Your personal favorite single malt scotch

[The Soup Dragon]

I feel like this is the perfect thread to ask a question I have been searching for answer for about a month now. I would like to start enjoying Scotch as I have only heard great things (typically my drink of choice is a big pint of Guinness or Murphys). I recently Tried a Glenlivet 12 yr and it seemed a bit harsh. But I was told not to be discouraged.

Any suggestions for [sober] piper who is looking for a smoother Scotch to end his evenings with?

Slainte M'Hath

[Jock Scot]

I feel like this is the perfect thread to ask a question I have been searching for answer for about a month now. I would like to start enjoying Scotch as I have only heard great things (typically my drink of choice is a big pint of Guinness or Murphys). I recently Tried a Glenlivet 12 yr and it seemed a bit harsh. But I was told not to be discouraged.

Any suggestions for [sober] piper who is looking for a smoother Scotch to end his evenings with?

Slainte M'Hath

Try, Jura.

[Old Hippie]

I would like to start enjoying Scotch as I have only heard great things...

You can make quite a study of it. I have heard the Glenlivet described as a good "starter" single-malt Scotch along with Glenfiddich and MacAllan. Not that they are particularly gentle, but they are fairly commonly available and most people are likely to have seen them.

The distinguishing characteristic of Scotch is the use of burning peat to dry the malt.

One of the difficulties of finding your favourite Scotch is that you may be buying a lot of expensive stuff looking for the perfect one. You can minimize this a bit by making friends with people who will invite you over to taste their favourites. Seriously! Scotch drinkers are evangelists.

Go at it systematically, asking them what it is about *this* one that they like, what factors influence their choice, and so on. Do a bit of reading in a good book about single malts to learn the regions and the general characteristics of Scotches from each region. Hopefully your friends will encourage you to share your observations, with no overt investment in whether you're using the "right" terminology. Of such experiments do you refine your taste and expectations.

What you're trying to do is develop your taste, and then discover what matches your taste.

My taste is for Islay malts, which to some other tastes might be execrable. I like the rough and blustery character, the salt sea and the screaming wind, the peat smoke breaking off sharp against the tongue.

I started on Glenfiddich's basic 12 year old, which you may find a useful starting point yourself. Lately, I've added Grant's Ale Cask Reserve (a blended Scotch) to my sideboard. I find it to be a pleasant, complex, and convivial tipple, and I still cherish the taste of Lagavulin 16 and Laphroaig 15 for those times when I really want to give the tastebuds a tickle.

[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!

[ziggy]

Now of course I can only suggest based on the scotches I have tried \ have access too here, so others can expand on this. Generally the older it is, the smoother it is, though you'll sometimes find a younger scotch that behaves like an older scotch in terms of harshness, and vice versa as well...

Having said that, what's the price range? For a cheaper bottle, Glenmorangie original is an incredible for the buck, being only a 10, but exceptional in terms of flavor and harshness.... now if you want smooth, and don't mind paying a bit more for it, the first that comes to mind is the highland park 18, I know where I live, it's priced extremely well for what's in the bottle, not sure about your location.

Just remember, generally speaking, you get what you pay for is a valid rule with scotch, with some exceptions.

[MacBubba45]

(typically my drink of choice is a big pint of Guinness or Murphys). I recently Tried a Glenlivet 12 yr and it seemed a bit harsh. But I was told not to be discouraged.
Any suggestions for [sober] piper who is looking for a smoother Scotch to end his evenings with?
Slainte M'Hath

I'm with you on the beer and ale! intB)

I've found Glenmorangie Burgundy cask is real smooth. It's offered in some other finishes, too; and as someone above said, the original is very good.

[Joseph McLaren]

Caol Ila 18-year-old for me.

[TheSp8]

Top two would be Laphroaig 10 cask strength and Lagavulin 18.
Had a MacAllen 21 on my birthday. It was great but I can only afford that one by the dram. Best price I found online was $450 a bottle.
Dalwhinnie 15, enjoyed by my wife and I with fresh strawberries.
Glen Rothes for a Speyside malt.
We have many others in the cabinet to suit mood but if I was limited to one it would be one of the first two.
My Single Malt education was greatly enhanced by a week stay at Ferintosh Guest House under Robertson's tutelege.

YMOS,
Tony