I've been out of town, so haven't cracked either bottle yet. I liked that the bottle referenced sherry casks, like Macallan, but further research says that is 80% reused and only 20% first use. I'll probably taste the 21 and then decide whether the 18 should be tasted or gifted.

Yes... it's probably the most peaty scoch I've ever had....nit bad, but definitely a different taste than most "popular" single malts from Speyside...

If you ever want to know what real "smokey/peaty" Scotch is.....go check out Laphroaig.

I recommend buying a glass at a bar before buying an entire bottle...

It was honestly the first Islay and second single malt I had ever tried and I was hooked. But I definitely like a smokey taste. My biggest issue is that after years of drinking Laphroaig and Lagavulin religously certain Highlands such as younger Macallans taste flavorless.

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I recommend buying a glass at a bar before buying an entire bottle...

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I bought a bottle and regretted it.













Mostly because it only lasted 2 days and I can't afford to drink like that all the time. Probably the best libation I've tasted.

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My liquor store offered me a two for one deal on these, so I took them without any prior research. anyone tried them? Are they any good?

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I visited that distillery and really regret not coming home with something limited. The 18 is one of my favorite scotches. That's a great deal.

I feel a little bad now, as I finally got to try them. I'm no scotch expert, so I put them up against what I like.

I thought the 21 was pretty close in flavor to the Macallan, just not quite as bright. Overall very good though. I'd buy it again and it is enough for me to be happy with the purchase.

The 18 didn't fare as well for me. It had a lot less color, flavor and more burn. I'd put it below Macallan 12, so it will be exclusively used for scotch based cocktails.

An 18 year glengoyne as a mixer!?!?

You in dfw? I'll trade you a bottle of famous grouse for it.

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An 18 year glengoyne as a mixer!?!?

You in dfw? I'll trade you a bottle of famous grouse for it.

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No thanks on the Famous Grouse. Also, I'm not in TX.

No offense to anyone who likes it. I only dabble in scotch and I only like what I like.

Has anyone on here tried glenlivet 21?



I'm looking to buy a friend a gift and he likes scotch (all kinds). Thought about this one because it got good reviews and the box is cool.

Any other ones on this list that you scotch experts recommend?

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/4357732

Glenlevit 21 is nothing special. Not horrible, just not special.

Agree with DryFly on the Glenlivet 21. Glenlivet strives to make the smoothest, most easy drinking, whisky they can make. But to a scotch connoisseur smooth may well be synonymous with boring. The value of the Glenlivet is that its a known commodity, nobody is going to open it and ask "what is this?" It's a big name, with an impressive age statement, so it does a really good job of getting the point across that you wanted to buy them a special occasion type bottle. Some of the others might not be so clear in that regard, even if they are better whiskies.

I have had 8 of the 12 whiskies on that list, and there are some truly phenomenal pours in there, as well as a couple that I wouldn't recommend at all as gifts.

The gems of the list, in my opinion, are the GlenDronach Allerdice, and the Jura Prophecy.

The GlenDronach is like all the best flavors from a whisky like the Glenlivet, but magnified 10 times over. If he likes sweeter highland and speyside type scotches, this one will be well appreciated. Rich, thick, flavorful goodness in a glass.

The Jura is an extremely interesting whisky, with all kinds of different flavors all jammed into one bottle. You can spend lots of time just rolling it around in your mouth to find new flavors. Even if he has a good sized collection already, this one will likely be something new and different that he doesn't have. It is an island malt so it's going to have some smoky briny flavors, which not everyone loves, but they are well done and well balanced.

The other good gift bottles would be the Glenlivet 21, the Aberlour A'Bunadh, and the GlenMorangie Nectar D'Or. All are good, unobjectionable bottles, they just don't stand out to me from the dozen other highlands and speysides on the shelf that taste very similar to them.

The Ardbeg Uigadail is a phenomenal scotch in its own right, but it is powerfully smoky. I like smoky peated scotches, and this one is too much for me most of the time. I have to really be in the mood for it or else it just tastes like I threw a handfull of soot in my mouth. So unless you know fore sure that he really loves powerfully peaty scotches, I would avoid it as a gift.

The other two that I've had are the Johnny Walker Swing and the Talisker Storm. Both are decent, but I wouldn't consider either to be a special occasion type of bottle, which is what it sounds like you're going for here.

Haven't had the Bowmore, the Cutty Sark, The Laphroaig 18, or the Auchantaushan, so I can't speak to them.

I don't think you're going to get any 'bad' whiskies off that list, I think it just depends what you're going for.

I appreciate all the useful information GregZepplin. I want to give something unique and the taste great so I'll probably go with the first three suggesting that you made

GlenDronach Allerdice, and the Jura Prophecy.

Right now I'm leaning towards GlenDronach Allerdice

Picked up my first bottle of Scotch last night - Glenlivet. I must say it's pretty darn good. The natural fruit flavors are really pleasant. I guess I'll try some of the others listed on this thread.

So what's everyones scotch of choice to serve to friends? I have a bottle of Lagavulin 16, but I keep that for special occasions. So what do yall keep that's a bit cheaper, but still good to sip on?

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So what's everyones scotch of choice to serve to friends? I have a bottle of Lagavulin 16, but I keep that for special occasions. So what do yall keep that's a bit cheaper, but still good to sip on

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I recently tried The Arran 12 cask strength, it was on sale at Specs and I'd read some decent reviews on it. For the money it's damn good. I wouldn't call it a higher end scotch by any means, but could definitely work its way into the rotation as a good go-to sipper.

