Foo - The single malt Scotch thread

Ok so whats the deal with single malt scotch? Is it that good or is it just about snob appeal? I don`t know if I have ever had single malt scotch. What am I missin? Please tell enlightened ones. Do I have to drive a certain vehicle or have a special Zip code to drink it? I do appreciate the finer things in life, like a straight chainline and classic cartoons but this single malt scotch thing has piqued my interest. Please tell me more.

Ok so whats the deal with single malt scotch? Is it that good or is it just about snob appeal?

..Depends, if you like scotch you might appreciate the smoothness of single malt.
Compare things and see what you like. I find some of the better tequilas seductive. But it all depends on what floats your boat. Yes, there is a snob element. I am sure you have noticed some things are more expensive and made for people with money, but don't actually work as well? Well, I like scotch but...

I don`t know if I have ever had single malt scotch. What am I missin?

..a drink

Please tell enlightened ones.

..guess I'll have to settle for you

Do I have to drive a certain vehicle or have a special Zip code to drink it?

..abbsafragginglutely. Darn, guess that lets you out

I do appreciate the finer things in life, like a straight chainline

..I like curves myself

and classic cartoons

..you can never go wrong with Underdog :p

but this single malt scotch thing has piqued my interest. Please tell me more.

..ok, life is about intensity. But not simply cranking up the volume, nothing that simple. It is in finding exquisite moments and rare pleasures.

I know nothing about it except that the single malt that I've had is really, really good. Less harsh than other scotch. I think you can drink it and just be yourself.

I think that like may alcoholic beverages, it si very much a matter of taste. I like single malt scotch. I am not a connoseur by any means and cannot even tell you why I like scotch other than to say I like it. I drink Oban, The Dalmore, Glenlivet and Glenfiddich.

Ok so whats the deal with single malt scotch? Is it that good or is it just about snob appeal?

..Depends, if you like scotch you might appreciate the smoothness of single malt.
Compare things and see what you like. I find some of the better tequilas seductive. But it all depends on what floats your boat. Yes, there is a snob element. I am sure you have noticed some things are more expensive and made for people with money, but don't actually work as well? Well, I like scotch but...

I don`t know if I have ever had single malt scotch. What am I missin?

..a drink

Please tell enlightened ones.

..guess I'll have to settle for you

Do I have to drive a certain vehicle or have a special Zip code to drink it?

..abbsafragginglutely. Darn, guess that lets you out

I do appreciate the finer things in life, like a straight chainline

..I like curves myself

and classic cartoons

..you can never go wrong with Underdog :p

but this single malt scotch thing has piqued my interest. Please tell me more.

..ok, life is about intensity. But not simply cranking up the volume, nothing that simple. It is in finding exquisite moments and rare pleasures.

I can see you put a lot of work into ^^^^^ this post but it doesn`t really say much about single malt scotch. It still came out muddled and confusing just like I am about single malt scotch. Thanks for trying your best. If your drinking single malt scotch right now I don`t think I need to bother.

I found it to taste like moss. Smooth, but earthy tasting

like most things, enjoyment comes with your personal desire to educate and appreciate. Whaddya drink now? Some people get into wine, some people get into beer, some people get into whisk(e)y, some people get into scotch, and some get into some of all of it. Wanna try scotch? okay, go try it. That's all....

I think that like may alcoholic beverages, it si very much a matter of taste. I like single malt scotch. I am not a connoseur by any means and cannot even tell you why I like scotch other than to say I like it. I drink Oban, The Dalmore, Glenlivet and Glenfiddich.



jsharr you Rock, I bet you an apple fritter that this is a post you will delete in the morning.

like most things, enjoyment comes with your personal desire to educate and appreciate. Whaddya drink now? Some people get into wine, some people get into beer, some people get into whisk(e)y, some people get into scotch, and some get into some of all of it. Wanna try scotch? okay, go try it. That's all....

Ok what single malt scotch can you recommend that is a fair representation at a fair price?

i seldom if ever delete my posts. Seriously, I have been drinking single malts on a trial and error basis since the late 80's. I have found four or five single malts that I ilike and I stick to them. Glenlivet or Glenfiddich are going to be what I drink when we go out to eat and I have a cocktail. My favorite single malt is Oban, as it tastes the best to me. It is light and golden in color and has a very warm full bodied taste. I do not like the really dark, peaty, smoky scotches. The Dalmore is much the same as Oban in style to me.

