Newbie question about blends...

Hi all. As a new poster in this NG, and in the "art" of whisky-drinking, I hope that you have some understanding for my stupid question: I've accumulated as much knowledge that I can about single malts, but how about some blends? I was wondering what blends you recommend? Keep in mind that I'm what you might call a Newbie in this field :-)

Magnus

Reply to
Magnus N
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Black Bottle, good taste for a good price

Gerard

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Reply to
Gerard

how about some blends?

I like Teachers and White Horse. I used to also enjoy Grants, the Famous Grouse, and even Bells. Johnnie Walker Black Label has always been very good, and Chivas is PLENTY drinkable. I always drink them on ice though. Blends are tasty, and the ice hides the fact that they are a bit rough around the edges, and short in the finish. But as long as you are springing for a whisky that is costing close to $20 a bottle U.S., why not get a cheap malt instead--they're usually better. Bowmore Legend or McClellands Islay are GREAT on ice. And the Signatory Vintage series close to $20 tends to be better than any blend--I don't like them neat, but they are great on ice. I was in Denver and Tobermory was only $19.99--I hadn't had it in years, and the salesperson said it was peaty, but not as peaty as Laphroaig. Well, it isn't peaty, and it is worth precisely $19.99. I have it on ice.

Reply to
Douglas W. Hoyt

I have to say that Douglas and I have about the same taste in blends. JW Black is my favorite blend and teachers and then Famous Grouse run second. My problem is I rarely get to the second or third choice in blends unless I'm out of my house and drinking (restaurants, someone else's house etc). At home I'm purely a single malt drinker and then it is Talisker or Ardbeg for me before I go to anyof the other 14 or so single malts in my cabinet. The only difference is I never use ice under any circumstances and only use a few drops of water (literally measured in drops).

On the other hand there are (IMHO) several blends that you do want to stay away from. Cutty is one, I think it is like drinking swill (no offense intented to those that may like it).

Magnus, I've learned plenty by reading this NG and one of the things that is very true here is that there are no stupid questions and plenty of great and very aware answers. It's a great NG whether you just read (like me) or post a lot, like the more educated and experienced that post often.

Dave

Reply to
DaveS

A week ago or so Jeff asked about the Compass Box whiskies, and I've been remembering the Asyla blended whisky that I had last year. That was a very enjoyable blend, priced just a little bit more than Johnnie Walker Black locally. Not very smoky, but very tasty.

Like Douglas I'm more likely to reach for a low priced malt than a blend of equivalent price. My favorite cheap blend is White Horse; Teachers is pretty good as well. Both have a lot of flavor and some peatiness which is why they appeal to me. Both have a few rough edges as well, which you'ld expect given their price. I sometimes have them on ice (especially in the summertime), but I usually drink WH neat just as I would a malt, but maybe with a little less attention. I found an old bottle of White Horse 12yo (which is no longer imported) a while back and bought it expecting even more Islay-like qualities. What I got was instead a very nice, soft, complex Speyside-like whisky. If that blend was still available I would be happy to have it anytime, although being a very old bottle, current WH 12 might not be the same.

I noticed 2 newly available blends on the local shelves recently and wondered if I had found some more obscure old bottles, but a quick web search showed they're regular production blends - they just haven't be sold locally before. They were the Whyte and MacKay 12 and 21 year olds. Does anyone have an opinion about these?

Bart

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Reply to
Bart

Not available in the US, as far as I know: Black Bottle 10 y.o., which a friend brought me from Europe. Excellent and dirt cheap.

Not available much: JW Green Label "Pure Malt", not really a blend but a vatted malt. Superb. But I think it's only available in duty-free stores, so take a cruise.

Chivas 18 y.o. Expensive, but superb. A lot of single malt advocates will snub it and tell you that "for the same price, blah blah" but it's worth it for the complexity.

--Jeff Frane

Reply to
Jeff Frane

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