Suggestion for a Beginner

Hey guys,

I am new at single malt whisky. By new I mean I have never had any. I have always been a fan of bourbon but recently started drinking some Johnie Walker Black and Green (I'm a huge fan of the green and I get it cheap at the local military exchange).

My wife bought me a fairly large gift certificate for the local spirits store and I'm trying to decide what to spend it on. I have $250 to work with and I'd like to get 4-5 whiskys that run the spectrum.

This is what I'm looking at so far:

Yamakazi 12yr
Macallan 12yr
Highland Park 12yr
Ardburg 10yr or Bowmore 12yr

What do you experts think? What suggestions would you make?

As a huge peat lover, I would definitily suggest you own a bottle of Laphroaig 10 yr. (runs about $46-$55 a bottle). Excellent example of Islay whisky, and very very distictive in both smell and taste.

[powderhound]

Originally Posted by coastieducks

Hey guys,

I am new at single malt whisky. By new I mean I have never had any. I have always been a fan of bourbon but recently started drinking some Johnie Walker Black and Green (I'm a huge fan of the green and I get it cheap at the local military exchange).

My wife bought me a fairly large gift certificate for the local spirits store and I'm trying to decide what to spend it on. I have $250 to work with and I'd like to get 4-5 whiskys that run the spectrum.

This is what I'm looking at so far:

Yamakazi 12yr
Macallan 12yr
Highland Park 12yr
Ardburg 10yr or Bowmore 12yr

What do you experts think? What suggestions would you make?

Both the Yamazaki 12 yr and Bowmore 12yr are two of my favorites. The Bowmore is an Islay, and has such has a very peaty flavor.

The Yamazaki is a very clean, crisp, refreshing whisky.

Another good one to try in that range is the Balvenie 12 year doublewood.

And if you like smoky, peaty whiskys at all, you should at least try Laphroaig 10 year - It's an either love/hate whisky - but it's an adventure at the very least. Smoke, seaweed, iodine, and malt sweetness.

[jwise]

I have recently done something similar! I would recommend a Lowland, Speyside, Island, and Islay.

I would suggest an Auchentoshan 10yr or Glenkinchie for the Lowland; a Highland Park 12yr for the Island (Orkney Island); Balvenie/Glenrothes/Dalwhinnie for a Speyside; and Bowmore for an Islay.

To change stuff up, you can add an Aberlour 12yr for a wood-finished malt (sherried), to see how that affects a whisky. I might suggest this one instead of the Lowland, as a Lowland is really just a whisky that tastes like a vodka (lots of alcohol, very little flavor!)

Happy shopping!

So I went today and picked up the following whiskies:

Balvenie Doublewood 12yr
Macallan 12yr
Yamakazi 12yr
Laphroaig 10yr

I'm super excited.

[jwise]

Excellent choices!!

Let us all know what you think about them!

Today I have found in local store the bottle of Ballantine's Signature 19 years old (price is about 100 EUR).
I can't find any information about this bottling. Could anyone help me?

[Andriko34]

I like Balvenie Glenmorangie,Glenlivet,Glenfiddich.I am also a collector of single malt whisky , what advice would you give me?