Is there a significant flavor difference between Irish and Scotch, or is it similar to vodka disputes (Smirnoff vs. a little cheaper)? I'm not into Scotch, but I tried a cheap one (embarrassingly admitting to assuming it might be good because it said "imported from Scotland") named Clan Macgregor and it smelled a little like floor cleaner once stored in a barrel. Please post two or three recommendations < $20 each representing examples of decent Irish/Scotch and explain why each is worth drinking.
I myself am yet to find a whisky that costs < 20 euro which is worth buying. You could do like I did at first, when I thought 40 euro was a lot of money for a bottle of liquid and tell yourself this:
"That is twice the money I wanted to spend, but if I make sure I enjoy it twice as much, nothing is lost..."
By the way, with this new budget there's a wonderful world of happines opening up for you.... ;) My first was a Highland Park 12YO and I can surely recommend it.
Greetings,
Paul
Bar > Is there a significant flavor difference between Irish and Scotch, or is
Well, you can get Powers Irish for less than $20 most anywhere. It is a very good Irish whiskey. It is a blen but has the classic Irish pot still character. And Irish is very different from Scotch. I can't think of a decent scotch for less than $20. You could try one of the blends, maybe Johnnie Walker Red, maybe White Horse. But if you want a real taste of scotch you should try a single malt. Glen Garioch is a mild, mellow highland and Bowmore Legend is a robust Islay. They both will be priced in the mid $20s.
jimbo
Bar > Is there a significant flavor difference between Irish and Scotch, or is
Not to be insulting, but if you're looking for 'good' alcohol of any variety under $20, you probably have less discrete taste than most of the posters in this forum. That's not to say that cheap booze can't be enjoyed...by some. However, scotch is a drink to be savored, and there's not much savoring to be had in cheap blends, like JW red. Also, your about remark cleaner suggests to me that you might want to try something straightforward, rather than the really good peaty stuff from Islay. You also asked for a detailed rationale of each. So...
1) Teacher's Highland Cream (blended scotch). Cheap, straightforward, not mindblowing, but drinkable neat. Fits into your price range (~$20 USD). But before you buy it, read on:
2) Highland Park 12yr (the real stuff-single malt scotch). Look, you
*could* buy a "mountain bike" at Wal-Mart for a hundred bucks, but if you wanted to actually experience the sport of mountain biking, the piece of junk that you get won't take you there. Highland Park 12yr is a reasonably cheap legitimate single malt scotch...I've seen it for $36 USD, but I'd pay $45 for it if it cost that...and it won't offend you with its aroma or taste. If you don't like this whisky, there isn't a whisky in the world that you will like. You really, really, should buy a bottle of this, and save the rest of your money. I'd take one bottle of HP12 over three bottles of JW red that I would dump down the sink, or use to strip furniture. Go for the Highland.
3) Bowmore Legend - while I cannot personally recommend this, because I've never had it, many will. I don't know if it will be to your liking, though, and I understand it's a bit unrefined. Does the sound of drinking something that smells like iodine sound curiously appealing? Yum! I bet you don't want that, though. The iodine smell of Islay region scotch is from seaweed (peat)used in the malting process, and many of us absolutely love it!
The Highland Park is one I have not tried but due to the good "press" on this group I'll try it soon.
Would you recommend it over Macallan 12 which is available locally for me around $ 37 ? I love the Macallan in this price range and just wondering how the Highland Park compares.
If you didn't like Aberlour, skip the Macallan. In fact, if you think Aberlour is "toxic s**nk water", you might want to forget scotch and try something else.
Not having tried the Macallan 12, I cannot make that recommendation, but I can at least recommend it in *addition* to whatever you have! To put it another way, it's one of a handful of bottles that I constantly have in my rotation, along with Laphroig, Talisker, and Aberlour A'bunadh (which is decidedly better than the 10).
That, and with those prices you keep listing, I think I'm going to move to Denver. Can I still root for the Wings?!
My thoughts on the Aberlour 10 are well known by now :-) but the A'bunadh sounds intriguing and the Talisker is one I haven't tried but sounds like I need to. I'm kind of jumping around trying this and that ... so far only the Macallan 12 is on the "permanently available" list. I love Lagavulin but is a little pricey to keep around since that is the one I always reach for if it's there.
There are a bunch of Wings fans in Denver. You'd be right at home. And yes, Applejack liquors has a half dozen single malts on sale every week and they change ... Macallan 12 $ 31.99, Lagavulin 3 weeks ago for $59.99 ... the sale prices make it easier to try something new.
Well, regarding Bon Jovi ... we have found common ground.
The Cockburn song is "Night Train" ... very cool song. Here is a link to the interview where he talks about it ...
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and here are the lyrics ....
NIGHT TRAIN bruce cockburn
Not a knife throw from here you can hear the night train passing That's the sound somebody makes when they're getting away Leaving next week's hanging jury far behind them Prisoner only of the choices they have made
Night Train... Night Train...
Ice cube in a dark drink shines like starlight The moon is floating somewhere out at sea On an island in the blur of noise and color Alcatraz, St. Alina, Patmos and the Chateau D'if
Night Train... Night Train...
And everyone's an island edged with sand A temporary refuge where somebody else can stand Till the sea that binds us like the forced tie of a blood oath Will wear it down, dissolve it, recombine it
Anyone can die here they do it every day It doesn't take much effort though it goes against the grain And the ultimate forgetfulness of violence Sweeps the landscape like a headlight of a train
Night Train...
Ice cube in a dark drink shines like starlight Starlight shines like glass shards in dark hair And the mind's eye tumbles out along the steel track Fixing every shadow with its stare
Night Train... Night Train...
And in the absence of a vision there are nightmares And in the absence of compassion there is cancer Whose banner waves over palaces and mean streets And the rhythm of the night train is a mantra
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