Scotch and Cigars

[NavyLaw]

Good evening everyone. My post is a two-parter so I hope nobody minds.

First: I have never tried scotch in my life and was wondering if there was something that I have been missing out on. I like to think that I am pretty good with some wines and other spirits but am a virgin when it comes to scotch. What would be a good scotch to start with? How do you choose a scotch? What do you look for? how do you drink it? Cold? Room temperature? On the rocks? Flavors?

Second: Has anyone been able to find a steady supply of Casa Magna Oscuro cigars that are reasonably priced?

Thanks in advance! Steve

 

[dklaiman]

I can't help you with a specific scotch, but I do have a suggestion.

One of the local restaurants here puts on (or at least used to put on) scotch tastings a few times a year. You'd show up, hear about 10-12 different scotches, how and where they were made, the characteristics of the area, etc, and then you'd sample them, going from lightest to heaviest. Although you'd need a cab ride home, you'd have the opportunity to learn about and sample a lot of brands/types. A restaurant or bar in wherever the Navy has most recently taken you and your family may offer the same thing.

 

[NavyLaw]

That sounds like a wonderful idea. Thank you for the advice. I will have my wife start looking into it. Great suggestion. Steve

 

[knlgskr]

Glenlivet is an excellent single malt and Teacher's Highland Cream for a blend.

 

[Not A Nice Person]

Starting with Scotch: the heresy files.

Scotch and soda to start. Try Dewars, Pinch, Chivas, Johnny Walker Black Label. All good quality, tasty blends. I drank JWB and soda for years before branching out into single malts. You can decrease the soda to just a splash while deciding if you like the taste of Scotch . . . heh.

Once you're a bit acclimated to the taste, find a tasting event or well-stocked bar and ask to sample an Islay, a Speyside, and a Highland from their single malt selection. Try 'em neat and then with a splash of water. Then with an icecube, ignoring the barkeep's look of horror.

What counts is how YOU like it. When I'm trying a new Scotch, I break out the nosing glass for those same three steps . . . then make a Scotch and soda!

No purist, here. I like my drinks cold.

NANP™

 

[shavervinnie]

Macallan is a nice single malt. It pairs well with cigars that I like. Glenlivet is also good. Drink it either neat or with just a couple of cubes of ice. Scotch is an acquired taste, to be sure. Some people can never acquire the taste for it. I only drink it with cigars, otherwise, for me, why bother? Without a cigar, a martini will always be my choice. A good oscuro cigar with an excellent price point is an El Rey Del Mundo robusto larga.

 

[NavyLaw]

Great info. Thanks so much. Honestly didnt realize there was such a huge difference in regards to scotch and how to drink them. Looks like I have a long road ahead of me.

Steve

 

[RF1963]

It may be a long road but it is a very enjoyable trek!

I prefer single malts to blends. A bottle labelled Single Malt Whisky aged 10 years means it is the product of the one distillery and the contents are no younger than 10 years old. The 'single malt' denotes the use of malted barley at one distillery. The name of the distillery will normally be very prominent. Distilleries have a taste profile and they'll blend in house to get that profile. There are a number of distilleries all producing different single malts and each has it's own distinct flavour.

Blends such as Johnnie Walker Red, Teachers etc are grain whiskies. The base liquid is produced by a column still and then malts are blended in to achieve the desired constant flavour. I tend to get hungover with blends but not with SMWs and I believe this is due to SMWs discarding the first run of distillate which has the poisons which cause headaches etc.

Scotland is divided into regions for whisky purposes: Highland, Lowland, Speyside, Island, Islay and Campbeltown. Each whisky has different traits which reflect the geography.

If you're starting out I'd recommend Glenmorangie original: it's quite a light whisky due to the very tall stills they use. It's the best selling single malt in Scotland. Glenfiddich are the best sellers world wide and unfairly tend to be a bit overlooked once people get into malts. The Glenlivet is a very good single malt. Laphroaig is an Islay whisky; smoky and tasting slightly of iodine it is a bit of an acquired taste but it is a good dram. People can argue against starting with an Islay but sometimes going to an extreme can be worth the challenge!

