Best Single Malt?

[randelli]

I had my first Single Malt Scotch last weekend and really liked it. I am not much of a liquer drinker - except myers rum, tanqueray - and I usually enjoy wine and ports. I had a few Chivas Regal's and really enjoyed it.

I know there are many others out there and probably better SMS than the Chivas. What are the others and how would they rate on a 1-10 scale?

 

[Jason]

I enjoy just about any scotch. Don't have the money to be particular.. but a good scotch and soda or 4 or 5 does me good.

 

[SpinWheelz]

Let's lay down a few ground rules first, shall we. First, single malt scotch is to be drunk neat. No ice, no soda, no juice, nothing. More lenient types may suggest that you may add a splash of water to your scotch, but I really couldn't disagree more.

Second, always use the proper glass. No stems. Some joint I went to recently tried to "posh" up their drinks and serve me my scotch in a small glass with a short stem. Bullshit, I said. No stem, please. This may seem trivial, but it's the little bits like these that matter. Makes it more fun.

The scotch themselves? Try as many as humanly possible. This is about taste, and taste is largely subjective. One man's mean is another man's poison. I can only share with you the whiskies I like, I can't tell you if it's going to be any good to you.

The one scotch I'll ALWAYS have in my house is a Laphraoig. Relatively inexpensive, tastes like campfire, absolutely delicious. If I'm feeling a bit rich, I might spring for a Lagavulin, but I'm not really sure it's worth the premium. I've never been let down by a Macallan, no matter what age. I will, however, avoid Glenlivet and Glenfiddich - they both taste rather dull and uninspiring - despite that it's from the same region as Macallan, I believe. I recently tried a Suntory Yamazaki - it tastes like no other scotch I've ever had, and that's neither a good nor a bad thing. Aside from the Japanese one, the rest of these should be fairly accessible in your average to better liquor shop - I'm not really into recommending rare, obscure stuff that no one can find, what's the point in that.

Enjoy your exploratory.

 

[Nicky]

My favs...

Glenlivet, 18 years
Glenfiddich, 18 years
Springbank, 15 years
Dalmore, 15 years

 

[lowe]

Some joint I went to recently tried to "posh" up their drinks and serve me my scotch in a small glass with a short stem. Bullshit, I said. No stem, please. This may seem trivial, but it's the little bits like these that matter. Makes it more fun.

reminds me of my dad. you ole grump!

 

[SpinWheelz]

I've always confessed that I was born too late and I live well beyond my years. Grumpy ol' dad, I am.

 

[GrouchyDog]

MacAllan cask-strength (you WILL need a splash of water, otherwise it will anesthetize your tongue and you won't taste much of it)
MacAllan 21yr
MacAllan 18yr
Balvenie Doublewood
Glenlivet 18yr
Laphroiag or Lagavulin if you're feeling bold

I'm generally OK with a bit of water (distilled preferably, NO TAP-WATER CHLORINE COCKTAIL ), absolutely no more than a third water & two-thirds whisky.

 

[lowe]

I've always confessed that I was born too late and I live well beyond my years. Grumpy ol' dad, I am.

my dad is the kind of guy that raises hell when his orders messed up, little stuff like that. i always try to be as nice as i can going back into a place if my orders screwy. if im a prick to them, they're topping my burger with who knows what. Seriously though, the 'bullshit i say, no stem please. makes it more fun' is exactly my dad.

 

[SpinWheelz]

Sorry, I was paraphrasing. I am nothing but overly sweet to wait staff because the last thing I need is for boogers to be poked into my cheese or for a loogie to be swimming in my cappuccino.

I live in perpetual fear of wait staff, to be honest. I really do.

 

[PraXis]

I like Seagram's VO... $24 a handle.

 

[randelli]

taking notes.....

OK I did a quick google and Chivas Regal didn't even show up on anyone's list. WTH was I drinking? Does this mean I still do not know what a single malt tastes like??

BTW, I had it over ice - no water.

 

[SpinWheelz]

Chivas Regal isn't a single malt, it's blended. From your original post, it appeared that you'd drunk Chivas Regal AND single malts. Was this not the case?

 

[randelli]

No, sorry.

So I have not tried a single malt then. How different will these be? Will it be like comparing canadian mist to wild turkey?

 

[GrouchyDog]

No, sorry.

So I have not tried a single malt then. How different will these be? Will it be like comparing canadian mist to wild turkey?

That's not a bad analogy. CM is a blend, WT is not. Whatever you liked about the Chivas, expect more of it in a single. That's a very broad statement since there are about as many variations in singles as there are in beer. I'd suggest starting with a Highland malt, probably Glenlivet (12-yr is good, 18-yr is better). It's a typical (that makes it sound ordinary, which it isn't) single that's widely available and a good place to start. Buy or check out a book about whisky (when referring to scotch, "whisky" is spelled with "y", not "ey", never forget that!) and read about what's available - it's interesting.

 

[Phil47uk]

Lagavulin is far too peaty for my taste, although it's a great single malt never the less.
In fact I'm not too keen on too peaty, or too smokey for that matter.
Personally I prefer the heathery, honeyish Speyside malts, although I am also keen on a Talisker from the Islands.
So if we are talking general off the shelf whiskies and not 60 year old reserves at three grand a bottle, I'd have to say my favourites are. Not in any specific order. Craggenmore. ( The most complex finish of any malt ) Balvenie ( The most Honeyish ). At the moment I have a very nice and smooth Macallan 15 year old fine oak, my eldest son bought me.
Yes, I do add a tiny dash of water, just to release the notes.

 

[lowe]

Sorry, I was paraphrasing. I am nothing but overly sweet to wait staff because the last thing I need is for boogers to be poked into my cheese or for a loogie to be swimming in my cappuccino.

I live in perpetual fear of wait staff, to be honest. I really do.

im in waiting staff party in the kitchen, dishes and bussing. and trust me, no matter what happens, no one messes with food. its not even mentioned.

 

[GrouchyDog]

Y'all are making me thirsty...

Talisker's a good one.

Macallan bottlings are like ice cream - there are good ones, there are great ones, but none are bad.

Funny about the Islay malts, the older I get the less often I have a taste for one. Every now & again, but less & less. Bunnahabhain IIRC is less intense that the "L's", maybe it's time to try that again...

 

[Sean Coughlon]

I'm no purist so it doesn't have to be neat for me. Hell, water and/or ice is fine to get it to tasting temperature and % alc.

Currently a huge fan of the Glenlivet 18. Also really like Glenfiddich Solera.

 

[loaded six string]

Not a big scotch drinker. As far as whiskey, blech. But..........I recently bought a bottle of Jack Daniels single barrel whiskey. $50 a bottle (comes in a nice crystal decanter actually) and has a serno and a bday. This stuff is to smooth to waste on mixer. Straight up neat.

 

[SKATTERBRANE]

I say a good Malt has to be with vanilla ice cream, and Hershey's chocolate syrup, milk and malt.