>>7207822
Glenlivet 12, Dalmore 12, Macallan 18 (pricey, but worth it).

>>7207822
What did you think of your first purchase?

I bought a sherried whisky as my first bottle (mostly by guess work) and loved it. I've since tried smoky/peaty whisky and hated it. So I would suggest going careful with what you buy, as they are very different.

I just got a bottle of Dalwhinnie 15 as a present, which is my first bottle on unsherried single malt (ive had blends and bourbons though). Not tried it yet, but a lot of reviews say its good for beginners.

>>7207881
I really liked it, definitely smoother than anything else I've tried, drinking it neat is totally bearable for a novice. Glenfiddich 12 is the only other straight single malt I've tried that I enjoyed, laphroiag and glenlivet 12 was a little much and I had to water them a bit but they weren't too bad.

That's basically all I've tried so far.

>>7207822
I am not a scotch expert at all but when I do drink it I insist on Glenmorangie

>>7207927
I kind of stick to sherried whisky now (unless its a gift). There are some really good ones, but the best I've tried is Glendronach 15 yo Revival however thats been halted for the next few years so could be difficult to find.

Ralfy gives the Lasanta a good rating though https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-YkpzG9Q-M and he's well respected as a reviewer.

I really like whisky, but its expensive. I also really like bourbon, gin and spiced rum so its always a battle as to which to buy.

>>7207975
Haha, I know what you mean, I'm just going to keep one or two in the cupboard for occasions to make it last. I'll go through the mid-shelf gins and whiskies a little quicker.

>>7207822
>>7207857
Personally Id stay away from Glenlivet, mostly cause I recently had the Glenlivet 18 and the quality was absolutely dreadful. Dalmore uses an absurd amount of caramel colouring for its colour, but the taste should be... alright. The Macallan should be okay but again, like with the above two, theres a premium for the brand. If youre new you can always try 5, 20 or 35cl bottles instead of going all the way. Especially the known brands have these.

>>7207881
Dalwhinnie is what I gift to beginners cause of its slightly higher abv and absolute smoothness. Its actually pretty good, but too inoffensive for my tastes. What smoke and peat have you tried? Theres a large variety and some may rub you the wrong way where others would not.

>>7207927
What Laphroaig did you have?

>>7207975
Oh! Do you have anything more to say about the Glendronach? Ive been looking at it each time I pass it. If you like it keep an eye out for the Aberlour A'Bunadh, its an absolute sherry bomb and brilliant. Do look up the batch number before you purchase one though, I think its bullshit but havent confirmed, but people say the quality varies.

>>7208789
Do you watch ralfystuff whiskey reviews? He actually made Glendronach 15 his whisky of the year. His videos say far more than I ever could.

Right now my minibar is fairly full, and my bank empty. I have Buffalo Trace, Gentleman Jack, Glendronach 15, Dalwhinnie and a blend. Along with 2 rums and 5 gins. The only thing Im really tempted by is the Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban

>>7207822
Depends what you like. Did you like that Lasanta? That's a sherried malt, if you liked that one I'd suggest going for something like Glendronach 15 or Glenfarclas 15. Pretty much any Glenfarclas is a great bet imo- they're excellent and the price is still surprisingly decent. I agree with >>7208789 about Dalwhinnie- it's incredibly smooth but it's a bit bland to me, although it did get noticeably better after being open for about three months.

If you're looking for something a little different, you could go for a smokier malt- something like Ardbeg 10, Lagavulin 16, or Talisker 10 (which is generally what I suggest to people first trying peated scotch- it's got some smoke but not too much, and some great fruity flavors to balance it out)- or one with a different finish, like Glenmorangie's Quinta Ruban (port cask finished) or something along those lines. Or you could go for something cask strength but still sherried, get similar flavors but a different level of intensity. Something like Glenfarclas 105 or Aberlour A'bunadh.

You could also try a different type of whisk(e)y altogether. American whiskies like bourbon and rye can be easily found that can rival the best of what Scotland can offer. Something like Booker's, Blanton's Gold or Jefferson's for bourbon, or maybe Whistlepig or Rittenhouse 100 for rye.

Macallan 21 has been the pinnacle of my scotch drinking experience to date. Step over your own mother for even a taste. Neat of course.

Didn't read the thread, but here's some tips from a guy who likes drinks that I hope will help you scotch anon:

Just try a bunch of single malts from different regions and figure out what flavor profiles you like. I'd recommend going to a nice bar to do this so you don't have to spend a million dollars on bottles.
Once you have developed your palate a bit, and figured out what you like, explore that for a while, and then move to other regions when you think you can appreciate them more. Or just stay with your comfy scotch.

I'd recommend starting with something that isn't /r/islay if you're already a fan of bourbon/non-scotch whisky, unless you don't mind the taste of a salty, savory, and smokey drink.

Scotch is best TASTED (not enjoyed, per se) neat/with a bit of water to dilute. drink it however you like though, whether it's on ice, with a stone, etc. There's no point in drinking something you don't appreciate or enjoy.

Don't worry about getting special glasses unless you plan on making a hobby out of scotch tasting either. People will swear you can't enjoy a good whisky out of anything but a glencairn, but it doesn't matter so much in the beginning, at least.
Smoking and drinking at the same time is a big no-no for me personally though, as i find it dulls the taste much more dramatically than drinking out of a small tumbler/rocks glass/lowball/whatever the fuck they're called vs a glencairn.


1/2

>>7211638
2/2

Flavor notes are a good idea in the beginning too. Many people develop their palate and can pick apart the many subtleties of their whiskies on the tongue, but don't have the ability to describe the flavors, which makes you look bad if you're trying to show off to others or something.

Make sure you don't spend irresponsible amounts on whisky, whether it's for tasting or getting sloshed. Over drinking and/or spending is bad for health and your wallet. Set a budget (for spending and drinking), so you don't end up an alcoholic with really expensive tastes.

If you want recommendations, I'd go on youtube and look up ralfy's reviews. He's a pretty cool guy, with lots ofscotch knowledge, as well as a ridiculous amount of reviews to sift through.

that's all off the top of my head. Wish you the best anon.

Scotch is a meme drink.

Tastes fucking vile, nobody likes that shit going into their stomach really. Some single malt fags will learn to convince themselves over the years that they actually like it, but they don't. They swallow it with a grimace.

>>7211644
This is true for bourbon, but the nastiness of bourbon helped me come to appreciate British whiskys. They're so much lighter and nicer.

OP here

Thanks for all the advice and the good discussion.