Just Starting

What would the forum recommend for someone who is interested in single malt whisky? Thank you in advance.

Highland Park 12 year old

[jwise]

If you like blended whiskies, but want to get into the Single Malts, then I would try some with this in mind:

Highland/Speyside whiskies will offer you the same kind of Scotch flavor you are used to, but in a more refined, smoother, and more complex way. Try Dalwhinnie 15yr, Glenrothes 1991, Balvenie 15yr, or Macallan Fine Oak for the good ones.

For something "more", I would recommend the sherried whiskies, as they add a layer of sweet honey to the whisky, noticeable more on the nose than the palate, but still there nonetheless. These would be the Macallan 12yr Sherry Finish, Balvenie 12yr Doublewood, Aberlour 12yr Double Cask, and Glenfarclas 10yr. It was this genre that really made me glad I switched to single malts.

In the same vein as the sherried whiskies are the wood finished whiskies. These would include the Sherry Casked mentioned above, but would also include the Portwood, Rum Cask, Madeira, etc... Auchetoshan Three Wood would be a good choice, or the Glenmorangie 12yr offerings: Lasanta, Quinta Ruban, & Nectar D'or. The best of them is the Balvenie 21yr Portwood.

Getting away from the Speyside/Highland region, the other regions of Scotland produce some amazing whiskies with very different flavor profiles. I would start out in the north, on the Isle of Orkney with a Highland Park 12yr. After you have tried that, go West and try the Oban 14, or Talisker 10yr. After you have enjoyed those, go ahead and plunge into the Islay whiskies with Ardbeg, Laphroaig, Lagavulin, and Bowmore.