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So what's everyones scotch of choice to serve to friends? I have a bottle of Lagavulin 16, but I keep that for special occasions. So what do yall keep that's a bit cheaper, but still good to sip on?

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Depends on who's drinking. If they have a little experience then Lagavulin 16 is a great choice, but you'll ruin an newbie with something like that. I always like to break out my Glendronach 12.

My recommendation on nice scotches to keep on hand for guests who aren't real scotch enthusiasts (keeping price point around $50) would be:

- Balvenie Doublewood 12
- Ancnoc 12
- Bowmore 12
- Dalwhinnie 15

Nothing in that group should scare off first timers I think. But all of them offer something slightly different in terms of distillery/process and flavor profile. The Ancnoc might be the one I find most interesting in that group in terms of some complexity and slight hit of peat.

Anyway - just one man's opinion. In the end, can your guests really complain about any glass of scotch offered in friendship? :-)

Thanks for the input. I'll have to look for some of these on my next trip to the liquor store.

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My recommendation on nice scotches to keep on hand for guests who aren't real scotch enthusiasts (keeping price point around $50) would be:

- Balvenie Doublewood 12
- Ancnoc 12
- Bowmore 12
- Dalwhinnie 15

Nothing in that group should scare off first timers I think. But all of them offer something slightly different in terms of distillery/process and flavor profile. The Ancnoc might be the one I find most interesting in that group in terms of some complexity and slight hit of peat.

Anyway - just one man's opinion. In the end, can your guests really complain about any glass of scotch offered in friendship? :-)

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I'll second this list. Especially the Doublewood.

I also like to keep a bottle of Glemorangie Quinta Ruben on hand. It and the Doublewood have both been big hits with novice scotch drinkers in my experience.

Not a fan of Dahlwinnie 15. It's like drinking lemon rinds. Quinta Ruben is a solid choice. Also, Macallan 10 is a pretty safe pour.

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Not a fan of Dahlwinnie 15. It's like drinking lemon rinds. Quinta Ruben is a solid choice. Also, Macallan 10 is a pretty safe pour.

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To me this is the best part about scotch. Flavor is so diverse and beauty is completely in the eye of the beholder. Hell, I'll go from liking a scotch to not liking it depending on the day I've had and the phase of the moon.

Wanna have even more fun? Go from neat to adding a splash of water to (and yes I am prepared to be excommunicated) a cube of ice and explore the changes in a single glass.

Damn. I really enjoy scotch. :-)

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The Ardbeg Uigadail is a phenomenal scotch in its own right, but it is powerfully smoky. I like smoky peated scotches, and this one is too much for me most of the time. I have to really be in the mood for it or else it just tastes like I threw a handfull of soot in my mouth. So unless you know fore sure that he really loves powerfully peaty scotches, I would avoid it as a gift.

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Came here to ask about this very one. Might be picking some up later.

I am sitting here sipping on Johnnie Black really wanting to go get a bottle of blue.

Steer me away from the $$$$ Johnnie Blue to another great scotch without the blue price.

Maybe something under $60 / 750ml bottle.

My advice is to look for a single malt. Glenfidich 12 is very smooth. If you want that smoky peaty flavor go for Laphroiag 10.

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I am sitting here sipping on Johnnie Black really wanting to go get a bottle of blue.

Steer me away from the $$$$ Johnnie Blue to another great scotch without the blue price.

Maybe something under $60 / 750ml bottle.

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Aberlour A'bunadh

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I am sitting here sipping on Johnnie Black really wanting to go get a bottle of blue.

Steer me away from the $$$$ Johnnie Blue to another great scotch without the blue price.

Maybe something under $60 / 750ml bottle.

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Oban 14

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Aberlour A'bunadh

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If anyone is interested, midtown Specs in Houston has Laphroaig Cairdeas 2014 on the shelf to ~$70.

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If anyone is interested, midtown Specs in Houston has Laphroaig Cairdeas 2014 on the shelf to ~$70.

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BOOM!

So, I read earlier in the thread that Johnnie Walker Green it's discontinued. The Specs Twin Liquors near me has several bottles. Should I get one?

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So, I read earlier in the thread that Johnnie Walker Green it's discontinued. The Specs Twin Liquors near me has several bottles. Should I get one?

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Yes, this is the last of it. Personally, I think it's really good stuff.

Despite me standing in front of the scotch aisle for 30 minutes studying the offerings every week, I am a Laphroig guy and leave with the 10 or QC 95 percent of the time, but the scotch monger talked me into Ardbeg Uigedail finally because he's always said he's gonna convert me. Well. ****. Sorry Laphroaig. This is my new favorite.

The Uigadail is one of my favorites too.

Funny story, I was at a bar in the Scottish highlands a couple years ago, and the bartender tried to stump me by showing me a bottle of Auchentoshan and asking me if I could pronounce it properly. I did pronounce it correctly, and then pulled up a picture of Ardbeg Uigadail on my phone and asked him if he could pronounce that one. He made a face like I had showed him a dog with two heads, called over the other bartender and asked him, but he didn't know either. Too bad, I was hoping they knew.

Oog-a-dal

I think so anyway.