If you're looking for smoothness Irish Single Malts offer that. They are triple distilled and the malted barley is heated over a closed fire so the malt doesn't acquire any smokiness. Bushmills Green Label is very smooth and Jamesons 12 yerar old has a nice sherry scent and flavour due to the sherry casks it matures in.

I prefer to drink neat, maybe adding a drop or two of water. I don't add ice. If you want to use mixers I'd recommend using a blend. Single Malts are a premium product purchased for flavour and complexity. Drowning it in a sugary fizzy drink defeats that. If you're buying for alcoholic effect buy a cheap whisky; it'll get you as drunk as an expensive one! If you're buying for quality, flavour, complexity buy a single malt. Having said all that though it's your choice. Drink whisky neat, with water, with ice, with cola, alone or in company but drink whisky and enjoy it!

Hope this helps. Feel free to PM me - as you may have gathered Single Malts are a hobby!

Roy

 

[the english]

I enjoy balvenie, particularly the double barrel. The water is added to drop the alcohol content below the level that burns. It also releases some of the aroma so a nosing glass changes the experience.

I took me about 2 years 2 acquire the taste, and the drink that got me started was actually a glennfiddich liquer, which was very sweet but got me on the path.

In Scotland they say there is a whisky for everyone, it is just finding it. Good luck

 

[KarthVader]

Starting with Scotch: the heresy files.

Scotch and soda to start. Try Dewars, Pinch, Chivas, Johnny Walker Black Label. All good quality, tasty blends. I drank JWB and soda for years before branching out into single malts. You can decrease the soda to just a splash while deciding if you like the taste of Scotch . . . heh.

Once you're a bit acclimated to the taste, find a tasting event or well-stocked bar and ask to sample an Islay, a Speyside, and a Highland from their single malt selection. Try 'em neat and then with a splash of water. Then with an icecube, ignoring the barkeep's look of horror.

What counts is how YOU like it. When I'm trying a new Scotch, I break out the nosing glass for those same three steps . . . then make a Scotch and soda!

No purist, here. I like my drinks cold.

NANP™

Wisdom ^

 

[Uncle Erik]

I can't help you with the cigars, but I encourage you to try scotch.

I drink mine neat. No ice, soda or water. Just straight up at room temperature. YMMV, of course. Try it various ways. There's nothing wrong with pouring it over the rocks or adding soda or water. The important part is that you enjoy it.

The Glenlivet is a good place to start. I much prefer the singles to blended. My go-to Scotch is Oban, but I'll drink anything that's good and have yet to come across a single malt that I don't enjoy.

Once you get acclimated to scotch, be sure to try the other delicious brown liquors. Bourbon and rye are pretty similar, and you might enjoy cognac and armagnac, as well. They all go well with a stogie, as will a quality port or ice wine. Be sure to try everything!

 

[plexibass]

My suggestion is to try Macallan 12 and pair it with a Fuente Best Seller or Short Story. You will love it.

 

[Improbable]

I started with Rusty Nails, which is scotch and Drambuie (a sweet honey liqueur made from scotch) on the rocks. From there I went to scotch on the rocks, but these days it's always neat (room temp, no ice, maybe a small splash of flat water depending on my mood or the scotch).

There's actually a whole lot of threads on this forum already talking about specific scotches, but just starting out you may want something like a Glenlivet or Glenfiddich (not my favorite, they're a little weak to me). Glenmorangie is supposedly the best-selling single malt in Scotland. The Macallan was always the favorite of Michael Jackson, who literally wrote the book on scotch. Personally, I like a good Talisker or Laphroaig, but both of those are a little fierce for a beginner.

 

[Edcculus]

My first scotch was Highland Park 12. It was a little different to get acclimated to, since I mainly drink beer/wine. I was told (and agree) that the Highland Park is a great starter single malt. Its not overly peaty like the Islays, its 80 proof, so it doesn't pack as much of an alcohol punch either. Also, depending on where you live, it won't break the bank if you don't like it.

