High End Scotch Recommend
 

A lovely lady in my office is looking for a high end scotch for her pops for his birthday. We are in my office more of a low end drinking crew. What might you guys recommend for $75-100 range. He already does Maker's Mark, Chivas, and types of that range. What's a suggested more high end, not run of the mill brown water for her pops?

t

Any nice 18 year old single malt

scotch
 

Old Pulteney 21yr old is in that price range. My current bottle on the shelf.

Old Pulteney 21 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky - The Whisky - Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch Whisky - The Genuine Maritime Malt

McCallan (10 or 12) for a very clean tasting scotch.

Laguvallun if he wants to try something smoky/peaty.

15 yr. old Balvenie or Talisker.

Oban. Good all around flavor without too much peaty taste. Smokier than others but balanced. $60-$70 per
Macallan 18 is an all-over crowd pleaser. Balanced. $120 per.
Springbank 33 if you're feeling really wealthy. (had some in a tasting 10 years ago. $1,000 per bottle now it seems, yikes!)

Never had anyone NOT like these 3. Choose any one based on your budget guarantee he'll be happy. Seriously. There's some good suggestions above, but these three WILL NOT dissapoint. If he doesn't like them, I'll buy it from you. (at least the first two)

The peaty/mossy ones like Lagavullan are a real gamble. Some love, many hate. (They taste horrible to me)

Single malt is the key. Anything with Glen in the lable has alway been good.

Glenlivet and Glenfiddich good starter scotch under 50 bucks a Qt.

For sure, in this price range, stick with the single malt bottles. Old Pulteney is good stuff - for just a bit more smokey flavor, I really like Highland Park. But for something really special, try and find a bottle of Clynelish, which should be in that price range.

Oban and Glen Morangie have always been two of my favorites.

cstreit got it. Folks tend to like the peaty, brackish single malts - like the Islay malts such as Laphroig - or hate them. If they hate them then the single malts with a darker colour which are usually aged in old sherry barrels may appeal as they have a sweeter, richer taste that is much easier to appreciate - like Jura, for example. The Speyside malts are typically in between - like Glenfiddich.

Top tip - the peaty single malts like Laphroig are much easier to appreciate when a little still mineral water is added. All the flavours are still there but not overpowering. This is how single malts are supposed to be drunk - not neat and not with ice.

Tormore is my favorite hands down.

Single malt doesn't always imply good. It just means what it says, single malt. Blended means more consistent taste, nothing more. Having said that, the ones posted above are pretty good. I like McCallan 18 y/o.

Aberlour a'bunadh - My #1 Speyside. Nectar of the gods IMHO.
Bowmore 18 - a little smokey - good by itself or paired with chocolate.
GLENFIDDICH - Solera Reserve - tastes like fruit and honey.
Lagavulin 16 - Strong smokey/peaty flavor. My favorite Islay

All of these are within your price range.

Talisker is a favorite of mine. The 10yr is just below that range. The 18 (if you can find it@k is just above and the 12yr distiller edition is dead smack in the middle.

+1 for Oban.

Bowmore 18 - Glen Morangie - Balvenie

Were my favorites

How old is the geezer gona be...If it is a milestone such as 50 60, 65 or 70...then I would buy a little more expensive rot the gut...If in between i would stick to something more or less genric like a Glenlivit 12 or 18...

I wouldn't get too exotic on the guy , you want something that is middle of the road in taste for a gift. If the guy is a Scotch hound he will seek out his own level.

I'm a fan of Scapa.
I think most any single malt in that price point will be decent. If you were shopping for cognac, wine, tequila, etc it would be harder.

I'd say cstreit nailed it too. Macallan is always a good choice. Something highly peaty would also be risky, for a palate that is accustomed to Maker's and Chivas. Glenlivet, of course. I tested a 12-YO Glenlivet side by side with a 10-YO Macallan, thinking the Macallan would win, and it decidedly did not.

a really good one I discovered recently is Strathisla. Real smooth, like a McCallan or a Glenkinchie.

ok, what is the cheapest great-tasting scotch around?

and, can you buy it in Orygun?


my new neighbor works for the best micro-brewery in town, so I think I can economize on beer now...

Wont say no to a Johnny Walker Blue, but in your price range a bottle of green will do.

Up Yer Bum (cheers),

True enough. For scotch beginners and unknowns, Johnny Walker's lineup is one of the "can't go wrong"s. The scotch slope is as slippery as the Porsche slope, though. Those quirky smaller-batch scotches are really fun to taste and to drink. But you have to start at the beginning.

Balvenie and Aberlour are my favorites.
Balvenie is very smooth, I like it a lot!

The Glenmorangie is a very nice smooth single malt that I have given to many Scotch drinkers, everyone has loved it (plus it's less expensive). Perfect for newbies to start with as it wont spoil their palate.

thanks for all the great insight gentlemen! she was blown away at the number of suggestions and amount of information you comsumers of life's finer things have shared.

tried to get a photo to share of the lovely ms. karen but she was having none of it. she is a true joy to both mind & eyes. don't know if she continues to look in on this, but hope so.

t