hmmmm.... I can pick up a bottle of Johnny Walker Blue for only $85 at my local AAFES class six. If the going price is $200 stateside, I may need to pick up a couple bottles before I leave so I have something to cherish once I return.

Thanks for the advice everyone....

the balvenie double wood is may all around favorite.

i also like pretty much anything by glen morangie.

This thread has a life of it's own - Love it!

So anyways, after reading all the other posts, I took up someone's recommendation to try out Scotch's at bars. Last night, I bought a "shot" of MacCallan (18 yrs?), neat. The bartender poured me a "double" (as far as I could tell), in a rocks glass.

Let me tell you, it was nice! I wanted another and sad to say, I drank it a tad too quickly. Price: $20 a shot ( I live in LA)

$20 a shot!!! you can get a bottle for about $40-45 here!!!!
'kin hell!

I second, third, and fourth the Glens...mmm Glenmorangie

Hi charl,

you know, the only reason that I would recommend a single for starters is that the cheaper blends are not a good representation of 'good' scotch. YOu have to get into (very) pricey territory (I.E. JW blue) before you can get a quality drink that in the 40 - 80 dollar range you would get with a single malt.

I like the idea of buying the miniatures to sample. the LCBO carries a regular stock of all the major brewing zones of scotland.

ya i bet. One of the reasons that my dream is to go on a distillery tour of belle Ecosse!

(ps, how much is litre maple syrop in Edinburgh?)

I will have to have a look for those... the Queen's Quay store should have a good selection... flag ship store and all.

you would probably see me there if you are a regular. I love that store and the one at summerhill & yonge, You can buy used wooden port shipping boxes there (for a donation about $1) which are great in the house as magazine holders etc.

I used to live very close to the Summerhill location... now I stop at the Queen's Quay one on the way home from work...

fatbob, you might just be my new best friend!! I'll pm you my address LOL!!

Blair Athol is by far the best I've ever had. Don't think you can get it in the USA however.

janey i don't know how much a litre of maple syrup is here but it is bloody expensive...in fact it might be about the same price as whisky...i think i bought a bottle which must be about 200mls for about £5 so about $9-10...

well jorgelito anyone who is a fan of water of life is a friend of mine!

my buddy and I went in on a bottle of 12 year THE GLENLIVET they didnt have a 10yr... so we got the 12
and they also didnt have the 12 yr MaCallan

we really liked The Glinlivet.
we are wondering what we should get next now that its gone... looking for something similarly priced. A little more is alright but not too much...

Try Glenmorangie or Glenfiddich.

or Talisker, if you want something with a stronger taste.

Ok...I just had to put my two cents worth on one of favorite things on the planet.

If you're just starting to drink Scotch, start with a lighter malt like Dalwhinnie or Glenlivet 18. Glenlivet 18 was the first Scotch I tried that I really liked.

Highland malts are usually the most approachable for a first time drinker. They tend to be a little lighter in style, although they're are exceptions. Speyside is in this region and accounts for the majority of distilleries in Scotland.

The Lowlands malts tend to lean toward a more grassy herbacious style. Some ditilleries were mentioned before, but my favorite from the area is Littlemill.

Isaly malts are my favorite. Lagavulin is probably the most famous. However, if you can find a bottle of Port Ellen, then grab it. The distillery closed in 1983, so you'll have to look for an Independent Bottling from a company such as Cadenhead's.

Finally, there is Campbeltown. Only two distilleries exist there now, Springbank and Glen Scotia. These are very interesting malts in that they exhibit a little of all the regions in there flavors. Check them out.

My personal all-time list..

1983 Cragganmore
Ledaig 20 year old (from the Isle of Mull)
Glenturret 18 year old
1977 Glenlochy
Inchmurrin 20 year old
Port Ellen 17 year old Cask Strength
Littlemill 8 year old
1979 Lagavulin Doubled Matured
(This version of Lagavulin was finished in Pedro Ximenez Sherry casks. :)~)

hehe, Johnnie Walker Blue is $30 per shot in the restaurant that I work in. :crazy:

I was at a party where they were pouring shots of JW Blue and giving them out for free... Friends were lapping it up.

its it even worth taking a shot of it if it was $20-30 a shot, wouldnt you want to sip on it and enjoy it?

Ditto, + Talisker.

Avoid blends. Single malts taste WAY better.