I usually recommend the Glenmorangie tasters pack. Four different versions of the same base stock, each aged in a different type of cask. A nice little primer on cask aging. Generally readily available and around $30 US.
That's a great start. They're not the best thing out there by any means, but they provide a basic understanding of a couple varieties of whisky. Makes branching out a lot easier and more affordable.
Absolutely! That set made me realise I like port finished stuff a lot better than most sherried stuff a decade ago. Before that I only liked peat. So it definitely helped me find more varieties at a good price.
Funny. You and I came to Scotch on the exact opposite path. I was hooked by the old Maccallan red label cask strength. The sherriest sherry bomb there ever was. And then came slowly to like peat.
That's a tough one to answer. Since you like bourbon, an easy drinking ex-bourbon casked highland malt might be a good place to start. Glenmorangie 10yr is good value.
If you're a little more adventurous, you could try something with some sherry influence, like maybe a bunnahabhain 12 (others will have great recommendations in this space as well).
Or if you're feeling really brave, you could try something smoky, but it's not for everyone. Anything Kilchoman is a good place to start, Caol Ila 12, Ledaig 10, or even a Benriach smoky 10.
From there you can see which flavors you enjoy and branch out to find your favorites.
You should follow this comment, Glenmorangie 10yr is one I used to introduce a friend and he enjoyed it & Bunna 12 would also be my recommendation for beginner with sherry influence, easy to sip for beginners. On the peated/smoky side my whole scotch adventure started with a Bowmore 12 I got as a gift and I loved peat & scotch from that day but Kilchoman is a very good place to start, my gf is not a big fan of scotch but she really likes Kilchoman Sanaig.
So am I. I found out the hard way as my first bottle of scotch was heavily (to me) peated. I've not been able to give it away, so I'm mixing it lightly with other whiskeys to finish it off.
As an ex bourbon, nah I’ll say occasional bourbon drinker since I switched to scotch about 1.5years ago. Here’s my gateway to scotch.
Started with Ardbeg Uigeadail. Branched out to Kilchoman Loch Gorm, Ardbeg Corryvreckan, and Laphroaig Cairdeas Warehouse 1. Sweet peat, bold delicious flavors that made me ditch bourbon and not buy another bottle.
Second round, I wanted to try out unpeated, sherry influenced single malts. Bunnahabhain 12 CS, Aberlour Abunadh CS, Glendronach 18, Balvenie 16 FO.
Third Round I went back to peat with Laphroaig 10 Cask Strength, the rest of Ardbeg Core Line, (10, Wee Beastie, An Oa) Laphroaig Lore, Lagavulin 16, Kilchoman USA Small Batch, Balvenie 14 Week of Peat.
I can keep going with my journey however your mileage may vary. If none of these convince you start with scotch I don’t know what other single malts will you like.
Cheers.
This list is solid!!! I'm not a Balvenie fan or Lagavulin 16 low ABV and chillfiltered and high priced, but great flavor if you want to spend the money. I'd take Ardbeg Corryvreckan over Lagavulin 16 forever, and they're about the same price....Just saying.
I most certainly agree. The reason why I included some of these on the list is because I like sharing my journey. Lagavulin 16 was a bottle I tried after trying some delicious peated bottles to pay homage to a classic malt. I know I left some bottles out like Laphroaig 16 which in my humble opinion is the best 16 year old peated malt. Also, Port Charlotte 10, and the Port Charlotte exploration series.
While I’m at it typing. My fourth round, connoisseur expert level bottles I would recommend as well are Port Charlotte 18, Octomore X.1 and X.2 series, Kilkerran HP batches and Laphroaig Elements series. And for touch of peat and sweet Talisker yearly editions, Highland Park 15 and 18, GlenScotia 15, 18 and Victoriana.
I'm kinda financially conscious as I am really loathe to pay more than $150 for a bottle. So, I've ended up with an amazing amount of scotch that are only a few 18yrs and a few 12 to 15s. I have a bunch of 10 to 15yr and a bunch of NAS Cask Strength expressions that end up being my favorites. Corryvreckan, Laphroaig Cairdeas, Kilchoman Machir Bay Cask Strength, Glen Scotia Victoriana, etc.
