Whisk(e)y suggestions

For the past few years I've been getting my hubby nice whiskey for his birthday.  I almost always get him Jameson's because I know he likes it.  I know there are other nice whiskies out there but could use a few suggestions. 

I got him the standard Jameson's one year, then upgraded to their aged Jameson's and then last year sprung out for Jameson's Gold.  I'd spend a bit more than £50, but not more than £80 ish.

So for those of you who appreciate nice whisky (that word looks wrong now any way I spell it!), for someone who likes Jameson, what do you suggest?

My favourite is Johnnie Walker Blue Label, but it's a bit pricier than that. Still, you could get a smaller gift-size bottle for within your price range.

Thanks chary; looks like it should be good for that price, but I know they get even more expensive than that!  I've been checking out the whiskies on the Whisky Exchange site and I could get loads of miniatures.....or I guess I could get a small gift size of something...

http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/

Ooh Andee, I've been on 14 distillery tours, so I may be to help. I quite enjoy my wee drams. What kind of flavours do you think he'd be into, smokey (peat)  honey, salt, toffee, floral, citrus, sherry?  Does he like rich, heavier flavours or lighter, delicate flavours?

My own personal favourites (everyone is slightly different in what they can taste)
Note: These are all single malts (not blends like Johnny Walker, Bells, etc):
Lighter, florally, lemony notes: Glenkinchie 12 year old
Richer, smokier: Talisker 18 year old
Richer, sherry, toffee: Macallan 12 year old
Fruity, nutty, rich: Glen Grant 10 year old
Rich, smoky, but still quite light: Highland Park 12 year old
Richer, spicy, chocolatey, honey: Glenfiddich 15 year old
Good overall drinker- lighter ,delicate, but still a bit rich (toffee, honey): Glenlivet 18 year old



  

Ooh Andee, I've been on 14 distillery tours, so I may be to help. I quite enjoy my wee drams. What kind of flavours do you think he'd be into, smokey (peat)  honey, salt, toffee, floral, citrus, sherry?  Does he like rich, heavier flavours or lighter, delicate flavours?

My own personal favourites (everyone is slightly different in what they can taste)
Note: These are all single malts (not blends like Johnny Walker, Bells, etc):
Lighter, florally, lemony notes: Glenkinchie 12 year old
Richer, smokier: Talisker 18 year old
Richer, sherry, toffee: Macallan 12 year old
Fruity, nutty, rich: Glen Grant 10 year old
Rich, smoky, but still quite light: Highland Park 12 year old
Richer, spicy, chocolatey, honey: Glenfiddich 15 year old
Good overall drinker- lighter ,delicate, but still a bit rich (toffee, honey): Glenlivet 18 year old



  

Wow this is excellent detail pb!!  Just what I needed.  I'd say richer and smokier, but to be sure I may somehow slyly ask him so as not to give the secret away that *yet again* he'll be getting whisky for his birthday. 

As to the spelling...

whisky is Scottish
whiskey is Irish

I like whisky but I'm not anything like an expert and have not been on as many distillery tours as PB... only been on 8. 
Highland Park 12 yo is my favourite.

Normcash, if he's about, is a good man to ask about whisky as well as PB... he might also know quite a lot about whiskey.

As to the spelling...

whisky is Scottish
whiskey is Irish

I like whisky but I'm not anything like an expert and have not been on as many distillery tours as PB... only been on 8. 
Highland Park 12 yo is my favourite.

Normcash, if he's about, is a good man to ask about whisky as well as PB... he might also know quite a lot about whiskey.

I knew the spelling bit, but it all started to look wrong!    I appreciate any and all suggestions so thank you! 

Also what is the difference quality / taste-wise if a single malt vs a blend?

Andee, thanks for starting this thread. My DH also loves good whisk(e)y and I no nothing about them. (To me, 98% of all alcoholic beverages taste awful. I'd rather have a soda! ) 

I have both his birthday and Christmas within 10 days, so I need all the present suggestions I can get.  I will be following this thread with interest.

Andee, thanks for starting this thread. My DH also loves good whisk(e)y and I no nothing about them. (To me, 98% of all alcoholic beverages taste awful. I'd rather have a soda! ) 

I have both his birthday and Christmas within 10 days, so I need all the present suggestions I can get.  I will be following this thread with interest.

I'm the same Fallgal, I just get a soda or sparkling water every time!

I knew the spelling bit, but it all started to look wrong!    I appreciate any and all suggestions so thank you! 