When I started trying scotch, I experimented with putting in a few drops of water, or just 1 big ice cube. What I found I liked the best was to drop an ice cube in the glass, swirl it around for ~20 seconds, then remove it. That way, you get a little bit of dilution, and it chills it ever so slightly, which will help take away the alcohol burn if you aren't accustomed to drinking straight spirits. I don't like adding ice because I find the dirnk way too diluted by the end.

 

[mouscacha]

I suggest trying something simple like macallan, black label, or glenlivet. Try it on rocks in the beginning as this will muttle the flavor and shouldn't overpower your palatte much. Also, make sure you're smoking a cigar. Why? Aren't you supposed to drink the scotch and smoke the cigar??? hehe.

 

[Rollie Juddernaut Fingers]

Starting with Scotch: the heresy files.

Scotch and soda to start. Try Dewars, Pinch, Chivas, Johnny Walker Black Label. All good quality, tasty blends. I drank JWB and soda for years before branching out into single malts. You can decrease the soda to just a splash while deciding if you like the taste of Scotch . . . heh.

Once you're a bit acclimated to the taste, find a tasting event or well-stocked bar and ask to sample an Islay, a Speyside, and a Highland from their single malt selection. Try 'em neat and then with a splash of water. Then with an icecube, ignoring the barkeep's look of horror.

What counts is how YOU like it. When I'm trying a new Scotch, I break out the nosing glass for those same three steps . . . then make a Scotch and soda!

No purist, here. I like my drinks cold.

NANP™

When I first read "the heresy files" I thought 'what is he on about?', then I read scotch and soda, and completly understood.

Please don't do this.

If you're going for SCOTCH, go for single malts. If all you want is blended whiskey (whisky), there is no need to import it from Scotland. Remember J & B, and Lagavulin 16 year old are both scotches, just one is world-class, and the other is as pedestrian as Chivas Regal (the World Class one is Lagavulin 16 year old, just so you know). If you are going to stay in the realm of blended whiskey (whisky), you are better to buy Canadian (Alberta Premium, Glen Barton) or American (Maker's Mark, Wild Turkey, Elijah Craig).

That being said, you should try and start discerning the difference in smokiness, between scotches. At the beginning you'll just notice it burning your throat, and you won't be able to taste anything. Once you get used to it, you should be fine.



http://www.thewhiskyguide.com/ (THIS IS WHERE I GOT MOST OF MY BEGINNER KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN TASTE AND THE VARIETY OF REGIONS)

Starting Whiskies:
- Dalwhinnie 15 year old,
- Bowmore 12 or 15 year old,
- Macallan 10 year old (if you like JD and that maple cask, vanilla bourbon flavour, this is an excellent gentle way in).
Maybe Oban?

What I'd make you drink right off the bat, because I'm like that: (If you're only going to buy a few, and you really want the best of the best in my opinion) here you are

Lagavulin 16 year old
Maccallan 18 year old
Laphroaig 10 year old
Talisker 10 year old

Well THE best of the Best is Lagavulin double distillers edition, but that's too expensive for anyone, ever.

 

[Rollie Juddernaut Fingers]

Oh and as to your other questions, I'll be brief:
- No Ice
- No water in it either
- pour in a rocks glass, but remember not to serve it on the rocks (shudders)
- drink

as to flavours, whilst a very good question, its impossible to answer here. However, here is an excellent resource:

http://www.thewhiskyguide.com/Taste-Notes/Tastenotes.html

Also, if you are trully new you might want to pick up a copy of Jim Murray's Whisky Bible. He won't steer you wrong.

 

[Rollie Juddernaut Fingers]

It may be a long road but it is a very enjoyable trek!

I prefer single malts to blends. A bottle labelled Single Malt Whisky aged 10 years means it is the product of the one distillery and the contents are no younger than 10 years old. The 'single malt' denotes the use of malted barley at one distillery. The name of the distillery will normally be very prominent. Distilleries have a taste profile and they'll blend in house to get that profile. There are a number of distilleries all producing different single malts and each has it's own distinct flavour.

