Your personal favorite single malt scotch

[The Soup Dragon]

You can make quite a study of it.

Great advice, and I take it with open ears and an open mind. I did some research and heard that Whisky from Islay is a bit less harsh. In doing so I bought a 12YO Bowmore as i read the back and it sounded delicious. While I loved the taste, I was overwhelmed by the "peatiness". No necessarily a bad thing, I quite enjoyed the taste, however, I could not stomach more than a small glass.

I get this rot-gut felling in my stomach when I drink Whisk(e)y. This may date back to one unexperienced night in Undergrad. when I was drinking away engineering sorrow and not drinking to enjoy (never make this mistake again). Now, older, wiser, curious and drinking for pleasure, I really want this to be a go to night cap.

Any thoughts?

[Tony Miles]

Great advice, and I take it with open ears and an open mind. I did some research and heard that Whisky from Islay is a bit less harsh. In doing so I bought a 12YO Bowmore as i read the back and it sounded delicious. While I loved the taste, I was overwhelmed by the "peatiness". No necessarily a bad thing, I quite enjoyed the taste, however, I could not stomach more than a small glass.

I get this rot-gut felling in my stomach when I drink Whisk(e)y. This may date back to one unexperienced night in Undergrad. when I was drinking away engineering sorrow and not drinking to enjoy (never make this mistake again). Now, older, wiser, curious and drinking for pleasure, I really want this to be a go to night cap.

Any thoughts?

try some water in your scotch - start with a tablespoon or 2 in an ounce and adjust to taste - I know some people who enjoy a 50/50 mix of water and scotch - i prefer mine neat for the most part but some that are bit "hot" or too young I'll put a dab of water

[Farlander]

...
I get this rot-gut felling in my stomach when I drink Whisk(e)y. This may date back to one unexperienced night in Undergrad. when I was drinking away engineering sorrow and not drinking to enjoy (never make this mistake again). Now, older, wiser, curious and drinking for pleasure, I really want this to be a go to night cap.

Any thoughts?

There are some general characteristics of scotch that come from its region of production. Obviously, these are not hard rules, but are often generally true:
- Highland malts are smoky and smooth
- Island malts from their salt laden atmosphere have a strong peatiness
- Islay malt, distinguished by peat from their water and the burning of peat to dry the malted barley
- Lowland malt, mildest of the scotches with subtle flavors of barley malt

Irish whiskey tends to be lighter in flavor and less smoky than scotch. Canadian whisky is perhaps some of the smoothest of all. A great example of a really smooth Canadian is Black Velvet.

So, with the above in mind, one might try doing a little tasting at your local good bar with some friends. Start with a Canadian, then try an Irish, then perhaps an American. Finally work your way up to a fine Scottish elixir. Note that you may choose to NOT do this all the same day.

As you discover what you like from the above tasting, you then might consider purchasing a bottle of something that you can really enjoy.

Slainte!