I seldom drink mixed drinks. If I am not drinking beer, usually Bud Light, then I will turn to either a single malt scotch or a vodka martini.

I can see you put a lot of work into ^^^^^ this post but it doesn`t really say much about single malt scotch. It still came out muddled and confusing just like I am about single malt scotch. Thanks for trying your best. If your drinking single malt scotch right now I don`t think I need to bother.

I wrote it in what you might say was an old fashioned Western version of Zen.
I wasn't trying to give you an answer, I was trying to give you a new way to ask questions.

Try it and see what you think, I liked it, but I liked other things better. Especially at the price...

Cool, thanks jsharr, I`ll try to see if I can find Oban locally. If not I`ll try the other recommendations.I just want to see what all the single malt fuss is about.

I wrote it in what you might say was an old fashioned Western version of Zen.
I wasn't trying to give you an answer, I was trying to give you a new way to ask questions.

Try it and see what you think, I liked it, but I liked other things better. Especially at the price...

I`m to simple for Zen, I`m just a hillbilly that needs it spelled out for me. If you could say "Hey Glenn try XXXXXX single malt scotch and see if you like it" That would work. I could buy it and see if I like it. Sorry to be so simple but I`m simple.

Have you had a good blended whisky? Do you already like whisky?

The way to think of Single Malts is that they are like vineyard specific wines. They tend to have various different taste according to the region they were produced in. Islay malts such as Tobermory and Laphroaig tend to have a strong smoky, peaty and seaweedy tastes. The Speyside and Highland malts tend to have softer flavours from memory. A couple of malts to try are Glenfiddich, as Jsharr has mentioned, Sheep Dip, The Ben Riach, Glen Ord.

All Single Malts tend to be smooth drinking because most have been maturered for over 8 years in Oak barrells and the longer a spirit matures the smoother it becomes.

BTW there is also a snob value associated with drinking Single Malts. I drink them because I like them though. I am particullary fond of the stronger flavours of the Islay malts.

A hint to find out what single malt you like is to buy it in minitures. This allows you to taste several types for the price of a large bottle. When you find one you like then you can buy the large bottle.

BTW there is also a snob value associated with drinking Single Malts.
But since jsharr and I both enjoy drinking it without really being able to get into all the details, you know you don't have to be elitist to like single malt scotch.

They sell small bottles of single malt. Why not give it a try? Couldn't hurt. :)

Ok so whats the deal with single malt scotch? Is it that good or is it just about snob appeal? I don`t know if I have ever had single malt scotch. What am I missin? Please tell enlightened ones. Do I have to drive a certain vehicle or have a special Zip code to drink it? I do appreciate the finer things in life, like a straight chainline and classic cartoons but this single malt scotch thing has piqued my interest. Please tell me more.

Single malt. No need to sully it with the word 'scotch'.

Two questions; does it come in nips, and how much.

Single malt. No need to sully it with the word 'scotch'.

True snobbery requires denial. Good show, there are damp and grumpy Scots
counting on it.

I am just about convinced that there are some physiological differences in humans that account for different tastes. Scotch whiskey must be good or so many people wouldn't enjoy it, but I can't choke it down. Give me a glass of Maker's Mark bourbon and I am a happy camper.

Gnome is right, single malt scotch is like wine. There are so many choices. Some taste exquisite to me, and others taste like paint thinner. But the same can be said of wine and beer and many other spirits. Gin tastes like drain cleaner to me as an example.

Glenng - I would ask around and see if there is a bar or restaurant in your area that carries a selection of single malts. If so, see if they ever have tastings, etc.

I think that like may alcoholic beverages, it si very much a matter of taste. I like single malt scotch. I am not a connoseur by any means and cannot even tell you why I like scotch other than to say I like it. I drink Oban, The Dalmore, Glenlivet and Glenfiddich.

I agree with the Dalmore choice, pass on the GlenFiddich tastes like ( not going there) most fav is Highland Park.

I copied this description from Web, hope it helps:

A Single Malt Scotch Whisky is the product of one specific distillery and has not been mixed with whisky from any other distilleries. The greatest concentration of malt whisky distilleries can be found in the Speyside region of north-east Scotland, with Highland, Lowland and Islay being the other main malt whisky producing zones. Each of these regions has its own particular distinctive style of malt whisky and although it is not possible for two malts to be identical, even if the distilleries that produce them happen to stand side by side, it is usually possible to distinguish in which region of Scotland a particular whisky was made.