Blends such as Johnnie Walker Red, Teachers etc are grain whiskies. The base liquid is produced by a column still and then malts are blended in to achieve the desired constant flavour. I tend to get hungover with blends but not with SMWs and I believe this is due to SMWs discarding the first run of distillate which has the poisons which cause headaches etc.

Scotland is divided into regions for whisky purposes: Highland, Lowland, Speyside, Island, Islay and Campbeltown. Each whisky has different traits which reflect the geography.

If you're starting out I'd recommend Glenmorangie original: it's quite a light whisky due to the very tall stills they use. It's the best selling single malt in Scotland. Glenfiddich are the best sellers world wide and unfairly tend to be a bit overlooked once people get into malts. The Glenlivet is a very good single malt. Laphroaig is an Islay whisky; smoky and tasting slightly of iodine it is a bit of an acquired taste but it is a good dram. People can argue against starting with an Islay but sometimes going to an extreme can be worth the challenge!

If you're looking for smoothness Irish Single Malts offer that. They are triple distilled and the malted barley is heated over a closed fire so the malt doesn't acquire any smokiness. Bushmills Green Label is very smooth and Jamesons 12 yerar old has a nice sherry scent and flavour due to the sherry casks it matures in.

I prefer to drink neat, maybe adding a drop or two of water. I don't add ice. If you want to use mixers I'd recommend using a blend. Single Malts are a premium product purchased for flavour and complexity. Drowning it in a sugary fizzy drink defeats that. If you're buying for alcoholic effect buy a cheap whisky; it'll get you as drunk as an expensive one! If you're buying for quality, flavour, complexity buy a single malt. Having said all that though it's your choice. Drink whisky neat, with water, with ice, with cola, alone or in company but drink whisky and enjoy it!

Hope this helps. Feel free to PM me - as you may have gathered Single Malts are a hobby!

Roy

Correct all the way, Roy, I just felt I could add something as our friend is new to this.

Single malt Scotch can only come from Scotland. Other countries make single-malt whiskies (i.e. Canada's Glen Barton), but they cannot legally be called scotch because they are not made in Scotland. I for one, had forgotten that Bushmills was single-malt.

Also, if you find yourself interested in rye whiskies, note that what qualifies in the states, and qualifies in Canada are quite different. The US is really on the ball, and mandates that in order to be called a rye whiskey it has to contain 50 percent rye. Canada has no law at all. The terms "canadian whisky" "canadian rye whisky" or "rye whisky" can all be used interchangably with no legal problem at all, as long as the whisky has been aged 2 or 3 years (I forget the exact time line, I don't brew whisky). The point is it doesn't have to contain rye to be labeled as such up here. So go with Alberta Premium or Glen Barton.

and you forgot one region of Scotland: Skye but who can blame, when only one distillery remains: Talisker.

 

[krevo]

Starting with Scotch: the heresy files.

Scotch and soda to start. Try Dewars, Pinch, Chivas, Johnny Walker Black Label. All good quality, tasty blends. I drank JWB and soda for years before branching out into single malts. You can decrease the soda to just a splash while deciding if you like the taste of Scotch . . . heh.

Once you're a bit acclimated to the taste, find a tasting event or well-stocked bar and ask to sample an Islay, a Speyside, and a Highland from their single malt selection. Try 'em neat and then with a splash of water. Then with an icecube, ignoring the barkeep's look of horror.

What counts is how YOU like it. When I'm trying a new Scotch, I break out the nosing glass for those same three steps . . . then make a Scotch and soda!

No purist, here. I like my drinks cold.

NANP™

Don't forget about the Lowlands, laddie. The Glenkinchies and Auchentoshans are superb entry level malts.

 

[dwestenk]

Might I recommend as one starting place:

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YEE_vxK7do&feature=related[/YOUTUBE]

Ralfy has numerous vlog scotch reviews that are informative and entertaining!