About two years ago this thread got me all amped up and started on a rather expensive but very enjoyable Scotch journey. I still consider myself to be very much a noob with an unrefined palate despite having sampled some 40 or 50 or so different Scotches over that time period. I tossed up a post around this time last year with some random thoughts and figured I would do an annual follow up this year. This thread has been a huge help to me in guiding me to some fantastic Scotches and I owe many thanks to many contributors.
Good starting point – to echo a lot of advice in this thread I still believe Balvenie Doublewood to be a great and easy intro
Good starting point for peat/smoke – Highland Park and Talisker 10
Very fun peat/smoke/sherry mix – Ardbeg Uigeadail
Good point for jumping two feet into peat/smoke – Lagavulin 16 remains my fave but Laphroaig Quarter Cask is still growing on me and is much more affordable. As a bit of a sherry-hound, both of these horrified my nose and palate at first.
Great value – Auchentoshan 12, Glendronach 12, Balvenie Doublewood, Aberlour 10
Fun with Cask strength – Aberlour A’bunadh! Must love sherried drams.
My faves to date – Macallan 18, Balvenie PortWood, Tullibardine 1988 Vintage, Hart Brothers Littlemill 19, Glenmorangie Nectar D’or
Biggest disappointment to date - Tullibardine Port Wood still holds this title for me
Dead soldiers, RIP, I will miss you all: Balvenie Doublewood, Balvenie Portwood 21, Caol Ila 1991 17 y/o Murray McDavid, Dalwhinnie 15, Glenfarclas 25, Glenfiddich Snow Phoenix, Glenlivet 18, Glenmorangie, Glenmorangie Nectar D’or, Glenrothes 1985, Gordon & MacPhail Glen Grant 25, Hart Brothers Littlemill 19, Highland Park 15 & 18, Lagavulin 16, Macallan 12, Macallan Fine Oak 15, Oban 14, Tullibardine 1988 Vintage
Still at it (or at it again, or again again): Aberlour 10, Aberlour A’bunadh Batch 33, Ardbeg Uigaedail, Auchentoshan 12, Balvenie 12 Signature, Balvenie Caribbean Cask, Balvenie Single Barrel 15, Bowmore 12, Compass Box Spice Tree, Glendronach 12, Glenfiddich 15, Glenlivet Archive 21, Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban, Highland Park 12, Jameson 12, Laphroaig Quarter Cask, Longrow 10, Macallan 12 & 18, Macallan Cask Strength, Smokehead, Springbank 12 cask strength, Springbank 15, Talisker 10,
Untapped recruits waiting to be tried: Amrut Fusion, Auchentoshan Triple Wood, Benriach 15 Dark Rum Finish, Bowmore Darkest 15, Bowmore Laimrig 15, Bowmore Tempest, Duncan Taylor Rare Auld Cragganmore 18, Glen Garioch Founders Reserve, Glenrothes 1995, Nikka Yoichi 10, Redbreast 12, Tomatin 18, Tyrconnell, plus a number of bourbons and ryes
It is always amazing to me how much my appreciation for any given Scotch changes over time. There are plenty which I didn’t really appreciate, or downright disliked, on my initial introduction which have grown on me by leaps and bounds over time. My current all time fave is still Macallan 18 and to me initially it tasted just like any other sherried dram, most of the others which come at a fraction of the cost. The Balvenie Portwood was initially disappointing but really only because I was expecting so much from it – I revisited it only very recently and am now completely in love. The Tullibardine 1988 Vintage I mentioned above as a favourite was very underwhelming to me initially but the last half of the bottle blew my mind. Scotch is strange that way and the relative enjoyment from any given sample can seemingly change dramatically from day to day. I guess my point is just to try as many different flavour profiles as you possibly can and if there are some you do not like…try them again later, they just might surprise you. On that note, I probably owe the Tullibardine Port Wood another try as I’m sure it will eventually grow on me. Hopefully.
Thanks again to all in this thread and please pardon the novel.