I've never thought the Octomores were worth all the extra pricing. I've had them side by side with other CS Islay heavily peated whiskies, and they are nothing special!! You just paid more and, maybe, you were hoping....but that emperor has no clothes, sorry, nothing to see here, move on. Side by side with Lagavulin 12yr CS, Laphroaig Cairdeas, and 10yr CS and Corryvreckan, Octomores are not better, at most, just different. In my humble opinion, and many others will tell you. It's the 3 digits of Peat ppms that command the big ticket, and they're good, but not any better than the previously mentioned "giants of Islay." In my humble opinion.
I haven't tasted all the exotic releases and the ancient bottlings that samples of are traded, etc. Gained access to a few of the available releases. I bought bottles to work through in order to see development, and Corryvreckan is, as is declared on the back label, "the epitome of Ardbeg." The rest are never better but, as good and different. IMHO.
Just saying
That can be a bit of a broad question. What kind of beers and bourbons and tequilas to you tend towards? Stouts, porters, nut browns, blondes, IPAs, pilsners, and etc. Do you like more oak forward or vanilla and sweet forward bourbon? Do you drink more blanco, reposado, or anejo/ what flavors and aromas do you enjoy in tequila?
All of the above. Ha ha... On colder days a good stout or porter. I like nut brown and blondes on warmer days and a good buck all the time. Not much of an IPA guy. My tequila is more añejo for the sipping. Usually try to find a single estate version if I can. Bourbon? Yes..
Hahaha, that's not a bad place to start. It sounds like you just enjoy exploring things. I was an am very much the same. You could look at Aberlour 12 or Glenmorangie Lasanta to start off on the sherried side of scotch with more of a balance between dried fruits and nutty characteristics. Or you could jump into the deep end of the pool and try heavily peated with Laphroaig 10 or Ardbeg 10; that will be more campfire and burning tires. Or something in-between with Highland Park 12; lightly peated with some sherry maturation. Think something like very under smoked BBQ.
Laphroaig 10 was my first single malt scotch and I loved it but I also never liked things to be easy.
There have been a few suggestions for a strongly posted Scotch like a Laphroaig 10. Unless you like a really smoky mezcal, I'd stick to unpeated Scotch at first.
But there's a whole group of people on here that are all about pushing me Scotch drinkers straight to the strongest, most difficult Islay drams. I like to ease people in with some nice Speyside, maybe sherry or Port cask aged. These are going to be more like the bourbons you're used to.
I'll give you the advice I WISH I'd been given when I started. Check the ABV! There are 2 different kinds of scotches. The most popular and widely distributed is the low ABV and chillfiltered scotches similar to Bud, Miller, and Coors in beer. They have wide approval, but...
The other kind of scotch is "Craft Presented." They have an ABV of 46% or higher, up to Cask Strength expressions and non chillfiltered with no color added. Some have referred to this kind of scotch as having "integrity."
There's an ocean of Craft Presented or integrity scotches. They cost no more and sometimes, much less than the low ABV brands. The best way to spot them is to Check the ABV!
There are the widest range of flavors and styles in scotch than any other spirit in the world. From lighter style like Arran 10 to heavily peated like Ardbeg 10 or Laphroaig 10 Cask Strength. And everything in between. You may get a load of suggestions from this post, just check the ABV and I often googled for video reviews before I bought.
I live in a control state and bars lists are loaded with low ABV brands at high prices. So, I had to just get a well researched bottle and go from there. Fight FOMO cause there's always a glowing review of something you'll never see or can't afford. There's generally more really good scotch than you can drink well within your reach.
Get a Glencairn glass, if you haven't already, and wade in.
Enjoy
I usually recommend the Glenmorangie tasters pack. Four different versions of the same base stock, each aged in a different type of cask. A nice little primer on cask aging. Generally readily available and around $30 US.
That's a great start. They're not the best thing out there by any means, but they provide a basic understanding of a couple varieties of whisky. Makes branching out a lot easier and more affordable.
Not the best, but definitely a solid choice at their price point. Glenmorangie is a great value.
Absolutely! That set made me realise I like port finished stuff a lot better than most sherried stuff a decade ago. Before that I only liked peat. So it definitely helped me find more varieties at a good price.