The comparison with wine is a good one. Although there are many single malt products, they taste VERY different so the fact that you don't like (and might even hate) one of them does not means that you might not think another tastes great. As implied by others, single malt may have a peat, salt, smoke, fruity, caramel, or other flavors (really), and these flavors may be strong, mild, mixed together, or one might dominate. As you might expect, the taste depends on the ingredients, the process used on them, what type of barrels they were aged in, and the length of time they were aged.

The best way to get an idea of what I'm talking about is to go to a place with a reputation for an excellent selection of single malt. Tell whoever is pouring that you are new to this and want to try different kinds and you want to try things that are very different. The reason I recommend getting assistance is that when tasting, you want to try things with contrasting flavors to find out what you like. If you order randomly, you may order ones with similar characteristics. Your tasting experiments will be a bit spendy and get you drunk fast.

For testing purposes, I recommend buying by the glass rather than the bottle. These are different enough that I promise you'll notice distinct differences and that you'll have preferences. If you find one that you like, go and buy a bottle of that.

There is much more to single malt than snob appeal even if that is a factor. Of the ones that aren't impossible to get in the US, Auchentoshan Three Wood is my favorite but you may or may not like it. Just as there are many wines you can only get close to or at the source, many scotches are only available in Scotland.

BTW, there is absolutely nothing wrong with blended whisky -- don't let anyone convince you that single malt is inherently superior. It is just different. Also, do not presume that paying more necessarily gets you something better. As is the case with wine, you have to pay a certain amount before it gets drinkable but once you get past a point, it is largely a matter of personal taste.

The comparison with wine is a good one. . . . As is the case with wine, you have to pay a certain amount before it gets drinkable but once you get past a point, it is largely a matter of personal taste.

Some of the wisest words I've seen here. I live in wine Country, having bike ride distance access to hundreds of wineries and thousands of wines yet there are only 2 or 3 types I buy a second time and then only from 5 or 6 different wineries. It has gotten to the point where the wife and I find where certain grape growers sell their fruit then go to that winery a year or two later to try the wine.

Just in case you don't relate to the wine analogy, think about pizza. Some are crap, some are excellent. Some might be excellent, but you just don't happen to like the style.

The Glenlivet is a good place to start. Always say "The Glenlivet", not just "Glenlivet". You will likely like this if you like whiskey/whisky generally. The Islay malts are much more complex and you will likely love them or hate them.

I like glenlivet.

I have beem to over a dozen different distilliers, from Talisker on the isle of skye to Glen Turret in Crieff

One that I may like someone else may not appreciate.

There is a special edition Laphroaig that you have too add water to as it is so peaty you could choke on it neat.


Balvenie double wood is really nice, old inverness is a perect gift for somebody you don't like for instance.

Single malt. No need to sully it with the word 'scotch'.
No need to restrict sampling of single malts to those coming from Scotland. Many great ones do, but coming from Scotland is not an inherent requirement for a decent single malt.

No need to restrict sampling of single malts to those coming from Scotland. Many great ones do, but coming from Scotland is not an inherent requirement for a decent single malt.

incorrect.

Single malt scotches are not snobbery. They only seems like snobbery because of the cost. What makes them seem snobbish are some people who drink scotch.

I drink single malts because they are the only whiskey-like alcohol that I can drink. I can't drink most whiskies, and can drink only the non-Islay scotches.

If you have the chance and money and stamina, go to a bar and conduct your own taste-test: a perhaps Canadian Club whiskey vs a single malt like Oban (mmm!). You might like both, but, should be able to taste the difference.

Older single malt scotches are smoother in part because they don't have as much alcohol in them--the alcohol evaporates over time, and thus has higher concentrations of the 'other stuff'. Because they have to sit around, protected, somewhere, for a longer period of time, and because there's less volume in the barrel when they bottle, the older scotches are much more costly than the younger ones. But, the older ones are ooooo-so-lovely smooth.

My first single malt was Oban. It is still a favorite.

The Balvenie scotches are nice, Double-Wood is very very nice.

Jameson's is a very nice Irish whiskey. It's not a scotch, but simply very smooth. Also, less expensive than scotches.

Single malt scotches are not snobbery. They only seems like snobbery because of the cost. What makes them seem snobbish are some people who drink scotch.

I drink single malts because they are the only whiskey-like alcohol that I can drink. I can't drink most whiskies, and can drink only the non-Islay scotches.

