Want to try single malt

by **Sink** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 6:46 pm

me and a couple of my friends want to try a single malt scotch. The problem is that we have know idea which one to try. We tried some JW black label and that didn't taste too good. So we were just wondering how to go about this.

Sink

by **lexvo** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 7:13 pm

Try a smooth one as Balvenie DoubleWood or Glenmorangie 10yo.

My first single malt was Balvenie DW and it is still one of my favourites.

by **Sink** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 7:23 pm

yea, after all that I have read most people seem to like to start off with the Balvenie DoubleWood, Laphroaig 10 or the Aberlour 10yr. but I have know idea which one to try first or how to try it.

Sink

by **Lord_Pfaffin** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 9:21 pm

Sink wrote:yea, after all that I have read most people seem to like to start off with the Balvenie DoubleWood, Laphroaig 10 or the Aberlour 10yr. but I have know idea which one to try first or how to try it.

Sink

Balvenie DW is a smooth honey-vanilla-sweet style, Laphroaig is a wonderfully smooth peated whisky that i feel suffers from the tincture of iodine in the taste and the Aberlour 10 tastes like cheep crud, IMHO.
I believe Ardbeg 10 to be an affordable outstanding Islay a better choice over the Laphroaig if you are going to have more than a couple of glasses in a single sitting.
The Dalwhinnie 15yo is a reasonably priced velvety smooth Speysider you might want to consider.
Find yourself a good whisky glass and pour and sip, refill when glass empty, when bottle empty, reload. :wink:

Welcome to the forum Sink!

by **Virginia Gentleman** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 11:24 pm

Glenfiddich Special Reserve aged 12 years is a good malt for a beginner. It is cheap and easy to find. I don't care for it but most of my friends who are not Scotch drinkers don't mind that one.

by **Virginia Gentleman** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 11:29 pm

Sink wrote:yea, after all that I have read most people seem to like to start off with the Balvenie DoubleWood, Laphroaig 10 or the Aberlour 10yr. but I have know idea which one to try first or how to try it.

Sink

Of those I would think the Aberlour 10 would be the best to start out on. I would be really surprised if you liked the Laphroaig.

by **Snifter** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 11:54 pm

Where to start on such a subject as...where to start with whisky!!?!?!

}:o)

One of my personal favorites..........go for The MacAllan...simply gorgeous !!

And I agree that not only Laphroig or any of the Islay whiskys are....not the easiest to drink but worth the effort !!!!!!

Snifter

by **WhiskyHill** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 1:36 am

I'm surprised no one had mentioned Glenmorangie 10. It's about the best malt value around. Very easy to drink, affordable and widely available.

by **MGillespie** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 2:00 am

I'd agree with that selection for a single malt virgin...the Laphroaig might be too much for a beginner, and the MacAllan (regular version) might throw you off with the sherry taste. The Balvenie Doublewood and Aberlour 10 would be good choices.

Best bet...find a bar near you that has a good selection of single malts and spend some time there before you start buying bottles...

Good luck!

Mark

by **arnehd** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 2:25 am

I started out with Glen Grant ( the cheapest one available at the next supermarket ) and it was great fun , even though I don't remember much of the next day (or the previous one). But why not go try the ones which stand out from the rest? Ardbeg , Laphroaig or the Aberlour a'bunadh come to my mind , and they differ lots from my other first experiences , but hey afterall I'm a beginner myself ! But whatever you do, do not give up, there is a drink for everyone outthere .
cheers, arne

by **bjorn** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 3:38 am

Laphroaig 10 was my first foray into smsw and it won over me and the 2 friends who shared the bottle with me.

bjorn

by **Deactivated Member** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 4:03 am

WhiskyHill wrote:I'm surprised no one had mentioned Glenmorangie 10.

lexvo did.

Sink, you might try buying a handful of minis and conducting a comparative tasting. If you can find a more experienced Scotch drinker to guide you, you will get more from the experience. There are also sets of three minis from Balvenie (10, 12, 15), Glenfiddich (12, 15, 18) and Bruichladdich (10, 15, 17) that make good introductions, and also mini sets of the six Classic Malts and some others that give you an idea of the wide range of flavors available in single malts. Once you get the hang of it, you will be amazed at the seemingly endless variation. Some people find they like certain things more than others, and some like to experience the whole range--most of the folks here come close to the latter than the former, and if this thread lasts long enough, you will probably be recommended to about everything out there eventually. Keep an open mind and keep trying.

Where do you live? (Not the kitchen, I hope.) Specific recommendations depend on what's available, which varies from place to place.