Thread: Entry level whisky

Tonight...
Dalmore 15y.

So over the weekend I tried a few small airplane bottles after which I ended up buying a bottle of Glenlivet (12 yr) and I'm really getting into it. I added a few ice cubes and a little bit of filtered water to take away some of the bite.

A friend brought me a bottle of the Glenlivet 12 a couple of weeks ago. I'd never tried it before. It's actually a very good single malt. Try it without the ice and just a few drops of water.

I'd say as far as Irish, Bushmill's would be great to try. My all-time favorite is Bushmill's 16-year. Great whiskey. As far as Canadian, I'd say Crown.

The Crown Society put out a DVD a couple of years ago that demonstrated "cracking the spirit," which is what it's called when you add either an ice cube or about a teaspoon of water. According to the guys on the DVD, it brings out some of the qualities you normally might miss. In my own experience, the bouquet becomes more pronounced and the flavor lighter and more subtle.

And I agree with the sample bottle approach. Spend the least until you know you like it. Then you know you're not wasting money.

Here's my two cents....

I started out drinking canadian whiskey with coke. Canadian Whiskey is kindof garbage... but it's something to try. You could hit up Windsor Canadian, Lord Calvert or perhaps Canadian Club.

Then I moved to bourbon... got a taste for wild turkey, and then the nicer stuff, like Knob Creek and Maker's Mark.

Then I had a Rye phase which lasted for a summer.... Rye is good, but is sweeter.

I've dabbled with Irish Whiskey's before... my older sister is a big fan of mixing Jameson with Ginger Ale... not really my thing at all

Then came scotch. I started with some blended scotches, like Cutty Sark. Now I am hooked on single malt scotch, and don't even bother with anything else.

I hope this helps man! I love whiskey!

Originally Posted by honedright

A friend brought me a bottle of the Glenlivet 12 a couple of weeks ago. I'd never tried it before. It's actually a very good single malt. Try it without the ice and just a few drops of water.

Agreed..... drinking single malts on ice is really really not cool.

My favorite Scotch whiskey is Highland Park 18 yr. single malt. Expensive, but really tasty.

Originally Posted by honedright

A friend brought me a bottle of the Glenlivet 12 a couple of weeks ago. I'd never tried it before. It's actually a very good single malt. Try it without the ice and just a few drops of water.

If you like the Glenlivet, I would really encourage you to try some higher end single malts. Glenlivet is to single malt scotch what Folger's is to coffee.

It's good.

It's consistent.

You can get it anywhere and this glass is going to be exactly like the last glass, which is a big plus at a bar you're not familiar with and don't know what to order from.

But, it gets much better.

Originally Posted by ajs349

So over the weekend I tried a few small airplane bottles after which I ended up buying a bottle of Glenlivet (12 yr) and I'm really getting into it. I added a few ice cubes and a little bit of filtered water to take away some of the bite.

As long as you the taste, don't let any one tell you how to drink your whiskey. The Glenlivit is a nice bottle of Scotch. I hope you enjoy it. As you get more accustomed to the taste, you'll probably start reducing the amount of ice/water you place in the Scotch.
Most folks progress to a point where they know what they like and how THEY like to drink it.

My best advice: Enjoy your adventure into Scotch tasting. I live in Northern NJ, stop by and I'll pour you some others you may like.

Originally Posted by JDCAL29

Agreed..... drinking single malts on ice is really really not cool.

What is not cool and is annoying to me is the aforementioned statement. I don't drink whiskey to be cool, I drink it because I like it, my way.

Oh, I put Ketchup on my steak also!!!

Originally Posted by Mvcrash

As long as you the taste, don't let any one tell you how to drink your whiskey. The Glenlivit is a nice bottle of Scotch. I hope you enjoy it. As you get more accustomed to the taste, you'll probably start reducing the amount of ice/water you place in the Scotch.
Most folks progress to a point where they know what they like and how THEY like to drink it.

My best advice: Enjoy your adventure into Scotch tasting. I live in Northern NJ, stop by and I'll pour you some others you may like.



What is not cool and is annoying to me is the aforementioned statement. I don't drink whiskey to be cool, I drink it because I like it, my way.

Oh, I put Ketchup on my steak also!!!

I think cautioning about ice is worthwhile advice to newcomers. It does help make it tolerable to someone not used to sipping 40+% alcohol. But it really does kill some of the more delicate flavors in a whisky, and sometimes pronounces the alcohol bite even more.

I think the best advice is try each whisky you buy each way. Neat, a few drops of water, and with ice. Get the full range of experience. After trial and error, I prefer Tomintoul 16 straight, Bookers over ice, and most other Scotch with a few drops of water.

A good read about adding water to alcohol.