If you have the chance and money and stamina, go to a bar and conduct your own taste-test: a perhaps Canadian Club whiskey vs a single malt like Oban (mmm!). You might like both, but, should be able to taste the difference.

Older single malt scotches are smoother in part because they don't have as much alcohol in them--the alcohol evaporates over time, and thus has higher concentrations of the 'other stuff'. Because they have to sit around, protected, somewhere, for a longer period of time, and because there's less volume in the barrel when they bottle, the older scotches are much more costly than the younger ones. But, the older ones are ooooo-so-lovely smooth.

My first single malt was Oban. It is still a favorite.

The Balvenie scotches are nice, Double-Wood is very very nice.

Jameson's is a very nice Irish whiskey. It's not a scotch, but simply very smooth. Also, less expensive than scotches.

dude/dudette,

didn't you get the memo? calling a single malt a 'single malt scotch' is as fredly as calling paris 'paris, france'.

dude/dudette,

didn't you get the memo? calling a single malt a 'single malt scotch' is as fredly as calling paris 'paris, france'.

So Botto what are you 3 favorite single malt scotches?

Give me a glass of Maker's Mark bourbon and I am a happy camper.

+1

even better (best i've ever tasted):

Michter's Small Batch Bourbon US*1

So Botto what are you 3 favorite single malt scotches?

difficult to say which are my favorite.

off the top of my head, bowmore, springbank, and scapa.

i also like highland park, and i've got a nice caol ila on the go at the moment.

why do you ask?

highland park ftw.

How unfortunate (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?p=5821274).

No need to restrict sampling of single malts to those coming from Scotland. Many great ones do, but coming from Scotland is not an inherent requirement for a decent single malt.

That's true. Check out Bushmills' 21 year old single malt Irish. Awesome, awesome, awesome. Alas, so is the price.

Laphroaig FTW!

Smoooooothhhhhh as diesel!

Highland Park 18 years old. It will always be a favorite.

difficult to say which are my favorite.

off the top of my head, bowmore, springbank, and scapa.

i also like highland park, and i've got a nice caol ila on the go at the moment.

why do you ask?

You were the first BFer to make favorable comments of single malt that I recall.

So your tagged as a SM enthusiast.

dude/dudette,

didn't you get the memo? calling a single malt a 'single malt scotch' is as fredly as calling paris 'paris, france'.

I usually don't associate single malt scotch with Paris, France. I'd rather sample wines and pain au chocolate in Paris, France.

I'm a fan of my 12yr Bowmore and 15yr Glendronach. I have a bottle of Balvenie DoubleWood as well, but those other two are my single malts of choice.

The main thing that makes single malt different from a blended whisky is simply that a single malt tends to have a more singular character. It is a bit more distinctive, but that doesn't necessarily make it superior.

I have several favorites. Lagavulin, Balvenie Double Wood, and Aberlour. I've a particular fondness for Aberlour--mostly sentimental--because it was my grannie's hometown. The whisky itself is very pleasant, though. Wonderful overtones of vanilla that come through.

Scotch, single malt or otherwise, is an undrinkable beverage.

That said, my ancestors and the more fortunate branches of the family would like to thank you for your patronage.

Older single malt scotches are smoother in part because they don't have as much alcohol in them--the alcohol evaporates over time, and thus has higher concentrations of the 'other stuff'.

It actually seems to be more dependent on who mixes them. Most at the store are 80-90 proof, right? The straight-out-of-the-barrel stuff that I have, 30-40 years old, is all in the high 90's, low 100's.

Scotch, single malt or otherwise, is an undrinkable beverage.

That said, my ancestors and the more fortunate branches of the family would like to thank you for your patronage.

i used to think the same thing.

i even lived in scotland for a year before i even tried a single malt (which was a short of higland park, one sip, and i left it). what an egit i was.

Scotch, single malt or otherwise, is an undrinkable beverage.

That said, my ancestors and the more fortunate branches of the family would like to thank you for your patronage.

You just haven't found the right one yet!

Some are smooth as silk, others will grab you by the toungue and take you for a spin.

i left it

Now that's just wrong.

We also have a Scotch Thread going in P&R!

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=371293

off the top of my head, bowmore, springbank, and scapa.

i also like highland park, and i've got a nice caol ila on the go at the moment.



Add 12 year old Talisker and 16 year Lagavulin to that list and you've got it pretty much covered.

I'm not too fond of the really old malts (18+ years) as they taste more like wood than whisky to me.

Now that's just wrong.

that's why i wrote the sentence that followed. ;)