http://www.esquire.com/features/drinking/​ scotch-pronunciation-guide-5836

July 10, 2013 4:36 PM

I need to buy my brother a very good bottle of scotch. The last very good bottle of scotch I bought him was Highland Park 12 year. He liked that. But he has done me a series of nice, nice favors for which I would like to top said Highland Park. He also likes Laphroaig. Really, he just likes scotch and whiskey. Suggestions, please, $200 and under.
posted by oflinkey to Food & Drink (22 answers total)

Lagavulin 16. Should be available for around ~$80?
posted by thecaddy at 4:40 PM on July 10, 2013 [2 favorites]

Best answer: I am a huge fan of the Islays, the smoky, peaty ones like Laphroaig. The other Islays I especially like are Lagavulin, Ardbeg, Bruichladdich, and Bowmore. Bruichladdich has the most special caskings and bottlings and one-time scotches, so you are more likely to be able to find something he doesn't have. But for all of them (and really pretty much any scotch) buy the most expensive bottle you can afford/want to pay for and you'll have something really good.

Any decent liquor store with a good selection will be very happy to point you to their Islay scotches and help you pick out something he'll like.
posted by gingerbeer at 4:40 PM on July 10, 2013

Best answer: +1 for Bruichladdich
posted by quince at 4:44 PM on July 10, 2013 [1 favorite]

Bowmore 15 y.o. 1996.
posted by bearwife at 4:47 PM on July 10, 2013

Agree with gingerbeer - just go to a well-stocked liquor store and have them point you at the Islays. I've found that the more expensive stuff is not regularly stocked, so I'd just find out what sort of interesting stuff they have.

I can't remember if it was the Laphroaig Quarter Cask or the 18 that blew me out of the water, but I don't remember *disliking* either one. I'm also fond of the Ardbeg in general, although I haven't yet tried the fancier ones.

I like the Highland Park quite a bit, but I don't know that anything older than a 12 is worth the money. I can taste the difference, but I don't think it's all that much better.

(This reminds me, I need to work through a few more of the verticals.)
posted by restless_nomad at 4:51 PM on July 10, 2013

If he actually likes Laphroaig, you would probably do well to get any of the other Islays. Laphroaig is known for being one of the most "medicinal" Scotches, i.e., the most intensely peaty and iodine-oriented. Caol Ila is quite aggressively smoky and that might appeal to a Laphroaig fan. Thecaddy mentions Lagavulin, which is often considered like the "king of the Islays," and it is damn good. My two personal favorite Islays, however, are Bruichladdich first and Bunnahabhain a close second. Both, to me, present a superb balance of malty, oakey, and peaty/smoky flavors. The spice in Lagavulin is delicious but it's a bit overly sweet I think frankly.

Any of these should be available for under $100 for the standard bottle of 12+ years aging, possibly with specials of 14-16 years aging for somewhat more. Also, if you have a very upscale liquor store in town, it may be possible to find some unique bottles produced by independent Scotch bottlers - these are (sometimes US-based) companies that buy full barrels of a single Scotch and treat them in various ways, for instance sometimes finishing them in another Sherry cask or something, and then bottle and sell under a private label. I've enjoyed bottles from Gordon and MacPhail and Murray McDavid, for instance, both mentioned on that page and definitely recommended if you can track them down.

Good luck!
posted by Joey Buttafoucault at 4:53 PM on July 10, 2013 [2 favorites]

Oh, and if you go with Bowmore (which I always understood to be more of a budget option, but whatever), definitely go with one of the more aged vintages and DO NOT buy the "Legends." It's barely aged and pretty harsh-tasting, and not in a good Ardbeg-type way.
posted by Joey Buttafoucault at 4:55 PM on July 10, 2013 [1 favorite]

Seconding Caol Ila. I also quite enjoy Jura Superstition. These should run you around $60 each, if you have a reasonably priced liquor shop near you.
posted by artemisia at 5:22 PM on July 10, 2013

Another Islay fan here, and another vote for Bruichladdich.
posted by trip and a half at 5:24 PM on July 10, 2013

I'm partial to Talisker. It tastes like the ocean, and seaweed. Good stuff. I've only had the base model, ~$50.
posted by Bron at 5:26 PM on July 10, 2013

