Single Malt recomendations.

[Spartan]

I'm enjoying a dram of Bowmore 18 right now and i must say it vveerrryyy nice!

[gfoster]

An old topic, but since I don't feel competent to give cigar recommendations (let alone cuban ones) I definitely know my malts

My favorite malt hands down is the Lagavulin. I have several malts in the bar at the moment, including 18 year old Macallan, a 17 year old special bottling of Macallan, Lagavulin, etc.

For intro malts, I generally recommend people go with the speyside or highland malts. Macallan and dalwhinnie are both superb gateway malts, the Macallan is richer and deeper with an almost spiritual nature, the dalwhinnie is lighter and sweeter and simply dances across your palate. Both are superb malts with incredible complexity. Neither will blow your palate out like the Lagavulin, Laphraoig, etc.

Talisker, bowmore, ardbeg, highland park, etc are all really good and just wait for you to explore and discover them later on.

-- Gary F.

[thechenman]

I agree. I am a huge Macallan fan. Love it...

[BigGuns]

I, too, am a huge Macallan fan. Favorite to date is the FO17, but the FO21 may replace that soon. Another that has sprinted to the front of the pack, for me at least, is the Oban 14yo. I've been really enjoying it lately.

[lancashirescott]

Has anyone tried Highland Park 21 or Hjarta, I am looking at getting a bottle for my dad and wondered if anyone has tried either? I was thinking of treating myself too while I'm at it.

[bunburyist]

Has anyone tried Highland Park 21 or Hjarta, I am looking at getting a bottle for my dad and wondered if anyone has tried either? I was thinking of treating myself too while I'm at it.

He will be a happy man. Arguably the best 'standard' bottling out there imo. If it wasn't so steep I'd see off a bottle a week nae problem

[lancashirescott]

Cheers BB sounds good enough for me

[bunburyist]

no problem - just noticed though, it was the Highland Park 21 I was refering to. Happy chugging

[dicko]

anyone had the bruchlaiddich (sp?) 2nd edition??

[LeafLover]

I've recently tried Aberfeldy 10 yr. Adding that to my list of faves.

Leaf Lover

[LuciusSulla]

We had tipple of Laphroaig 30 tonight, which led to comparing it to Highland Park 12, Lagavulin 16, and Laphroaig 10 (and I was already drinking Lepanto PX). For three mostly broke bachelors, we seem to have a pretty good liquor cabinet, haha.

[Tricrescent]

Hi all I have tried very few single malts in my lifetime and have had some good and bad experiences. I would like some recomendations for a newbie scotch drinker. Thanks!

My first exposure to single malts was at a wine & spirits store tasting. Sampled 6 different brands and fell in love with Lagavulin 16 yr. old. So I recommend finding such a tasting to see what sings on your taste buds. Ask around to find any scheduled.

Really good scotch seems to start in the 70 to 100 (US$) price range but I find it's well worth it as each sip is far more satisfying than those of 'lesser' distinction. I actually consume less and therefore spend less in the long run as the satisfaction lingers much longer on my taste buds and in my memory. I had both the 10yr and the 15 yr Laphroiag and found the 10yr short in comparison. Unfortunately the 15yr is being discontinued so I'll have to spring for the 18yr but i know from experience it's worth saving up for.

I just purchased a bottle of Ardbeg Uigeadahl based on a recommendation from Trevor and WOW! My new favorite. It"s rich, peaty, brooding, full, just keeps expanding on the palette, has a fresh, deep fruit (peach) development that came out with a ciger I was having and brought out like flavor in that cigar to me. The cigar by the way was a (Nicaraguan) La Aroma de Cuba Immensa by Ashton (funny it's not named La Aroma de Nicaragua). So now I look forward even more to the day I can order my first Cubans (just joined this community first of this year) and pair them with this scotch.

Cheers!

[cubanmule7]

I'm a single malt scotch snob and i'll admit it! the fact of the matter is , I don't like wine and I don't like beer, don'tlike rum, Vodka a little, Irish whiskey once in a while and Bourbon once in a while. So I drink mostly Single malt scotch and because of the cost and the amount that I drink... I'm all over the 1.75 bottles of glenlivet at total wine for 59 bucks. I go through one every 2 weeks and love it. Now i've tried many sms's and have many favorites but for the money and as often as I drink it, you can't beat glenlivet. I drink this exclusively with my cigars.

