Irish or Scottish blends - What do you prefer?

[Mr Fjeld]

It's time to decide what's best - the Johnnie Walkers or the Jamesons!
Will it be the JW Black or the Jameson 12, The JW Blue or the Midleton Very Rare?

I haven't specified the various blends simply because they are in different price brackets and it would be unfair to classify the cheaper with the more expensive blends.

On basis of what I've tried myself I think I have a preference for irish blends. Jameson 12 is a winner in my view!

[bamber]

Agreed. For me this is not a contest.

[les taylor]

I'm with the guys above, Irish blends do it for me. Scotch blends go well with mixers though.

[Deactivated Member]

I'm not sure you can generalize - there is so much variability in quality within both catagories.

[maverick]

I haven't had too much experience with blended whiskeys, I have only bought two bottles Jameson 12 and J. walker red although I've had a number of drams of blended and the only irish I really like is jameson 12, I don't like Tully dew and Paddy is quite disgusting.

On the Scotish side, Chivas 18 is the best I've tried although it doesn't come close to jameson 12, Ballentine's Finest isn't to much to talk about, it reminds me of some kind of medicine. And to me Famous Grouse is the worst in the world, The only place I've had it is up in the air on a plane, because that's the only thing you get up there. And th J. walker red is alright but nothing special.

So if I comepare the best of scottish with the best irish the irish wins. If I for some reason had to choose between the worst of the two I still would go for the Irish, som the winner for me here is the IRISH.

[Lawrence]

I'm not sure you can generalize - there is so much variability in quality within both catagories.

I agree with Nick, both are also both different flavour profiles, they're not designed to taste the same.

[Oliver]

I'll take the middleton over the JW Blue any day. Actually I'd take the JW red over the blue (assuming I can't resell the stuff, obviously). JW blue is a status blend, not a drinking one; I call it a big ripoff.
That said, I usually prefer a Scotch blend over an Irish blend, as I find them more challenging.
It depends on your mood of course, but I do find that the quality of some Irish blends have been goiing downhill, alas.
Blackbush is no longer the sherried delight it used to be, and a recent purchase of Power's was very, very disapointing --despite its good price.
So now more than ever, its Scotch over Iris --though I miss crested ten, which we can't get here in the country with no name.

[Aidan]

Well, of course I think a good Irish blend is better than most single malts, from anywhere.

[Drammer]

In my experience, scottish drams are best enjoyed as single malts, and irish drams are best enjoyed as blends.

I think it's moslty due to the smooth character of Irish whiskies due to the triple distillation.

I just think most of the scottish blends are crap, JWR, Ballantines, Chivas, J&B, Cutty Sark, Famous Grouse, neither of these can tickle my fancy.

Tullamore Dew, Jameson, Bushmills are all pretty good I think.

To every rule there are exeptions of course,
I quite enjoy drinking Té Bheagh, I like anything up and including green label.

And paddys is just drain cleaner.

[maverick]

JW blue is a status blend, not a drinking one; I call it a big ripoff.

Thanks for the heads up oliver, I was jus about to go out and get it but now I think I'll go for a dram (maybe) instead!

[Scotched]

My only experience of Irish whiskey is a few drams of Jameson when I first started drinking whisky. At the time I thought it better than the scotch blends I'd had but since then I've found it to be a bit bland. Easy drinking and pleasant enough but I'd rather have a glass of JW Black.

On the other hand, I really would like to try a few of the Irish malts some day soon.

[irishwhiskeychaser]

My only experience of Irish whiskey is a few drams of Jameson when I first started drinking whisky. At the time I thought it better than the scotch blends I'd had but since then I've found it to be a bit bland. Easy drinking and pleasant enough but I'd rather have a glass of JW Black.

On the other hand, I really would like to try a few of the Irish malts some day soon.

Try a Jameson 12yo you'll find that eventhough it is smooth it is also a rich dram ...... the problem with Jameson regular is they make millions of bottles of it ever year

[irishwhiskeychaser]

, Bushmills are all pretty good I think.

To every rule there are exeptions of course,
I quite enjoy drinking Té Bheagh, I like anything up and including green label.

And paddys is just drain cleaner.

I have a bottle of Té bheag ready to go too so hopeully it is a good 'un as I was very dissapointed by Black Bottle. So I'll hold my breath.


But yes Irish blends once you get over the 25.00Euro mark are in general very very good which I can't say for Scotch.