The Oban - my favorite scotch. It hits all the right buttons. Not too peaty (which some people REALLY don't like), but not too light. 14 year, single malt, figure around $75 for a bottle. Plus a name simple enough to pronounce! Go for it.
The Oban - my favorite scotch. It hits all the right buttons. Not too peaty (which some people REALLY don't like), but not too light. 14 year, single malt, figure around $75 for a bottle. Plus a name simple enough to pronounce! Go for it.
Oban 18 for me,
The Johnny Walker Blue is pretty darn good, not worth it but good. The green is the best of the bunch.
Okay...next question. He works in our NJ office and I'm in FL. Can liquor be ordered online and shipped? (can you tell I'm not much of a liquor drinker?)
+1 on Macallan 12yr. I also enjoy Balvenie Doublewood.
Althought not scotch, Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey has become my overall favorite.
I've never purchased alcohol online, but I have shipped beer by UPS without any issues. *Note that it is a don't ask, don't tell situation... legally they are not allowed to ship alcohol to consumers.
Salanis wrote: +1 on Macallan 12yr. I also enjoy Balvenie Doublewood.
Local grocery store had The Balvenie Doublewood on sale for $34 last week. At that price, by far my favorite <$40 bottle.
MitchellC wrote: I've never purchased alcohol online, but I have shipped beer by UPS without any issues. *Note that it is a don't ask, don't tell situation... legally they are not allowed to ship alcohol to consumers.
I am not a consumer, I am a filter.
curtis73 wrote: Laphroaig is excellent. If you want an excellent single malt that truly impresses, get them a bottle of Lagavulin. Expect to pay nearly $100 for it, but it is worth every single peated penny. Its like drinking a fine cigar. McCallan is wonderful but a little over hyped in my opinion. Its prices reflect its market share.
Jeebus I love the Lagavulin. have you tried Ardbeg? It's a small distillery that was reopened barely more than a decade ago so mostly they're selling 10yr olds. But is very, very good.
My awesome wife gave me a bottle of the Ardbeg Supernova for my 50th. The fanciest scotch I'll probably ever have, and god help me walnuts, the peatiest.
Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: Available in 25yr $400, 18yr / $75 or 10 / $35 yr old variety. It has a very peaty flavor.
I was introduced to good Scotch recently and that intro was Laphroaig 10yr. My, my was it good, sort of like a great whiskey and a cigar at the same time. I think this holiday I may try something else from this list.
Good topic, thanks for starting.
As for the shipping this kind of thing varies from state to state. That variable mostly has to do with taxes. Don't kid yourself, this country is built on alcohol and cigarette taxes and each state wants their share. If you were to buy it in a low tax state and ship it to a high tax state then someone looses and because of this they make laws and give it the dirty name of bootlegging.
Buy a bottle in your home town. Bubble pack it well and ship it yourself. Admit that it is liquid when shipping but just reassure them it is not flammable or hazardous. Sending one bottle is not criminal.
Send cases and the tax man cometh.
I do say though, a bottle of scotch is exactly the type of thing that I like finding on my doorstep. My neighbor left me a third-full bottle of Macallen 12 year for taking out his garbage while he was gone, and I considered it a more than generous thank you.
Osterkraut left me a bottle of Laphroaig 10-year, and I thoroughly enjoyed its smokey peatiness. As he put it, it tastes like a campfire.
If their was MacAllen on the porch his wife threw it out, bless her heart.
If he is a true single malt Scotch drinker he will have room for anything in his collection that you buy. I have my favourites, but always love getting something new and/or rare to try. Rare doesn't always mean expensive in the Scotch world,. either.
If push came to shove, I'd say Highland Park 18, or 25 if you are feeling pretty generous.
It's not single malt, but there is always Royal Salute by Chivas.
Balvenie Doublewood is one of my favorites but it's inconsistent bottle to bottle. Oban is awesome but I find it difficult to justify the price. For a high double digit budget, I wouldn't get anything but Oban.
Are you going to ask what the drinker likes or will that spoil the surprise and start the "Oh, no, don't get me anything?" Plus, if they like something expensive they might not tell you.
The single malts are risky if you don't know which the drinker prefers. Lagavulin, for instance, is wonderful but so smokey some folks just don't care for it. That could be an expensive mistake. The Oban is also great, also expensive, and safer as a single malt.
Purely personal opinion, of course, but Johnnie Walker Black is the best blend I've ever tried. Very few Scotch drinkers actively dislike it. It will be around $50 and is the kind of gift that says you went for something above average that most people will like A LOT. If it's not a personal favorite of the recipient, he/she can impress guests with it. J.W. Red is a completely different, lesser whiskey. Never tried Green. The Blue is absurdly overpriced, nice enough, lighter in taste than the Black.
chuckles wrote: Purely personal opinion, of course, but Johnnie Walker Black is the best blend I've ever tried. Very few Scotch drinkers actively dislike it. It will be around $50 and is the kind of gift that says you went for something above average that most people will like A LOT. If it's not a personal favorite of the recipient, he/she can impress guests with it. J.W. Red is a completely different, lesser whiskey. Never tried Green. The Blue is absurdly overpriced, nice enough, lighter in taste than the Black.
I guess I am one of those that actively dislikes JW Black.
I haven't tried alot but I will cast another vote for JW Green I commute with someone from JW and from time to time he brings us a little something to share on the ride home. The green is my favorite.
Which one mixes best with Coke Zero?
chuckles wrote: Are you going to ask what the drinker likes or will that spoil the surprise and start the "Oh, no, don't get me anything?" Plus, if they like something expensive they might not tell you. The single malts are risky if you don't know which the drinker prefers. Lagavulin, for instance, is wonderful but so smokey some folks just don't care for it. That could be an expensive mistake. The Oban is also great, also expensive, and safer as a single malt.
I don't want to ask and spoil the surprise. So I may go with something a little less than "tastes like a campfire". 
Oh! I almost forgot, it'll make a great gift he's almost sure not to have, but some of the best scotch I've ever had is Japanese Whiskey (Nikka is the brand). They basically did what Japan did to the auto industry: went to Scotland, learned everything there is to know about scotch, and then went and made their own very good product.
Good lord man, you must do nothing but drink!! 
Osterkraut wrote: Oh! I almost forgot, it'll make a great gift he's almost sure not to have, but some of the best scotch I've ever had is Japanese Whiskey (Nikka is the brand). They basically did what Japan did to the auto industry: went to Scotland, learned everything there is to know about scotch, and then went and made their own very good product.
I give the Japanese whiskeys a solid "meh." Not really for me. I found them all rather flat and bland. You would get poitns for uniqueness.
dyintorace wrote: Good lord man, you must do nothing but drink!!
Completely untrue. He also finds time to make fun of people he considers his inferiors.
motomoron wrote: Jeebus I love the Lagavulin. have you tried Ardbeg? It's a small distillery that was reopened barely more than a decade ago so mostly they're selling 10yr olds. But is very, very good. My awesome wife gave me a bottle of the Ardbeg Supernova for my 50th. The fanciest scotch I'll probably ever have, and god help me walnuts, the peatiest.
Funny you should mention... Ardbeg is the one I go to when I can't afford Lagavulin Like for instance, if I sell a car I would celebrate with Lagavulin. When I buy a car, I celebrate with Ardbeg. If my wife is part of the transaction, I celebrate with Bud Light. 
You'll need to log in to post.
