Scotch advice
- Thread starter Hangman
- Start date
Since he actually knows something about scotch don't get the Johnny Walker Blue. My advice if you can get to Buffalo you can get Macallan 18 for half the price it costs here.
Hangman said:My boss is retiring and we're having a thing for him in a couple of days. WE want to get him a nice bottle of Scotch, as he's a fan of the single malts. (Big fan. Huge)
My budget's in the $175-$200 range. Does anyone have any suggestions? I know he likes Tallisker, Glenlivet and Glenmorangie.
Judging by the 3 malts your boss likes, you could choose from Speyside malts, highland malts and the more heavily peated island malts. Talisker is an island malt, distilled on the Isle of Skye, and heavily peated with a smokey, briney character. Most of the other island malts are from Islay but they all share this smokey, marine character. Glenmorangie is a highland malt with a much lighter, more delicate (less smokey) flavour. Glenlivet is a Speyside malt which tastes somewhere in between the other two. In other words, your boss would probably like almost any good single malt. So I'd get him 3 good single malts at a total cost of around $200. Malt lovers really enjoy trying new whiskies and I'm sure he'd really like all of these.
I'd get him a bottle of 12 y/o Highland Park, which is the "greatest all rounder of them all" according to Michael Jackson in his highly acclaimed malt Whiskey Companion. This is one of better values available at the LCBO. I've also tried the 18 y/o Highland Park but it is over twice the price with only a very slight improvement in quality. The second bottle would be Balvenie Double Wood - also a great value. The 3rd bottle could be something in the $80 range like a slightly older Glenlivet or Talisker or Cardhu. Cardhu is a nice malt and it is one of the whiskies used in all the Johnnie Walker blends.
Is Johnnie Walker still making Glen Cardhu. I haven't been able to find it in over a decade.
Is Talisker that good! I find it hard to believe that there are any single malts better than what's produced on Islay. I'll take peaty and rustic over smooth any day.
Is Talisker that good! I find it hard to believe that there are any single malts better than what's produced on Islay. I'll take peaty and rustic over smooth any day.
Insidious Von said:
They were caught diddling with the Cardhu and the LCBO dropped it a few years ago. A real shame as it was a nice drink.
Not even available at LHR duty free anymore. Last time I checked anyway.
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I like the suggestion of getting 2 or 3 different bottles for him to try. If he is a single-malt guy, don't insult him with a blend - no matter how much. I would also suggest that he might like the Glen Breton single malt that is actually made out on Cape Breton Island. It run about $80- $85 at the LCBO. It is a good malt - not peaty - more like a highland.
Julian said:
I just looked online in the U.S. and Julian is right...it is much cheaper down there - a multi-site search showed prices at online retailers between US $89. and $139. per bottle.
http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/Macallan+18/0/-/USD/A/-/0
Of course an LCBO search shows the Bayview Village store has 29 bottles in stock on hand at the $279 price and ease of access plays a role since I drive by there all the time...but if I was in the U.S. it would be worth picking up a bottle there.
Thanks for all the advice, guys. It's really been educational. I've been intending to cultivate a nose for Scotch, but haven't really done so yet. Now I'm more interested than ever.
I ended up going with the 18 y/o Highland Park, which was more reasonably priced than I expected, and has an excellent reputation. I was leaning towards the Macallen based on the advice here, but he's leaving, not coming in to be the boss.
I ended up going with the 18 y/o Highland Park, which was more reasonably priced than I expected, and has an excellent reputation. I was leaning towards the Macallen based on the advice here, but he's leaving, not coming in to be the boss.