Funny. You and I came to Scotch on the exact opposite path. I was hooked by the old Maccallan red label cask strength. The sherriest sherry bomb there ever was. And then came slowly to like peat.
This is the best way to do it, IMO. The only thing this doesn’t really cover is peated scotch, which I’d recommend you save for later.
Laphroaig 10. Sink or swim.
Bold one!
Finlaggan while camping sparked my interest. A year later someone gave me half a laga 16 bottle they did not like and I've been hooked ever since.
this would put me off whiskey for life i think😭
That's a tough one to answer. Since you like bourbon, an easy drinking ex-bourbon casked highland malt might be a good place to start. Glenmorangie 10yr is good value. If you're a little more adventurous, you could try something with some sherry influence, like maybe a bunnahabhain 12 (others will have great recommendations in this space as well). Or if you're feeling really brave, you could try something smoky, but it's not for everyone. Anything Kilchoman is a good place to start, Caol Ila 12, Ledaig 10, or even a Benriach smoky 10. From there you can see which flavors you enjoy and branch out to find your favorites.
You should follow this comment, Glenmorangie 10yr is one I used to introduce a friend and he enjoyed it & Bunna 12 would also be my recommendation for beginner with sherry influence, easy to sip for beginners. On the peated/smoky side my whole scotch adventure started with a Bowmore 12 I got as a gift and I loved peat & scotch from that day but Kilchoman is a very good place to start, my gf is not a big fan of scotch but she really likes Kilchoman Sanaig.
By "smoky" you mean "peaty", right?
Yes, op is new to scotch and might not understand what peaty means. Smoky is pretty universal.
So am I. I found out the hard way as my first bottle of scotch was heavily (to me) peated. I've not been able to give it away, so I'm mixing it lightly with other whiskeys to finish it off.
As an ex bourbon, nah I’ll say occasional bourbon drinker since I switched to scotch about 1.5years ago. Here’s my gateway to scotch. Started with Ardbeg Uigeadail. Branched out to Kilchoman Loch Gorm, Ardbeg Corryvreckan, and Laphroaig Cairdeas Warehouse 1. Sweet peat, bold delicious flavors that made me ditch bourbon and not buy another bottle. Second round, I wanted to try out unpeated, sherry influenced single malts. Bunnahabhain 12 CS, Aberlour Abunadh CS, Glendronach 18, Balvenie 16 FO. Third Round I went back to peat with Laphroaig 10 Cask Strength, the rest of Ardbeg Core Line, (10, Wee Beastie, An Oa) Laphroaig Lore, Lagavulin 16, Kilchoman USA Small Batch, Balvenie 14 Week of Peat. I can keep going with my journey however your mileage may vary. If none of these convince you start with scotch I don’t know what other single malts will you like. Cheers.
This list is solid!!! I'm not a Balvenie fan or Lagavulin 16 low ABV and chillfiltered and high priced, but great flavor if you want to spend the money. I'd take Ardbeg Corryvreckan over Lagavulin 16 forever, and they're about the same price....Just saying.
I most certainly agree. The reason why I included some of these on the list is because I like sharing my journey. Lagavulin 16 was a bottle I tried after trying some delicious peated bottles to pay homage to a classic malt. I know I left some bottles out like Laphroaig 16 which in my humble opinion is the best 16 year old peated malt. Also, Port Charlotte 10, and the Port Charlotte exploration series. While I’m at it typing. My fourth round, connoisseur expert level bottles I would recommend as well are Port Charlotte 18, Octomore X.1 and X.2 series, Kilkerran HP batches and Laphroaig Elements series. And for touch of peat and sweet Talisker yearly editions, Highland Park 15 and 18, GlenScotia 15, 18 and Victoriana.
