Islay single malt as a gift - need help.

[Emma]

Hi all

I'm looking to get a bottle of whisky for my boyfriend for his birthday but I'm a bit lost on what to choose.

I know he likes single malt, and he's said before that the only real good ones come from Islay, so from reading around I guess he must like them quite peaty. I wanted to get him something that's a little bit obscure and was thinking perhaps the Caol Ila 12. However, if he's already quite into Islay whiskies then will this be 'punchy'(?) enough for him. He tends to like quite strong flavours. I don't really know what I'm talking about though, so was wondering whether anyone here would be able to help me out a bit?

Other options I came across were:

Caol Ila Cask Strength
Caol Ila 10
Ardbeg 10 (Corryvreckan/Uigeadail looked great but a bit out of my budget)
Lagavulin 16

I'm in the UK and my budget is around £35/40.

Thanks very much

-Emma

[Willie JJ]

Hi Emma, welcome to the forum. Any of the options that you mention would, I'm sure be acceptable except the Caol Ila 10yo which is an unpeated variant. Personally I would go for the Caol Ila cask strength. He may not have had it, its good and peaty and its cask strength to boot. It's better than the Caol Ila 12yo, I think, and is a definite recipe for success.

[matteo]

Hi Emma, I made a little search in Internet for you.
I am Italian but I know some "good" shop there in UK.
You could buy Laphroiag Quarter Cask @ Oddbins for only £25.99, a real bargains! see here for more reference
http://www.oddbins.com/products/productDetail.asp?productcode=13100

The taste is "sweetpeat".

Or, maybe, you could buy Springbank CV, around £30, it's not from Islay but from Campbeltown (near Islay). It's quite similar to Islay Malts but it differs having less peat, more similar to bonefire by the sea, little salty and seaweed; very good indeed.

Let us know what you buy and if he likes it
Choice on you now

[les taylor]

Hi Emma and welcome. Just to throw another idea at you. And that is Talisker it's an island malt and very well rated. The 10 year old is about £30 you sometimes see it reduced in supermarkets. I think sainsbury's has a fiver off it at the moment. Or you might consider the 18 year old, a bit more expensive at about £53. It was rated as the whisky of the year in 2007 so it does have a good pedigree.

[DavidUK]

I'd check to see what he has and what he doesn't t to start with. If he doesn't have the Lagavulin 16 that would definately be the one I'd go for.

[dramtastic]

Strickly going off your list for me it would be either the Laga 16 for a beautifully balanced Islay, of the CI cask strength for punch and full on flavour.

[Ganga]

The other option is to get a single cask bottling of Islay whisky through one of the online retailers. Young Laphroaigs bottled by Signatory are exceptional value.

[Charlie]

I would go for the Lagavulin 16, which can be bought at the top end of your price range. I also like the Lagavulin DE, which can cost a little more.

[matteo]

I would go for the Lagavulin 16, which can be bought at the top end of your price range. I also like the Lagavulin DE, which can cost a little more.

Lagavulin DE (DE stands for Distiller's Edition) is very good, peaty and little bit sherried...it's a good chocolate-mate

[bredman]

Hi Emma, this may be too late but i think you should get him the CI Natural Cask Strength, excellent quality and value.

[Swedish Chef]

This will be to late, but I'd get him a bottle of Longrow C.V..

[johan brugge]

I vote for the Laphroaig Quarter Cask. Full on flavour, wood, iodine. Very very good if you ask me. 'Bang for your buck' kind of whisky IMHO.

[lockejn]

This will be to late, but I'd get him a bottle of Longrow C.V..

I would second this - in opinion and tardiness.

[bredman]

This will be to late, but I'd get him a bottle of Longrow C.V..

I would second this - in opinion and tardiness.

Err, yeah ok me too. But off your list i'd go for my above recommendation.