newbie....help!

[leesie86]

I would like to know a good scotch to buy for a father's day gift. Preferably under $100. The husband has been into cigars for a few years now and is now looking to get into scotch. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

[opelfruit]

The Dalmore produce a scotch specifically to compliment fine Cigars - The Dalmore Cigar Malt. It may be in the budget....it goes well with cigars but it's not really a great whisky...it's ok, but there are much much better.

If he likes the sweet smokey flavour of a good Cigar and wants to start with something similar (and would live up to a cigar at the same time) then I'd suggest going straight for a plain old Ardbeg 10 year old. Wonderful, and well under budget.

There are better Ardbegs which are more expensive but probably not a good place to start, they are a little more acquired


Another good punt would be a Lagavulin 16 year old - again a very high quality smokey dram.

BEWARE: these are Islay malts and are very flavourful and smokey, so if this isn't what you think he's like then steer clear for starter/newby as they can put some people off.

[jwise]

There are no less than a hundred excellent whiskies under $100.

Do you have any idea what he has had before and enjoyed?

Without knowing any details about his taste, I will recommend my "crowd pleaser" recommendation: Aberlour 18yr. It has the smoothness and profile of Macallan 18, but at nearly half the price ($80-90).

Or try the Dalmore Cigar Malt. I love cigars and was given a botte as a gift. I thought it was really thoughtful and a very good whisky.

I now prefer the Dalmore 15 to the Cigar Malt, but marketing is marketing!

[jwise]

That's funny-we both mentioned the cigar malt! Like he said, the new cigar malt is not the best out there, even in Dalmore's own lineup. The 15yr, however, is great! It's around $60-70.

I like the suggestion of a fuller profile malt for a cigar smoker, as I myself prefer a more robust whisky when burning one down. However, I would never suggest an Islay (Ardbeg, Lagavulin, laphroaig, etc...) as a present to a new scotch drinker. Let him taste those first, before a bottle is purchase, especially as a gift.

For something more full flavor than Aberlour, try Highland Park 18 or Bunnahabhain 18. Both come in right under your budget, and both are great, full flavor whiskies that don't scare people away.

[opelfruit]

Agreed, Ardbeg 10 could give a "cigar lover" a similar and familar profile, but is a bit risky.

Shame they reformulated the Cigar malt, the old one was a much better whisky...

yeah, maybe something like an old Bunna would stand up better.