Scotch

I had a glass of Quinta Ruban last night. Good stuff.

After all those recommendations, don't forget to let us know how you get on.

Laphroaig 10/15 and Ardbeg 10 are my go-to Scotch's.
Not for the faint of heart, as they are Islays, and pack quite a smokey/peaty wallop.

McCallan 12 is quite possibly one of the smoothest, sweetest single malts in your price range. Highland scotch's tend to be sweet and smooth. As do Speysides.

Not too much experience with the lowlands.

Islay is where it is at for me though.

I definitely agree with the recommendations for The Macallan or Glenmorangie. Both are great single malts that are mild and sweet enough for someone new to scotch to enjoy.

boboakalfb said:

Well, I would recommend Glenlivet 12 as a great place to start. If you don't want to invest in a whole bottle, you can try minis (50 ml), if available locally or a restaurant/bar.

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+1, this is the first scotch I recommend to everyone.

My first was Laphroaig, and I'll never forget it.

I would suggest something smoother/more mellow for your first.

Along with the usual suspects:

Glenlivet
Glenmorangie (I prefer the original to the Port wood expression)
Macallan

Why not try "the oasis in a blend desert of yesteryear"

Glenfiddich

Speyburn 10-year-old ($20-25): Nice, sweet, easy drinking beginner scotch.
Abelour 12-year-old ($30-35): More complex, spicy/sweet.
Dewar's 12-year-old Special Reserve Blend ($30-35): Nice, well-rounded blend.

R-James said:

See I don't know the US prices but my 2 favourites are lagavulin 16yr and highland park 12 or 18... Ok thats 3 but nevermind.

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I thought we were trying to go cheap here... I love Lagavulin, but it is not exactly inexpensive. Along those same smokey lines, I have found a blended scotch called The Peat Monster from Compas Box. Very smokey, but smooth and tasty, and about $60 CDN.

Also, I know it's very pricey, but every once in a while, I like to treat myself to Oban. It's generally about $90 CDN, but every once in a while you can find it at a great price at a small liquor store.

Laphroaig 10 is good, 15 should be out of your zone.

Talisker 10 I enjoy, a bit smokey, 18 should be $$$

Ardbeg if you can try it is real sweet and I never regretted picking up a bottle even tohugh it was too sweet for me, but with fine cheese it was top top

In the blends don't rule out Chivas 12/18. Great stuff.

Johnny Walker Black overpriced. Gold and Green are as well, but taste much better, in my opinion.

I probably am the person on this forum with the least knowledge of whiskeys, but I really like Balvenie. I didn't have a clue if it was a popular whiskey or not, but I'm happy to see some love for it in this board.

Try Tobermory 10, usualy under $40 a bottle. I feel it is cheap enough to be a regular drinker yet of substantial enough quality to not taste cheap. Michael Jackson's tasters notes state that it has a definate touch of peat and is slightly sweet. http://www.tobermorymalt.com/index.php

I went with the McCellands. Good stuff. I decided I didn't want to spend $50 to find out I didn't like it so I went with a cheaper bottle and have drank most of it. Thanks for all of the help.

Teachers is a blended scotch with a very high malt content. I've never tried it, but it is supposed to be good.

Macallan Cask Strength. Just got a bottle for my birthday yesterday and it's really amazing stuff. A little strong for a beginner but you can easily water to your liking. Glenlivet 12 is also a great starter scotch.