Caol Ila is a lovely Islay. There are lovely well aged bottles in your price range.
posted by DarlingBri at 5:43 PM on July 10, 2013

Came here to second Laguvullin 16 or Macallan 18.
posted by hrj at 5:48 PM on July 10, 2013

if your brother is familiar with the usual Islay scotches (ie. Lagavulin 16 year, Ardbeg, Caol Ila) but isn't just all about the peat and smoke, then you could surprise him with one of the newer "Distiller Edition" variants, where the Islay distilleries take one of their peatier single malts and finish their aging in sherry or muscat casks. It adds a nice sweetness that's a bit of a refreshing compliment to the smoke and spice.

Lagavulin Distiller's Edition (finished in sherry)
Caol Ila Distiller's Editin (finished in muscat, and my current favorite)
Laphroaig Triple Wood (finished in sherry)
posted by bl1nk at 5:51 PM on July 10, 2013

Glenmorangie 18 is pretty friggin' delightful. It's aged in bourbon casks, so could be perfect for lovers of both brown liquors.

As others have noted, Lagavulin 16 is also excellent.
posted by sevensnowflakes at 6:40 PM on July 10, 2013

I can't remember if it was the Laphroaig Quarter Cask or the 18 that blew me out of the water,

I'm gonna bet the 18, because it's a mind-blower (and the Quarter Cask is nothing to sneeze at).

We've also been enjoying Kilchoman (first new distillery on Islay in 124 years!) - both the Machir Bay and 100% Islay are delicious.
posted by rtha at 9:01 PM on July 10, 2013

Ooh, Lagavulin. (If you can find it--they stopped distributing it for a couple of years. )
posted by leahwrenn at 11:10 PM on July 10, 2013

Bladnoch - the peat one - is one of the best whiskys I've ever tasted. Actually any of theirs are great - they do an 18 year old which is superb. You'll have to order it direct from their distillery though, but they do ship to the US. (But not to Canada, which is one of the great tragedies of the universe.)
posted by lesbiassparrow at 12:40 AM on July 11, 2013

A lot of the big-name whiskies (including most of the above named labels) add caramel coloring to their product. Look for whiskies that feature natural color and are not cold-chill-filtered. The Bruichladdich line is one. Bunnahabhain (a tasty, lightly-peated Islay) is another.
posted by Thorzdad at 4:47 AM on July 11, 2013

I couldn't afford the Macallan 18 for my husband's birthday last month, so I bought the Macallan 15 and it was very well received.
posted by melissa at 6:23 AM on July 11, 2013

I recently tried Aberlour and thought it was excellent, though it's not really peaty at all -- it's just very, very smooth.
posted by devinemissk at 6:45 AM on July 11, 2013

Seconding the Lagavulin Distiller's Edition
For Bruichladdich: The Laddie Sixteen is excellent. Of their peated offerings the Port Charlotte is my preference over the Octomore, but only because I like the ability to taste things other than peat after drinking...
Bunnahabhain is a favorite of mine as well while we are on the island, but it is much more subtle, something for a different day than the above.
I would also add to the list the Dalmore Cigar Malt for something different
posted by Feantari at 8:21 AM on July 11, 2013

Best answer: Whisky drinking Scot here, for what ever thats worth. Heres four I swear by...

GlenDronach 15yo. Currently my favourite whisky. If you like your drams rich, complex, heavily-sherried and very fruity then you haven't lived if you haven't tried anything from this Highland distillery. Their single-cask bottlings are to die for.

Springbank 18yo. Big and oily, with a touch of smoke, Springbank takes no prisoners. As with GlenDronach I can't get enough of this stuff. One of the few distilleries in Scotland that still has working floor-maltings.

Lagavulin 16yo. Classic Islay in a bottle. You know when this pungent, peaty monster has been opened in a room.

Old Pulteney 17yo. Formerly the most northerly mainland distillery (Wolfburn has now opened near Thurso) this Wick-made malt is rich and oily with a sweet and salty coastal tang.
posted by Callicvol at 10:25 AM on July 13, 2013 [1 favorite]