What is a good solid whiskey under say 70USD. Not asking for anything out of the ordinary/spectacular. Just something that I wouldn't be ashamed to put on the table, something that tastes like good whiskey is supposed to taste.
Also what is the proper glassware? I see people drinking liquor from those short wide glasses sometimes they have straight edges, perpendicular to the ground, and sometimes the are under slight angle..sort of like trapezoid turned upside down. what are they called? where do I purchase one?
It's hard to make an accurate prediction of a good scotch without knowing the target audience. I've listed a few that I think will fit nicely into a wide range of acceptance. Also, If you are in the U.S., I recommend you go to the Malt Advocate website or Wine Enthusiast and look at their "spirit glasses" by following the shopping links or use their search.
It sounds like you are describing rocks glasses in your post. The short, 4 to six ounce glasses are used to drink whisky neat, with a little water or on the rocks. I prefer to drink my scotch neat in crystal specifically designed to present the whisky for nosing and sipping. The references below will at least let you view a variety of proper glassware and whisk(e)y. You can then look for a suitable vendor if they don't meet your requirement.
Whisky list (not in any order) The Glen Livet 12 yo The Glen Livet French Oak Oban 14 yo Aberlour 10 yo Glen Morangie 10 yo Glen Fiddich 12 yo Special Reserve The Balvenie Doublewood 12 yo Dalwhinnie 15 yo The Macallen 12 yo The Dalmore 12 yo Talisker 10 yo (bolder taste but smooth) The Famous Grouse blended scotch Johnnie Walker Black Label blended scotch
Some American Whiskey Buffalo Trace Gentleman Jack Old Forester Maker's Mark George Dickel Number 12 Knob Creek Elijah Craig Bulleit Bourbon Wild Turkey Rye
Very mild Canadian but still some flavor and very smooth Canadian Club Classic 12
A very nice list of respectable whiskies for a generic audience. For scotch, I would suggest the Glenlivet 12 for first time tasters because it is light, fresh, and a bit fruity and fragrant, very accessible. If you want a comparative selection of several bottles, I would add the Macallan
12, the Dalmore 12 and the Talisker 10. If you want a really powerful Islay, the Ardbeg 10 or Laphroig 10 will fit the heavy end in the same price range.
For serious tasting, a glass should be large enough to swirl the whisky (or whiskey) and then concentrate the nose with a restricted top opening. The most definitive comparison of nosing glasses I've seen was done by the malt maniacs in which they picked a brandy snifter as the best overall, even over the very expensive Reidel glasses. I use small brandy snifters for comparative tastings with many malts, and a large brandy snifter for enjoying a single glass.
If you get the Macallan 12 *the oloroso sherry-casked one) you can drink it out of a Mason jar and all will still be delighted. I mean, you could drink it out of plastic trophies from the kids' soccer tournament and it would still be superb.
My local store has the new holiday offering from Macallan which is a bottle of 12 and a very nice glass. They are selling it for $33. I am tempted to buy about a dozen of them....
Mr. Hoyt, you have a point, a point well taken. I can remember in the late fifties when relatives distilled fine whisky from a pot still that met no specification using a mashbill unapproved by local and state regulatory agencies in an area zoned for deer hunting instead of enterprise. The resulting spirit was appreciated, often before full maturation, from ladles, soup cans, mason jars, WWII surplus canteens, and mom's hand blown glass rose vase, the flowers sacrificed for the greater good.
I used a teaspoon as I hadn't met the minimum height requirement at the time. I needed to have a bad cough as a requirement for my free issue. Although memories fade, I'm almost positive there was never a complaint about the delivery vehicle. So, I guess if the poster wanted to use rocks glasses and three cubes of ice to serve his friends good whisky then they should be gracious guests and drink all that was offered. Your post has snapped me back to my senses. If one just wants to enjoy a good drink with friends then glassware is a matter of functionality and more efficient than open palms which grandpa used for expeditious quality checks. He seemed to always be in a good mood after those checks......
One of my fave recently appreciated Belgium Triples, Slaapmutske, was named for the dipping of the pacifier into sweet, fruit-yeast-addled high-gravity malt-heaven nectar, which put the baby dreamland pronto. Currently, I'm drinking overproof bourbon from stolen airline glassware (same effect).
Actually, a Mason jar would be better than a traditional whiskey (not whisky) highball glass. Slight curvature at the mouth would hold evaporation, and the large volume would allow swirling the lovely amber liquid below. Might be better than some of the stuff I've seen. ;-)
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