Whiskey Advice

[homebrewhydro]

well this is kind of late but I do enjoy Mcclellands Islay -- for a $20 dollar bottle of scotch you can't beat it.  Especially if you like peaty Islay malts.  It's like a not as smooth Laphroaig but great for sipping non the less and at about 1/3rd the price.

[Opsa]

Hmm, sounds good.

My holiday choice this year is Maker's Mark. Kinda smooth and vanilla-like and reasonably priced.

[Sibling DavidH]

Avoid the one in the yellow bottles labelled   顔がのびた  (Yamamoto's Revenge).  There's a rumour it may not be genuine Scotch.

[Lindorm]

I have heard interesting things about this one:
http://www.whiskyandwines.com/big-peat-vatted-islay-malt-whisky-70cl-p-2503.html

It's a deliberate and very carefully planned peat bomb for those who really like the phenolic and smoky Islay whiskies -certainly not something for beginners. The tasting notes and reviews I have read all say that this isn't really a whisky you can describe as tasting "good" or "bad", but rather a very strong and minimalist expression of a certain type of taste and smell. I would very much like to try it, but I am not sure that I want to buy a whole bottle of it.

[homebrewhydro]

I have heard interesting things about this one:
http://www.whiskyandwines.com/big-peat-vatted-islay-malt-whisky-70cl-p-2503.html

It's a deliberate and very carefully planned peat bomb for those who really like the phenolic and smoky Islay whiskies -certainly not something for beginners. The tasting notes and reviews I have read all say that this isn't really a whisky you can describe as tasting "good" or "bad", but rather a very strong and minimalist expression of a certain type of taste and smell. I would very much like to try it, but I am not sure that I want to buy a whole bottle of it.

wow.  I'm a peaty scotch fan and that looks like a good one to try.  Bit spendy though to find out its TOO peaty

A good blended Islay is Black Bottle.  Not super heavy on the peaty but it's pretty smooth and reasonably priced compared to the single malts.  Kind of the working mans Islay and a good one to start out with to get an idea of what flavor comes from that island.  I used to drink it a lot when I lived in Scotland but haven't found it in the USA yet. 

http://www.whiskyandwines.com/black-bottle-p-2087.html

Black bottle encapsulates Islay malts, standing proud as a whisky that blends all of Islays malts. Created by Gordon Graham in 1879 he couldn't resist the full bodied smoky flavour of Islay malts so he created this magnificent blend.

Rich, fresh and fruity on the nose, honeyed and peaty on the palate giving a warming smoky after taste, superb.