Iodine flavor
 

So far, the only scotch I have tried is Johnny Walker Black label. So, I have a question. It has a very potent iodine flavor. Is this true of all scotch? I would love to give scotch another try but, the idoine flavor kills it for me.

The medicinal taste of some whisky is usually an acquired taste. If you want something smoky without the iodine, try Highland Park 12. It's available widely and around $50. It's not too powerful and complex and is a good place to start. Another common whisky flavor is sherry from aging in sherry casks. A nice sherried single malt that is widely available is Macallan. Go with the cask strength if you can find it.
Go to a good liquor store and ask about their stock, the manager probably can give you some good advice.

The iodine aromas and flavors come from a type of peat which is composed of seaweed in its vegetative make up. Point being, not all peated whiskies have an iodine component. The JW Black has very little of it, as it is a blend of many whiskies. That said, you're obviously sensitive to it, but will probably grow to appreciate it in time.

For full effect of it, if you're out in a bar somewhere and see Laphroaig, Ardbeg or Lagavulin, a dram of any of them will show you an iodine component in heavy proportion.

Looking at your other post and like of JD and Bushmills honey, break yourself into the Scottish single malts with unpeated Speyside whiskies - especially those aged in sherry casks. Classic Speyside whisky is known for a fruity and floral aromas and flavors and your Christmas spices. Think fruitcake. Macallan 12, Glenfarclas, Aberlour and Glenrothes are good starters and their base expressions are generally less than $50.

You'll find Macallan in many bars, thus, a price of a drink will save you the better part of $50.

Finally, if you want to try a tempered by sherry cask peated whisky that does have a little iodine component, try Benromach 10. It is a fantastic whisky that has the sweetness of first fill sherry casks and the complexity of classic Speyside with a touch of peat. Very complex. For me, it is probably my favorite 10 year whisky because it gives me a little of every thing I love about whisky.

Dale and Ether, thank you both so much! I will definately look for those and give them a try. I hate to dismiss Scotch so quickly for a flavor I am not use to. I will check around some of my local stores and see what I can find. I might even be able to find a sample (Like I did with the JW). Would keeping the scotch in the freezer bring out more of the iodine flavor?

Well, I would provide an update. I tried Chivas, Red Label, and Deware(Sample mini bottles). I managed to get some of the Chivas down, but the Red label was too potent with Iodine for me to be able to take more than a sip. I think maybe Islay and I are simply not meant to be. I think I will shop around and try some of the Speyside. Part of me would feel guilty if I bought a $40 bottle of Macallan and ended up not liking it. As long as it doesnt have the iodine taste though, I shouldn't have a problem with it.

Thanks for your feedback - we hope you continue to keep us updated on your scotch journey! :D

Can't speak to the Chivas, never having tried it...but the Red Label and [I assume you are referring to] Dewar's are just basic blends which aren't going to offer you much in the way of interesting tastes or nuances in the first place, never mind any iodine taste. You would do better by going to slightly more complex choices, as advised by the "experts" on this forum.

Given the blends you've tried, I think you'll eventually find the malts to be more intriguing than the blends. I'd recommend some of lighter malts which aren't peated as a point from which to continue. Try Strathisla 12; it's a major malt component in the Chivas blends. You might also give Strathmill and Jura 10 a shot. All of these can be had for $45-55. The Macallan 12 will run about the same and isn't peated, and it's pretty sweet given its time in sherry casks.

Unfortunately, there are very few malts available in 50ml bottles in the U.S. In New York there are a total of 21 Scotches listed for sale in this size. Of those, there are only 11 currently available, and of the 11 only 3 are malts. Thus, if you're not wanting to throw out the dough without knowing what something is like, the best place to try the base stuff like Macallan is in a bar, but unfortunately most bars (U.S. anyway) have very few malts outside of the standard Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, Glenmorangie, Macallan bottlings. So, you're going to have to take some risks or consult the board before you buy.

I think I will try some Macallan at a bar the next time I am out (Which should be this weekend) and see how I like it. I really do appreciate all the advice I have obtained from the board. Hopefully one day I will be one of the ones posting advice rather than needing it!

Just had my first glass of Glenlivet 12 Year Single Malt Scotch. The ABC store locally had some smaller bottles for 20, and so I couldn't resist picking a bottle up to give Scotch another try. I have to say, I am quiet impressed. The flavor is bold and lacks the Iodine taste of the Islay scotches. I very much enjoy the flavor, actually a bit more then I enjoy Irish Whiskey (Gasp! And to think I am Irish!). It seems like each sip for me teaches me something new about it and the longer I hold onto it the more of the flavors I pick up. I think that a glass of scotch and some background Mumford & Sons goes very well together. Cheers, stay thirsty my friends. I am glad that I gave scotch another try.

This was too good to let it pass:
I was just browsing this nice forum, trying to find recommendations for a single malt while sipping some Talisker (great for those who like seaweed taste) and listening to Mumford & Sons!
Maybe I should try some Glenlivet too.

Scotch Iodine flavor
 

I too am just starting to try Scotch. I usually drink Bourbon. I opened a bottle of Johnny Walker Red and found it unappealing. What could I mix it with to temper out the iodine flavor. I hate to waste a bottle.

I wouldn't worry about wasting a bottle of Johnny Red (:-/), but you could try using it in any of the standard whisky cocktails, if that's your thing.

Iodine flavor ?
 

Sounds like you may have a bit of oxidation in your whisky...
There are 2 things you can do to help this a bit - But neither will
completely restore it fully.

1) First thing to do, is to add a dash of cold water to your shot:
This will help "wake up" the whisky, allowing the oxidization to
partially dissipate.

2) Open the bottle for a few minutes several times over a week's time:
By allowing a moderate amount of air to be exchanged, I have noticed
that slightly oxidized whiskies do much better after going through this
process.

Cheers,
Walter C Hurst
wchurst@hotmail.com

HMMM...I'm drinking Macallan 12 and listening to Damien Rice. Now that IS a nice combo... :D

This is an incredible post and the descriptions you give are the exact kind I wish all whisky aficionados would use, instead of the spices, flowers and all that wrack most of the recent reviews I've been reading lately.
Also thank you for helping me to at least partially understand that iodine is possibly something I like quite a bit, as I love

Don't disservice yourself by judging Islay malts from Chivas, Dewar's and Johnny Walker. I gave away the only bottle of JW I've ever bought and it was Black Label.
If you get a chance, try a taste of Laphroaig 10, and give it a few days of small samplings to see if your palate adjusts to it, as mine did. Now one of my favorites.
Whiskies I don't like seem to become normally drinkable with a few ice cubes added.