Tip toeing into Single Malt

[SiriusBlack]

A fellow BOTL has convinced me to get in the game of Single Malt Scotch. I don't know why I have faught it for so long. I guess i figured I had enough expensive hobbies. Well I am heading in eyes wide open. For my first tasting I am going with Glenrothes Select Reserve Speyside Single Malt Scotch. This bottle ran me about $45. I didn't plan to spend that much but SACK told me to look for a Speyside scotch and that was all this particular location had. So I went for it. Now he has instructed me not to try it until his package of cigar arrives to me. So I'll keep you guys posted.

I am in the middle of reading the reviews that were posted and getting myself some basic scotch education under my belt. In the meantime if there are recommendation that any one is interested in making...this newbie is all ears.

 

[AVB]

My recommendation for new scotch drinkers is usually Balvenie DoubleWood FWIW.

 

[Carbonless]

My recommendation for new scotch drinkers is usually Balvenie DoubleWood FWIW.

I just started my forey into scotch as well and bought some Balvenie Doublewood yesterday on AVB's rec and after reading his reviews. I also picked up some Johnny Walker Black for a comparison. The Doublewood is definitely a great scotch - thanks for the recommendation AVB!

 

[AVB]

Glad to be of help.

 

[in2xshp]

Glad to be of help.

All the wise in this department, I have bought a few from his recommendations and reviews and have never been disappointed.

Sam

 

[Not A Nice Person]

My recommendation for new scotch drinkers is usually Balvenie DoubleWood FWIW.

And it's worth a LOT.

Balvenie DW is still my favorite Speyside . . . Dalmore Cigar Malt is another Scotch that's "approachable" for beginners, but holds up well over time and experience.

~Boar

 

[SiriusBlack]

Considering I am not really a Scotch drinkers of any kind (blended or single malt) the researcher/marketer in me wanted to establish a baseline for future testing. So last night I tried a taste of Dewars White Label and Johnny Walker Black Label. I added a few drops of water to both and let them sit for about ten minutes. Please note that I didn't run out and purchase either of these. they were already on my small in house bar. So I figured I'd give them a try.

My newbie tastes buds can not offer any complex tasting notes but i did notice a few things. First and foremost I noticed a marked difference in the smell of both drinks pre- and post adding water. Once I let it sit and really tell in difference and could smell the different flavors or ingredients open up. In my mind the Johnny Walker Black had a much more complex smell than the Dewars. The Dewars just spelled like liquor. Nothing special. I also looked at the color. The Johhny Walker Black clearly had a much richer, deeper color. A lot of reddish tones to it where as the Dewars was more blond and boring looking for lack of a better description.

Now for the taste. My girlfriend joined in on the fun at the tasting stage. Her responses are easier. She hated them both. She had only tasted the Dewars once before in a mixed drink and had never tasted the Johhny Black. From her previous experience she THOUGHT she like Dewars but now tasting it unmasked by mixers you almost choked. The Johhny Walker didn't fair much better and that was partially becuase for some reason she decided to use wine tasting techiques. So needless another minor choking incedent occured (pretty funny). :laugh: Uhh I mean I was very concerned for her. ANY who...

I on the other hand had mixed feelings. I went for the Johnny Walker Black first. Again being a complete novice and almost exlusive vodka drinker I was a bit nervous. However, I took a nice size sip and was pleasantly surprised. I didn't LOVE the Johhny Walker but I thought to myself "if this is lower end blended stuff and I don't hate it, then I am probably going to really enjoy some of the ones on the upper end of the scale". It was a pleasant beginners experience for me. The Dewars....well not so much. That stuff tasted like pure kerosine going down and I was not interested in ever drinking it again to put it bluntly. In my mind it tasted a bit harsh and "unrefined" to me. I think in cigars we would say "young". I am sure Dewars has some aging to it but I just didn't taste it in my sampling.

 

[rbbrock]

Johnnie Walker Black is a damn good whisky, and it's one of the best out there in "bang for the buck" at least in my opinion. You say that you didn't hate it, but I can't tell whether you particularly enjoyed it, and what flavors you did or didn't like. JWB is on the smokier side for a blend - did you like that aspect of the drink or not?

If you did, then some single malts you might consider trying include Highland Park (mild-medium smokiness), Bowmore (medium-full smokiness) and, for much more smoke and peat, Ardbeg or Lagavulin (very full smokiness). One word of warning: don't buy a whole bottle of Ardbeg or Lagavulin, or probably Bowmore, until you've tried them, because you may hate them.

If, on the other hand, you did not like the smokiness of JWB, then you will want to try some sherry matured whisky (Macallan, Glenfarclas, Balvenie Doublewood, Aberlour . . . Macallan and Glenfarclas are more sherry-influenced than the other two). You will also want to try some whisky that is not so sherried. Many Speysides are good for this, a couple of my favorites being Cragganmore and Glenmorangie. I have not had Glenrothes Select Reserve, but I don't think it's very sherried either.

Most importantly, read AVB's reviews, find a bar with a good scotch selection, and try lots of different whiskies until you figure out what flavors you do and don't like. Drinking good whisky is enjoyable, but almost as enjoyable for me is trying different whiskies. Variety being the spice of life, and all...

 

[SiriusBlack]

Saying I didn't hate it was probably the wrong choice of words about Johhny Black. Well at least should have explained better. As a primarily vodka drinker I had a certain expectation of scotch (mostly from drinking the cheap stuff). So I didn't expect to like anything about Johhny Walker Black. However to my surprise I found it quite enjoyable. That said I would like to try some of the sherried ones you recommended just to get an idea of the differences between the two. A completely new experience for me but I am ejoying the education. Thanks to everyone who made recommendations.