Ever since the “best bourbon for the money” post, there have been requests for dedicated post for its sibling, scotch.
I won’t be much help on this one, but I’m sure there are some avid scotch drinkers out there. Even in the South! Have at it.
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johnny walker black.
I’m a big fan of McCallan 12 yo. For about $40-45, you get a nicely aged and mellowed scotch with the sweetness of the Spanish sherry barrels it’s aged in. It is a real steal at this price point.
Big fan of Balvenie Doublewood 12yr, and Sprinkbank 10.
Hard to beat in the $45-$50 range.
+1 The Balvenie is my go-to.
Laphroaig, if you dig peat
Lagavulen if you dig really smooth peat – though hard to get pas the “for the money” part of the equation.
ok, well if we’re willing to cast off the shackles of affordability, gotta go Ardbeg, though I once knew a fellow who said it was so peaty it was like “drinking an ashtray”. i no longer associate with him as i decided he probably sits when performing a bodily function most red-blooded men prefer to perform while standing.
alligator for the win! but definitely not best “for the money.”
i’ve never tried the gator, but have heard tell it’s so sooty that when you smile after drinking it, it looks like you just ate an Oreo. naturally i find this appealing.
Always willing to cast off those shackles – particularly when someone else is buying…
Now I have a couple more to try. Thanks for the recommendations.
Seconding the Ardbeg!
I’m with you on Lagavulen if we up our price range. Best in that $75 range.
And while we’re at it, the Springbank 18 at $100 is the bomb!
Where do you find Lagavullin for $75? IIRC it’s over $90 at Decatur package and Green’s has it for about $85
The Lagavulin 16 is our go-to. It’s so heady, and has an almost cognac-y undertone to the peat. I like it better than most of the 18-year single malts I’ve had, & I’m just not a fan of cheap Scotch– which will give you the Worst. Hangover. Ever!
Love sipping on Laphroaig.
Edradour, if you don’t like peat. I think it runs about $50 or so.
and by the way DM, i’m sending you the bill for the scotch this thread makes me buy.
I’m waiting for the best affordable gin thread. I have done extensive research.
Ransom Old Tom. Not cheap but spectacular.
“For the money” it’s Aberlour 10 year, but if you’re gonna drink scotch don’t bargain hunt. I’m a huge fan of Oban and made a pilgrimage to the distillery, where the angels take their share and leave a pinch of salt behind.
i’m afraid (for my wallet) that you are 100% correct. quality and variety are the way to do it.
For $27 a bottle, Glenlivet 12 is hard to beat. My favorite, though, is the Glenlivet 15-yrd-old French Oak Cask. I like it better than the 18-yr-old.
and while we’re drinking, I’d like to propose a toast to Jason Collins who just became the first openly gay athlete from a major team sport.
. . . and another to the enormous bravery of the men who went before him: Baryshnikov came out as a straight dancer in the 70s.
I like ‘em pretty peaty and enjoy Laphroaig when I’m in the chips.
Hands down it’s Black Bottle.
Nothing else can touch the quality to price ratio of this stuff. The newer expression with the green bottle is fantastic for about $20 and the North Decatur shop.
If you can find the older expression in the black bottle it is mind blowing for $30. I know a place in town that has several of the older ones, but I will never tell.
Thank you, I thought this was yet more evidence that I’m losing my mind. Had it in the black bottle and loved it. Bought some last fall and thought at the time, “Huh…I didn’t remember the bottle as green…Oh, well…” I enjoy it in the green bottle, but now I have to go on a search!
Highland Park 10
The Balvenie DoubleWood 12
Agreed re: Highland Park, a great, balanced whisky that is less than $40. On the other end of the price spectrum, Green’s has a bottle of HP 35 that I would love to buy — only $700!
For anyone who is a fan of Macallan or the sherried whiskies in general, try Glendronach. About the same price but I think it’s a tad better than Macallan. I like that they don’t add caramel color.
This past weekend the WSJ had a story about Japanese whiskies, ranking them very high in quality. I am dying to try a few.
Costco had a 12 year old Vermont rye called WhistlePig that’s the most interesting thing I’ve drunk in many a year.
A plug for single malt Irish whiskey. Cheap compared to Scotch and it has the yummy factor that Scotch doesn’t quite have for me. Kind of like Scotch for bourbon drinkers.
Now I need to find a good scotch tasting. Any recommendations?
Rick Julian’s house. I’ll meet you there.
Mac MacGee’s has a Speyside Whisky Fest this Thursday night. Their whisky dinners are pretty awesome.
Since this is a thread about “for the money”, the price matters a lot. For $35 I think Highland Park 12 is the best single malt for the money. But now stores are charging $40 and up, so it’s no longer the best for the money unless you can find it for $35. So I’ll mention the prices that qualify my opinions on these:
For the money, best blended scotch:
- Johnny Walker Black (if you can buy it for < $34). Most enjoyable for the money.
- Black Bottle (if you can buy it for < $20). Best value for the money.
- If you like Laphroaig's peatiness, try Islay Mist 8yr (< $20) which is a blend based on Laphroaig's single malt. I always keep a bottle of this around.
- I've repeatedly heard Teachers is one of the best blends for the money, but I've only ever seen it in bottles that are too big for my cabinet.
The incredibly cheap cost of it also is surprising given the size of the bottle. Maybe someone else has tried it?
Best single malt scotch for the money:
- Glenfiddich 12yr (if you can get it for < $35).
- Macallan Fine Oak 10yr (if you can get it for < $42).
- Costco's 17yr, 18yr and 20yr scotch, if you ever find them (they are only there a few days a year). These are made by Macallan. Apparently Costco keeps a few Casks at Macallan that they manage for them. The 18-year that I bought a couple weeks ago was ~$35 and it is delicious.
- Highland Park 12yr (if you can get it for < $35).
Threads like this make me realize how much money I save due to the fact I can’t stand hard alcohol. I had no idea liquor costs so much.
I’d rather spend my hard-earned $$ on more essential items, like visits to Pin Ups and legal weed in Colorado.