Single Malt help

[Dirk Skene]

guid beginner malts arr....


in the sherry, sweeter, toasty, orangy, spicy area...

Macallan, Aberlour, Glenfarclas, Glenmorangie...


in the lemony, ............. o' their simple, easy drinkin flavours)
honey, pear, vanilla....

Glenfiddich, Glenlivet....

There is a man after mine own heart

Yes, this thread has all good advice. You will not be steered wrong. The Glenlivet is probably my favorite staple scotch. By that I mean it is something I try to keep around all the time.

[Kiltedmusiclover]

I am a fan of several whiskys.
Highland Park is one I make sure I never run out of.

One of the best descriptions of how to move up the whisky ladder of taste came from our very own Robertson (P1M)

Steve...

noo ya hit upon a topic ai ken an awfy lot aboot...

ai cuid gie ya a hale thesis oan this yin...

but tae make it short an sweet...

1- if ya drink yur JD wi' a mixer noo... then start wi' a blended scotch like Groose arr J Walker... an mix it wi' soda, 7up, coke, ginger ale, wit e'er ya want...

drink this fur twa months arr sae... makin the scotch taste a bit stronger as time gaes oan... this will develop yur taste fur scotch...

then ya will bae ready tae move tae single malt...

2- if ya drink JD neat (straicht) noo- then skip the blends an gae straight fur single malt...

start wi' Glenfiddich arr Glenlivet... baith arr frae the speyside area an are light an easy drinkin malts... baith arr aged in ex-bourbon casks...

ya can add water arr soda water but NEVER add ice... it changes the molecular structure o' the malt an changes the flavour... it shuid bae cool room temp...

use a cool (no cold) tulip shaped glass (no a rocks glass).... nose it (smell it) a lot while you sip it... an SIP it- dinnae gulp it.... yur nose is maire important than yur tastebuds when it comes tae malt whisky... hae a glass o ice water oan the side... this will help ya cool off and refresh yur mooth between sips...

drink this fur a month arr sae... then luek fur maire complicated flavoured malts... like the yins that hae been aged in sherry casks...Macallan, Glenfarclas, Glenmorangie (rhymes with 'orangey')..

try a few o these fur a couple months arr sae...

save the peaty smoky malts tae the last.... they arr the maist difficult fur maist folk tae get used tae... Laphroiag, Lagavulin, Ardbeg.....

then luek fur a' the hundreds o' other malt expressions oot there... a single distillery can make 100 bottles that a' taste different... it is a wonderful world fur your senses.....

slainte mhath!

[MacTavishOfJapan]

I tried a miniture of Tomatin once after visiting their distillery. It was a few years ago now but I was very impressed and it was one of my favourites during my tour of the Speyside malts. I also wanted to buy a bottle of it so I could form a more balanced opinion.

I love Highland Park too. I don't know what it's reputation is amongst more serious malties but I always try to keep some kicking about. I've run out here though so will be bringing some back from Scotland after my vacation!

[Andrew Green]

There are three on my list of "must try":
Glenmorrangie Port Finish (I like Port)
Oban
Highland Park (really wanting to try an Orkney malt)

Dalwhinnie is one that I have been meaning to try too... so I guess there is four on the to try list (off the top of my head). I like to try and get something different each time, as to develop a well rounded opinion of various whiskies and their respective regions.

[Livingston]

Every time I pick up a bottle, I try to get something different. That said, I will always have either Glenmorrangie Port, Craggenmore or Oban on hand. After the tasting up in Estes, Balvinie Single Barrel 15 YO and Portwood 21 YO are on the must buy list. Of course the last one is a little pricey for me

[Rusty]

I tried the Glenmorrangie in Estes this year and I have to say it's a little smoother than Glen Livet or maybe I was so buzzed I couldn't tell the difference

[Kiltedmusiclover]

......

I love Highland Park too. I don't know what it's reputation is amongst more serious malties but I always try to keep some kicking about. I've run out here though so will be bringing some back from Scotland after my vacation!

I’m quoting from “Michael Jackson’s Complete Guide to Single
Malt Scoth” 5th edition.

“Highland Park is the greatest all-rounder in the world of malt.
It is definitely in an Island style, but combining all the elements
of a classic single malt: smokiness (with its own heather-honey accent),
maltiness, smoothness, roundness, fullness of flavour, and length of finish.”

To be honest I just picked this book up two weeks ago.
When you made your statement I decided to look it up.
I just really liked Highland Park’s taste. :mrgreen:

One of the reasons I recommend Highland Park is that it is not as peaty as
say Lagavulin, Ardbeg, or Laphroaig. (I love all three BTW!)
You have to work your way up to them.

[MacTavishOfJapan]

Thanks for that! I'm sure I was told at some point that Highland Park tastes like an Irish malt. Never tried an Irish one so don't know for myself.

I have a bottle of Glengoyne 18 yo that I picked up last year, that was well worth the higher price tag. Glengoyne has no peat taste as they don't use peat to make their malt.

[Pour1Malt]

Highland Park....


Highland Park is actually heavily peated... but it DOESNAE taste like Ardbeg, Laphroaig, and sae oan...

because the peat is a different kind o' peat...

Orkney has nay trees oan it... so the peat frae Orkney is frae meadow flowers, heather, and shrubs...

unlike Islay (the island that Laphroaig, Ardbeg, Lagavulin, Caol Ila come frae) peat- which is frae trees....

sae Highland Park is very strongly floral flavoured... some people like M. Jackson luv it... some dinnae... but it is a guid a' roon'er... because the floral flavour is pleasin' tae maist folk...

[Freelander Sporrano]

Don't forget Bruichladdich which an a-typical Malt from Islay. It's the almost opposite to it's well know neigbours