just a little help from your friends (1 Viewer)

[pipelinecosby]

Scotch and water.

I've had a rule with each time I've sat at a bar with my(a) girl, I'd ask for a scotch and water. Most times I was disappointed from both parties. anyway, find yourself a good liqueurman and gets his recommendation for a good everyday drinking whiskey...

 

[Purple Stickpin]

Scotch: Lagavulin, Laphroaig or Talisker. On a bad day, Balvenie will do in a pinch. Add no more water than can drip off of your wet finger (preferably wet from the tap, but hey, knock yourself out).
Blended whisky is tolerable when slumming it, such as the free, tapped Dewars one gets in Vegas when emptying one's wallet into coffers unknown (but suspected).
Irish whiskey is bread and water, and Jameson fits the bill.
I would never ask a barkeep's advice on this. I walk in prepared. Or better yet, drink at home.

 

[BUKFAN78]

Drink at home, never disappointed.

 

[Bruno Dante]

I would say good blended Scotch is a nice drink. I'm a single malt man myself, on the whole, but a really nice blended Scotch is a nicer drink than a very average single malt (I'm not sure there's such a thing as a bad single malt). The trouble is that most blended Scotch is pretty shitty because it has a high proportion of grain whisky and it isn't aged for very long. Despite the huge market for single malts and 'high-end' blends, most whisky ends up this way. Stuff like Famous Grouse, Grants and Bell's are pretty rough but if you go for something a bit more expensive like Johnnie Walker Black label or Chivas Regal then you can't go far wrong. Basically what I'm getting at is that even is you're a single malt buff you're missing out on some damn fine whiskies if you think all blends are sub-standard by comparison.

 

[jordan]

talisker is my favorite peated whisky at a young age; 18 and up, it tips to laphroaig or highland park. for something lighter, glenmorangie 18 is one of my favorites, as are the single barrel Balvenies (not the doublewood, which is inoffensive but fairly entry-level stuff). if you can afford to splurge, try a 25 or 30 year highland park - those are my two favorite whiskies i have ever tried. i prefer most whisky neat, unless it's cask strength.

 

[Bruno Dante]

Not that I don't like Talisker 10 but the Talisker 18 is fantastic I think. I preferred it to Laphroaig 18. I think Laphroaig Quartercask is much better value. It's younger but matured is smaller casks (hence the name). It's pretty 'full on'. I actually think Highland Park 12 is really nice but I haven't had the older ones. As for Glenmorangie, I really like the ones with different finishes. My favourite is Nectar D'or which is the one which spends the final period of maturation in Sauterne barrels. As for Balvenie, I really like the Doublewood for a Speyside malt. I liked the one they did with a Rum cask finish too. If we're talking about stuff which is widely available I think Lagavulin 16 is my absolute favourite. I've had their 12 year old cask strength ones a few times too. Actually got a bottle for my birthday of the latter which I haven't cracked open yet. The best whisky I've ever bought was an independent bottling of cask strength Caol Ila which was 30 years old. It was so nice it lasted about a week so I bought another bottle. When I went back for a third they were sold out.