Janey

Actually, JW black is the one that I cook with (it's good in stir fry, etc) but it all depends on what kind of flavour you like. If you like light flavours, try low land single malts like Gen livet or fiddich, if you like a stronger flavour, smokier, try highlands or Islay's single malts (like Macallan or Lavgavulin).

If i were you, i would start witha 12 year old MaCallan. It's right in the quality zone, not too powerful to turn you off, but with enough character to sell itself. It's been aged in sherry casks, so it has a mellow characteristic which keeps it from seeming too light like the glen fiddichs etc.