Also what is the difference quality / taste-wise if a single malt vs a blend?

Oh no, no...not a blend. Don't get a blend for a true whisky lover.
Blends are the sort of whiskies you use mixers with, like 'scotch and soda' or whisk(e)y cocktails, etc.  They're not the sort of thing a whisky enthusiast would be interested in.  You will want a single malt.

Oh no, no...not a blend. Don't get a blend for a true whisky lover.
Blends are the sort of whiskies you use mixers with, like 'scotch and soda' or whisk(e)y cocktails, etc.  They're not the sort of thing a whisky enthusiast would be interested in.  You will want a single malt.

Thanks, will stick with a single malt then!

We currently have six bottles of single malt here at the house, plus I've discovered an actual whisky store in town! I made the mistake of taking the husband there the following weekend...

I don't like the really peat-y stuff, but the others are nice. Our current stock is the following:

Cardhu 12 year - my favourite hands down
Dalwhinnie 15 year - my husbands favourite
Glenlivet 12 year
Jura Origin - I don't like this one
Jura Superstition - I don't like this one either (but the regular Jura is quite nice!)
Singleton 12 year - we haven't tried this one yet, so no opinion on that so far

This is in addition to the bottles of vodka I use to make extracts, but that's an entirely different story!

I do agree with getting the single malts instead of the blended for a whisky lover. In my experience, the blendeds burn more and really need to be mixed with something else, such as coke or another soda (the husbands grandad mixes scotch with lemonade! *shudder*).

The single malts burn, but are much smoother, easier and nicer on the palate and definitely should be had neat in my opinion. I really wish that I had taken a photo of the whisky chart that's up in our local whisky store that shows which single malts have which qualities. I will get a photo of it next time!

A blend, like Bell's, is just what it sounds like - they take whisk(e)y's from other distilleries and blend them together to make a more muted flavour. Not something to give an enthusiast for a present.

Edradour http://www.edradour.co.uk/main.html is my favourite distillery in as much as they make a really really nice cream liquor (like Baileys but made with better quality ingredients) that both my husband and I really like. They are a small distillery and have a very limited distribution, but if you're ever up near Pitlochry or happen to see the label, it does come highly recommended by the people in my life who drink whisk(e)y.

In my humble opinion, blends can be really nice when they're made with good quality whisky (i.e Johnny Walker Blue) -
This is because you can take the best of every flavour and mellow and mix and add to get the best taste.  

But 90% of blends are made with the 'leftovers' and burn and leave a bad taste, etc. or are only good for mixing with soda.  

  

If he likes Irish whiskey, Bushmills have a range of variously aged single malts which could be worth trying.  It's a generalization, but Irish whiskey tends not to be smoky and is triple distilled vs Scotch which is distilled twice.  Not all Scotch whisky is smoky and there is one called Auchentoshan which is triple distilled, I've heard it's good but haven't tried it.

 I think the previous suggestions of Macallan and Highland Park are good ones, but as a Scot I'm biased.  Also in the shamelessly biased category, can I suggest to anyone with a whisky lover in their life they get them up to the Highlands and tour a few distilleries?  Personally I can't get enough of them and the scenery is usually excellent too.

http://www.lfw.co.uk/   Loch Fyne Whiskies is a great shop but also the website is full of information including a "flavour map" - these don't exactly tell the whole story but may be a useful starting point. If you click on "single malts" there is a wealth of information including tasting notes.

 http://www.royalmilewhiskies.com/  This one is good in that you can click on categories like "easy drinkers" or "peaty beasts".

As a tour guide I'm frequently asked for recommendations and often suggest Jura as a kind of compromise.  I like it, it's slightly peaty (smoky) but not overpowering, and it's a slightly unusual bottle so at least if the recipient doesn't like the whisky they might at least be impressed when they unwrap it.  


For what it's worth, I was on the Isle of Arran recently and tried the Arran 14 yr old, and was really impressed.  It was smooth, not too rich but with a slightly chocolatey hint, and it's not one you'll see in every pub or supermarket.  I hesitate to strongly recommend whiskies to people as they vary so widely and it really is a matter of taste.

I would avoid very smoky Islay whiskies as a gift - some people hate them with a passion, and also anything which has been aged in a variety of weird and wonderful casks, unless you're sure he'll like it.  

You can get gift packs with 3 or 4 different bottles, not necessarily the tiny 5cl miniatures but maybe 20cl each.  It might be different ages of the same whisky or different whiskies from the same region etc.  I'd better stop typing now