and it was in 1974, I reckon I should give Scotch an honest try. I just hope it is better than that first one was.


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## Head East (Dec 18, 2016)

Mr Nic I think scotch is an acquired taste.  My wife compares it with a high grade Pennsylvania 10w30.   I'm just tickled she thinks I'm worth keeping. I've never had that type of scotch, so I don't know what it's like. The thing about scotch is it can be very different in taste depending on where it came from in Scotland.  Maybe a scotch sipping would be a way to try the different types?   There are some lowland scotchs that I just can't swallow so maybe that is the experience you had.  

My thought about a good bottle of scotch RB is that it really isn't that good unless you can share it.


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## Nicodemus (Dec 18, 2016)

Head East said:


> Mr Nic I think scotch is an acquired taste.  My wife compares it with a high grade Pennsylvania 10w30.   I'm just tickled she thinks I'm worth keeping. I've never had that type of scotch, so I don't know what it's like. The thing about scotch is it can be very different in taste depending on where it came from in Scotland.  Maybe a scotch sipping would be a way to try the different types?   There are some lowland scotchs that I just can't swallow so maybe that is the experience you had.
> 
> My thought about a good bottle of scotch RB is that it really isn't that good unless you can share it.





That makes sense, just like different Bourbons have a different flavor to them. Good Bourbon is my preferred drink.


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## Big7 (Dec 18, 2016)

A friend of mine (R.I.P.) used to buy JW Blue.
Believe me, I tried. 

I just didn't get it. Back then I would drink anything that ran down hill.

Nowadays, colored likker' and me don't get along well at all.

I'll stay with beer and an occasional snort of vodka.
Gin is a definite no-no as well.

And as for the post above, $750.00 will not happen
unless it's in a 55 gallon drum.

Heck, Ive bought decent trucks and cars for that.
Back in the day, of course.


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## Miguel Cervantes (Dec 18, 2016)

Head East said:


> This is a fine choice!
> 
> Mrs. Santa said I was good this year...Ho Ho Ho !



Dadgum, she likes you a lot to lay down that many frog skins for a bottle of Angel Pee.


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## riverbank (Dec 18, 2016)

I will say that If I could afford a bottle I'd probably give it a shot. I helped my neighbor build his deck, he offered me a glass of scotch, i took me a swig of it and I said "man that stuff ain't to bad", and it really wasn't. Then his wife said "it better not be bad for 400$". I then asked if I needed to put some of mine back in the bottle. I don't often drink liquor. But every now and then I'll pick up a bottle of Jim Beam. My wife likes (she rarely ever drinks) patron. When we buy that stuff I really feel like we spent to much.


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## TJay (Dec 18, 2016)

I know there are Scotch tastings out there from time to time I would really like to attend one.  That way you could sample several different styles and brands.


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## K80Shooter (Dec 18, 2016)

Not sure if I have ever tasted scotch, if I got wind of a tastings I would try it. As it is I couldn't justify the cost without knowing what I was getting.

As far as the angel pee....... not sure that I would want any kind of that on my tongue.... angel or not.


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## Head East (Dec 18, 2016)

Big7 said:


> And as for the post above, $750.00 will not happen
> unless it's in a 55 gallon drum.
> 
> Heck, Ive bought decent trucks and cars for that.
> Back in the day, of course.



It wasn't near that much... I doubt the wife thought I was that good....

...but it was close to the cost of my first car now that I think about it...lol...1966 VW I bought from my uncle in 73.


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## 3ringer (Dec 18, 2016)

Why drink scotch when there is Tequila .


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## GA native (Dec 19, 2016)

chainshaw said:


> There are some darned good blended Scotch brands out there. Monkey Shoulder, Black Grouse, Sheep Dip, Pinch....are all great blended whiskeys that are not bottom of the barrel.
> 
> For reasonable single malts, it's tough to beat the 15 Year Glenlivet. I also really like Glenmorangie.
> 
> This one may be hard to find.......



Yeah, I don't doubt that. But to my experience, single malts are superior.

The last cruise ship I was on, Scotch was $5 a glass. From the Cutty Sark, to the 15 year single malts. The 18 and older went up from there. 

I started from the top of the list, and went down. There were some blended whiskeys that were very good, Black Label, and many that lived down to the expectations set in this thread.

But if one intends to walk into a liquor store, and drop $40 on a bottle of scotch, he will generally be pleased with single malt. You get what you pay for. And with scotch, it is better to pay more.


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## Miguel Cervantes (Dec 19, 2016)

3ringer said:


> Why drink scotch when there is Tequila .



Single Malt Scotch won't make your cloths fall of or leave your head feeling like it was hit with a Ninja mixer. 

Blended Scotch will make your head feel like it is in a vice.


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## GA native (Dec 19, 2016)

Miguel Cervantes said:


> Single Malt Scotch won't make your cloths fall off or leave your head feeling like it was hit with a Ninja mixer.
> 
> Blended Scotch will make your head feel like it is in a vice.



Tequila is what you give to the womans.


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## notnksnemor (Dec 19, 2016)

If you're going to pollute it with water, you might as well drink Cutty Sark.

If you drink it the way Scotch was intended, McClelland's is a good choice.


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## GA native (Dec 19, 2016)

NOTNKSNEMOR said:


> If you're going to pollute it with water, you might as well drink Cutty Sark.
> 
> If you drink it the way Scotch was intended, McClelland's is a good choice.



Even the Scots add water or ice. It brings out the flavor.


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## notnksnemor (Dec 19, 2016)

GA native said:


> Even the Scots add water or ice. It brings out the flavor.



I'm good with ice.
Just drink it before it melts.


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## LRanger007 (Dec 31, 2016)

Old Smuggler is cheap, but flavor is adequate and it is good with water, club soda or even cola.


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## abrannon (Jan 11, 2017)

*Yuck!!!*



3ringer said:


> Why drink scotch when there is Tequila .



The only thing I would rate worse than Scotch would be Tequila and Baijiu.

The list would be in order of preference Kerosene, Scotch, Tequila and Baijiu.


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## K80Shooter (Jan 11, 2017)

Well I guess that I just was not meant to be a scotch drinker. I tried some of the Macallan 12 and theres just something about the taste that I just do not like. It was smooth, just something on the back end of it does not appeal to me.

I guess I'll just put it up for company.


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## Jeffriesw (Jan 11, 2017)

My youngest son (26) showed up to spend New Year's Eve with his dear old parents. He showed up with a bottle of McCallans 12 and a couple of fine cigars.


I knew I always liked that boy


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## Balrog (Jan 18, 2017)

K80Shooter said:


> Well I guess that I just was not meant to be a scotch drinker. I tried some of the Macallan 12 and theres just something about the taste that I just do not like. It was smooth, just something on the back end of it does not appeal to me.
> 
> I guess I'll just put it up for company.



In general, 15  year is minimal, 18 year is OK, but 25 year is when God intended for scotch to be consumed.  Macallan has the name, but 12 year old Macallan is no exception to this rule.

As for the mixing of scotch with water... yes the scots do that, and yes you can discern subtleties better, but it is at the expense of your manliness.  Mixing scotch with water is the first step on the path to metrosexuality.  I did it once and had the compelling urge to buy  more capri pants.


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