[docbp87]

Gotta mention one of my favorites that gets a lot less talk... Old Pulteney, especially the 12 year old expression. It is light and fruity, like Glenlivet or Glenfiddich 12, but has a salty oceanic element that is just fantastic (it is, afterall, the most northerly distillery in Scotland, so that cold sea air really gets in it)

[Montaigut]

You canna go wrong with the Highland Park laddie. Perfect balance, silky smooth and a taste that just won't quit on you. This is the bottle you would keep on your bedside table to cap a perfect romp in the sack!!

I would first try a 12 or 15 years old; I agree with a previous post that anything older might be too expensive for a "discovery" experience.

Welcome to the world of malt and enjoy!

[zippoman]

My best Whisky so far is Aberlour a`bunadh (batch n30).

Beats easily Lagavulin, Laphoraig and all the rest that i have tasted.

[ZinZan]

I don't think anybody has mentioned Japanese Single Malt on this thread so far. I've had the pleasure of trying on Boxing Day an 18 year old Suntory Yamazaki. Wow, it is really nice, i think the Japanese Single Malt is really up to par with Scottish. Very fruity, cherry and persimmon taste. Paired it with Siglo 6. Even had opportunity a tasting of Hakushu which was a bit strong on the 1st tastes but after it settled down it was very refreshing. I would really love to get my hands on this bottles.

[JasonInChiTown]

I don't think anybody has mentioned Japanese Single Malt on this thread so far. I've had the pleasure of trying on Boxing Day an 18 year old Suntory Yamazaki. Wow, it is really nice, i think the Japanese Single Malt is really up to par with Scottish. Very fruity, cherry and persimmon taste. Paired it with Siglo 6. Even had opportunity a tasting of Hakushu which was a bit strong on the 1st tastes but after it settled down it was very refreshing. I would really love to get my hands on this bottles.

I've had the pleasure of tasting many Japanese malts, and by far my favorite is Hibiki 12 - a blended malt. Paired with a cigar, it is heaven.

http://thewhiskytweet.com/post/2502357812/...duro-5-secretos

[5thStarChicago]

For all you peat monsters and fans of Islay whiskys out there, I had the opportunity to sample the new Ardbeg Alligator a couple of weekends ago and I will say it's one hell of a dram. There's still plenty of peat on it but much more of a roasted, bourbon-sans-sweetness taste due to the way they char the barrels, apparently. It's going to be the 2011 Ardbeg Committee release and is going to pair brilliantly with cigars.

Just a friendly heads up for the fellow fans of Ardbeg.

[Ken Gargett]

For all you peat monsters and fans of Islay whiskys out there, I had the opportunity to sample the new Ardbeg Alligator a couple of weekends ago and I will say it's one hell of a dram. There's still plenty of peat on it but much more of a roasted, bourbon-sans-sweetness taste due to the way they char the barrels, apparently. It's going to be the 2011 Ardbeg Committee release and is going to pair brilliantly with cigars.

Just a friendly heads up for the fellow fans of Ardbeg.

sounds definitely worth a crack. anyone any idea of distribution extent?

[5thStarChicago]

sounds definitely worth a crack. anyone any idea of distribution extent?

Supposedly it'll be available globally to Committee Members (free to join on Ardbeg's website) in June and then for regular purchase in the fall. Definitely a unique expression, and the charred flavor takes the edge of the peat. Should be a better "cigar malt" than traditional Ardbeg in the sense that it will pair with a larger range of cigars.

As a disclaimer, I don't work for them in any aspect, just a fan of Islay whisky and cigars.

[ZinZan]

anyone had the bruchlaiddich (sp?) 2nd edition??

Dicko, i just bought it but havent tried it yet. Will let you know once i do.

I'm really getting into that peaty taste last time i was more into the smoother whisky like the maccallan, highland park and glenlivet. I didnt like the ardberg 10 but now im really enjoying laphroaig, caol ila and the rest of islay whisky.

[nick17]

me and my friend have a bottle of Macallan 12 year old we only bring it out when we are smoking cigars, I have found it goes well with almost anything

[Trimble]

me and my friend have a bottle of Macallan 12 year old we only bring it out when we are smoking cigars, I have found it goes well with almost anything

The Macallan 12 is one of the most versatile single malt scotches on the market today! Great spirit! Dollar for dollar / pound for pound, its a hard scotch to beat!

[thechenman]

The Macallan 12 is one of the most versatile single malt scotches on the market today! Great spirit! Dollar for dollar / pound for pound, its a hard scotch to beat!

This is still my favorite daily single malt. For the price, it really is tough to beat if you prefer a scotch not loaded with peat.