Single Malt is best

[ltwhiskas]

I'm not a scotch guy, I'll admit, but I might have been if I'd started with single malts rather than garbage lazy blends. Looking at you Johnny walker. I recently assisted my father emptying an old single malt and thoroughly enjoyed it. A Macallan 12.

Anyway, what are your favorite single malt scotches? Or, convince me otherwise.

[oettinger]

I like my mixer of whiskys.
But can`t deny the taste of a single.
I`d drink both

[Nausea]

Single malt Scotch reigns supreme for me.

Lagavulin 16
Lagavulin 21
Caol Ila 12
Talisker 10

[ltwhiskas]

I've heard alot of lagavulin talk. Might have to pony up the coin to try it out.

[Casual Binger]

Single malt is great. But in Australia, it doesn’t really work out cost-benefit wise. Low end SM is generally twice the price of a half decent blend. For example, right now at Dan Murphy’s the best deal on SM is Bushmills 10 at $56. There’s Glen Moray for $42 but I dunno if that even counts. It doesn’t have an age statement. Meanwhile Grants is $32. I’ll buy single occasionally, but mostly I save buying it for when I’m in Japan; where all spirits are typically 1/3 of the price in Australia.

[oettinger]

Single malt is great. But in Australia, it doesn’t really work out cost-benefit wise. Low end SM is generally twice the price of a half decent blend. For example, right now at Dan Murphy’s the best deal on SM is Bushmills 10 at $56. There’s Glen Moray for $42 but I dunno if that even counts. It doesn’t have an age statement. Meanwhile Grants is $32. I’ll buy single occasionally, but mostly I save buying it for when I’m in Japan; where all spirits are typically 1/3 of the price in Australia.

32 is rape at the carshier!

20 something in germany

[ThirstyDrunk]

Can you eat a single malted milk ball?
They should make scotch single Maltesers.

[Patchez]

All the ones Nausea listed and

Jura Superstition if you can still find it. Hell any of the Jura line is good.

if these Islays are too smokey for you Glennfiddich or Glenmorangie both have excellent lines of singles.

Oban is another softer, fruitier scotch as well.

[Casual Binger]

32 is rape at the carshier!

20 something in germany

Everything is priced like that in Oz nowadays. Foreign beer is cheaper than shitty Aussie beer etc. Spirits are the least value for money. Wine can be cheap; but only at the unpalatable end of the spectrum. Presumably we’re teetering on the cliff of a massive market correction. The trade off is that wages are high and overseas holidays are cheap.

However, in wish list land - Laphroaig Quarter Cask. Smoky and 48%. Otherwise whatever is on special at the duty free shop.

[Nausea]

However, in wish list land - Laphroaig Quarter Cask. Smoky and 48%. Otherwise whatever is on special at the duty free shop.

I'd like to try this one as well. Cask strength whiskeys have my interest. I had Macallan's cask strength 10 many years ago -- I wasn't impressed. It just wasn't balanced well.

I know the local pizza shop, surprisingly, has Laphroaig at the bar. Probably not Quarter Cask, though, but it would be nice to try before purchasing a full bottle.

[Rye and Coke]

I want to taste a really good Scotch one day, but I've never had the opportunity.

You know what, scratch that: I've had PLENTY of opportunities. I've just chosen to go quantity over quality. Well, that ends now. Next time I go to a business function with an open bar and they offer the good stuff, I'm trying out the single malt.

I've just never thought about it. It's always been Rye, Kentucky Whiskey and Bourbon for me.

What are the "notes" of a good single malt. I've had a blended and I thought that was scotch, but seriously, what's the difference between the two?

[Nausea]

I want to taste a really good Scotch one day, but I've never had the opportunity.

Just buy a wee dram of a Scotch that captivates your interest. Not as good value-wise as a whole bottle, but at least it's noncommittal.

[oettinger]

What are the "notes" of a good single malt. I've had a blended and I thought that was scotch, but seriously, what's the difference between the two?

Blend can contain much more cheap grain stuff. If you`re fine with that taste dodge the single malt all the way

[Patchez]

I want to taste a really good Scotch one day, but I've never had the opportunity.

You know what, scratch that: I've had PLENTY of opportunities. I've just chosen to go quantity over quality. Well, that ends now. Next time I go to a business function with an open bar and they offer the good stuff, I'm trying out the single malt.

I've just never thought about it. It's always been Rye, Kentucky Whiskey and Bourbon for me.

What are the "notes" of a good single malt. I've had a blended and I thought that was scotch, but seriously, what's the difference between the two?

Which blends have you had? Also which blends have you liked? You can Google most blends and fine the main single malt for the backbone of the blend. Chances are if you liked the blend you'll like the single malt that supports it.

For instance if you liked the Johnny Walker blends Caol Ila is the backbone. Start there.

[Nausea]

Besides just plainly being excellent, Caol Ila is also an excellent introductory Scotch, in my opinion. Not too forward on the peatiness, with a nice balance.