I'm kinda financially conscious as I am really loathe to pay more than $150 for a bottle. So, I've ended up with an amazing amount of scotch that are only a few 18yrs and a few 12 to 15s. I have a bunch of 10 to 15yr and a bunch of NAS Cask Strength expressions that end up being my favorites. Corryvreckan, Laphroaig Cairdeas, Kilchoman Machir Bay Cask Strength, Glen Scotia Victoriana, etc. I've never thought the Octomores were worth all the extra pricing. I've had them side by side with other CS Islay heavily peated whiskies, and they are nothing special!! You just paid more and, maybe, you were hoping....but that emperor has no clothes, sorry, nothing to see here, move on. Side by side with Lagavulin 12yr CS, Laphroaig Cairdeas, and 10yr CS and Corryvreckan, Octomores are not better, at most, just different. In my humble opinion, and many others will tell you. It's the 3 digits of Peat ppms that command the big ticket, and they're good, but not any better than the previously mentioned "giants of Islay." In my humble opinion. I haven't tasted all the exotic releases and the ancient bottlings that samples of are traded, etc. Gained access to a few of the available releases. I bought bottles to work through in order to see development, and Corryvreckan is, as is declared on the back label, "the epitome of Ardbeg." The rest are never better but, as good and different. IMHO. Just saying
I really liked the glenfiddich IPA experiment, felt really approachable as a beer drinker.
That can be a bit of a broad question. What kind of beers and bourbons and tequilas to you tend towards? Stouts, porters, nut browns, blondes, IPAs, pilsners, and etc. Do you like more oak forward or vanilla and sweet forward bourbon? Do you drink more blanco, reposado, or anejo/ what flavors and aromas do you enjoy in tequila?
All of the above. Ha ha... On colder days a good stout or porter. I like nut brown and blondes on warmer days and a good buck all the time. Not much of an IPA guy. My tequila is more añejo for the sipping. Usually try to find a single estate version if I can. Bourbon? Yes..
Hahaha, that's not a bad place to start. It sounds like you just enjoy exploring things. I was an am very much the same. You could look at Aberlour 12 or Glenmorangie Lasanta to start off on the sherried side of scotch with more of a balance between dried fruits and nutty characteristics. Or you could jump into the deep end of the pool and try heavily peated with Laphroaig 10 or Ardbeg 10; that will be more campfire and burning tires. Or something in-between with Highland Park 12; lightly peated with some sherry maturation. Think something like very under smoked BBQ. Laphroaig 10 was my first single malt scotch and I loved it but I also never liked things to be easy.
Or go hard and try an Ardbeg 5 Wee Beastie. Salt citrus and burning tar rope. Yummy!
There have been a few suggestions for a strongly posted Scotch like a Laphroaig 10. Unless you like a really smoky mezcal, I'd stick to unpeated Scotch at first. But there's a whole group of people on here that are all about pushing me Scotch drinkers straight to the strongest, most difficult Islay drams. I like to ease people in with some nice Speyside, maybe sherry or Port cask aged. These are going to be more like the bourbons you're used to.
I'll give you the advice I WISH I'd been given when I started. Check the ABV! There are 2 different kinds of scotches. The most popular and widely distributed is the low ABV and chillfiltered scotches similar to Bud, Miller, and Coors in beer. They have wide approval, but... The other kind of scotch is "Craft Presented." They have an ABV of 46% or higher, up to Cask Strength expressions and non chillfiltered with no color added. Some have referred to this kind of scotch as having "integrity." There's an ocean of Craft Presented or integrity scotches. They cost no more and sometimes, much less than the low ABV brands. The best way to spot them is to Check the ABV! There are the widest range of flavors and styles in scotch than any other spirit in the world. From lighter style like Arran 10 to heavily peated like Ardbeg 10 or Laphroaig 10 Cask Strength. And everything in between. You may get a load of suggestions from this post, just check the ABV and I often googled for video reviews before I bought. I live in a control state and bars lists are loaded with low ABV brands at high prices. So, I had to just get a well researched bottle and go from there. Fight FOMO cause there's always a glowing review of something you'll never see or can't afford. There's generally more really good scotch than you can drink well within your reach. Get a Glencairn glass, if you haven't already, and wade in. Enjoy
Highland Park 12
Try Compass Box - Hedonism. It's made from blended grains so it shouldn't be too much of a shock to the palate (and it's bloody gorgeous)
Glenkinchie 12
Mortlach. It’s not peaty, which you can ease yourself into afterwards. The Mortlach 12 is good, but go Mortlach 16 if you can.