Which Scotch?

My birthday is coming up soon and I already have the cigars picked out. My friends and I will be smoking the Arturo Fuentes God of Fire cigar. I have been thinking about which Scotch to go with the cigars. I thought that I would try something from my 2 favorite selections from the Spirit of the Month thread here at B&B. I was hoping to spend $60 to $80. If you can convince me, I would be willing to spent $100 on the Highland Park 18.

So gents, help me pick out a great drink to go with a wonderful cigar. Of these four, which would you choose and why would you choose it?

• Highland Park 15 Year $62.99
• Laphroaig 10 Year Old Cask Strength $75.99
• Laphroaig 15 Year $82.99
• Highland Park 18 Year $99.99

If you think there is a far better choice, in the $60 to $80 range, what would it be?

How about the Laphroaig Quarter Cask? It's everything that's good about the 10 magnified and with none of the drawbacks.

DunEdinRanger said:

How about the Laphroaig Quarter Cask? It's everything that's good about the 10 magnified and with none of the drawbacks.

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Do you prefer it over the cask strengh?

Laz said:

Do you prefer it over the cask strengh?

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Only tried the 10 and the Quarter Cask, so I can't really compare it.

DunEdinRanger said:

Only tried the 10 and the Quarter Cask, so I can't really compare it.

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I've only tried the 10 myself and hope to try the Quarter Cask as well.

Good choices.

From that list, I'd pick the Highland Park 15. The extra money for the 18 yo can be spent on snacks. Good chocolate covered almonds go well with Scotch, as well as cigars.

I wouldn't pick the Laphroaigs, but that's just my taste. If you do pick a Laphroaig, make sure you've tried that distillery before, and know you like it. Also, if you serve it to friends, you're more likely to turn some of them off with a Laphroiag than with a HP. It's a love-it-or-hate-it whisky, wheras HP will please most palates.

The other to consider in that price is Lagavulin 16yo. It would be a tough call, but I still might pick the HP 15.

Mazeman said:

Good choices.

From that list, I'd pick the Highland Park 15. The extra money for the 18 yo can be spent on snacks. Good chocolate covered almonds go well with Scotch, as well as cigars.

I wouldn't pick the Laphroaigs, but that's just my taste. If you do pick a Laphroaig, make sure you've tried that distillery before, and know you like it. Also, if you serve it to friends, you're more likely to turn some of them off with a Laphroiag than with a HP. It's a love-it-or-hate-it whisky, wheras HP will please most palates.

The other to consider in that price is Lagavulin 16yo. It would be a tough call, but I still might pick the HP 15.

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I have never tried chocolate with scotch or a cigar - it sounds good

Laz said:

Do you prefer it over the cask strengh?

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I do, though they're really entirely different animals. The quarter cask intensifies all the flavors of the regular offering and is absolutely amazing. The cask strength is great as well, but found that undiluted the alcohol overpowered it, and while it opens up a great deal after tinkering around with the amount of water to add, it still doesn't quite have the flavor of the quarter cask.

Personally I would choose Ardbeg over any Laphroaig, but that is just my own preference.

Laz said:

I have never tried chocolate with scotch or a cigar - it sounds good

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Actually the chocolate goes very well with the Scotch (especially a peaty malt), and a cigar goes well with Scotch, but a cigar doesn't go well with chocolate. So choose one with your Scotch, or do them in series. Not all three at once.

Erebos said:

I do, though they're really entirely different animals. The quarter cask intensifies all the flavors of the regular offering and is absolutely amazing. The cask strength is great as well, but found that undiluted the alcohol overpowered it, and while it opens up a great deal after tinkering around with the amount of water to add, it still doesn't quite have the flavor of the quarter cask.

Personally I would choose Ardbeg over any Laphroaig, but that is just my own preference.

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My interest is beginning to grow regarding the quarter cask. But, it is in a price range that I can pick up with greater ease at other times throughout the year. For a special occasion, I don't mind spending a bit more.

Still, I am beginning to wonder if I should remove the the cask strength from the list.

time for me to restore my macanudos. now you guys got me feelin for chocolate, scotch, and cigars. which naturally, scotch it my 2nd favorite alcoholic beverage (behind beer). ever tried the fruit and nut chocolate bars from cadbury? theyre awesome.

eclipse75 said:

time for me to restore my macanudos. now you guys got me feelin for chocolate, scotch, and cigars. which naturally, scotch it my 2nd favorite alcoholic beverage (behind beer). ever tried the fruit and nut chocolate bars from cadbury? theyre awesome.

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I love the Cadbury Eggs at Easter time. I will look for the bars. Cadbury's products are great.

If you really want Highland Park and don't want to spring for the 18, get the 12 over the 15, I prefer it and it's cheaper.

The Laphroaig 15 is also phenomenal stuff.

Laz said:

Do you prefer it over the cask strengh?

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They're both superb, but the 10 cask strength is Laphroaig's best expression, imo, even better than the 15 I'm sipping right now (it was a loooong day)

i consider the Orkney malt too mellow for your purpose, go ISLAY

Mazeman said:

The other to consider in that price is Lagavulin 16yo. It would be a tough call, but I still might pick the HP 15.

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I'm a fan of Lagavulin, but I think you might want to avoid it for the same reasons as Laphroaig. It can be a bit much for some, and if you don't like it you probably won't even be able to tolerate it.

sorry. if this is your first MALT, steer away from ISLAY, go with ORKNEY.

I have only had a few single malts (most of which were Spirit of the Month selections from B&B). All the people I will be smoking have tried the Highland Park & Laphroaig. We all enjoyed them, so nobody should have a problem with medicinal taste of the Laphroaig. I was the only one of the bunch to grow fond of the Ardbeg.

Consider that the Laphroaig and the Lagavulin are both an acquired taste, maybe not so much for the casual "party sipper" they are very strong and peaty, something you love or hate. If you want just decent sipping scotch that is pretty neutral, then the highland or speyside could be a better choice. Dalwhinnie and Oban are good for this type of gathering, anyone can drink them and they are very good scotch. 15 year old Glenfiddich is another good neutral choice, smoother than the Glenlivet unless you pop for the older vintage. If you want a very very smooth taste then spring for a bottle of Glenfarclas, the 17 year old. Cask strength scotch is something that a seasoned scotchmaster will appreciate and probably no one else, so plan according to who will be your guests, good luck, bc

Caol Ila 18 years, one of my favorite Islay whiskeys.