What would you buy for under $100 for a special occasion?

Simple subject... atm I'm leaning towards a Glenfiddich 12yo or a Glenlivet scotch.

Probably ~2 months ago he said something about his favourite scotch... "Glen" / something... so I'm not sure, but when people give him gifts it's always $20 -$30 bargain crap... and he's always extremely happy... so I assume if I buy an upmarket aged scotch he will be ecstatic.

So hit me with a nice bottle QGL.

I refuse to ask him also, so just guess ;)

EDIT: Below, I don't drink scotch... it's absolutely disgusting... it's a gift.

quit being a f***** and buy some beer?

I didn't know centrelink supplied alcohol to white people

Could also be Glenmorangie

i got a mate a glenlivet something or other for his 21st. he's a big scotch drinker and he seemed pretty chuffed with it. was around $80 or something. can't really remember but it was definately less than $100.

Dimple or Glendiffich. Both will make a Scotch drinker smile.

First spirit I comfortably drank unmixed was Dimple neat. Glen gets a good wrap from a lot of people I know but didn't seem as smooth by far.

Also: Dimple comes in a cool looking bottle.

last edited by Hogfather at 20:26:04 30/May/08

Cant go wrong with anything from Glenlivet.

Hell anything Single Malt will probably be better then the "$20 -$30 bargain crap" you currently buy him.

f***.. talk about some mediocre scotches being listed here :)

Stay away from Dimple, Chivas anything (unless it's Chivas Brothers Royal Salute - about $350/bottle), Glenfiddich is the Johnny Walker Red of the single malt word.. don't bother with it.

If he's a scotch drinker who actually knows and enjoys decent whisky, I'd consider getting him one of the following (in no particular order, they're all good):


Glenmorangie 10yo
Glenmorangie 18y0
Glenmorangie Sherry Wood Finish
The Glenlivet 18yo
Glenfarclas



If you want to try something that's not a "Glen-", then some options are:

Cardhu (if you can find it.. very nice, "breakfast whiskey")
Tamdhu (somewhat spicy single malt)
Talisker (somewhat spicy/iodine flavoured single malt)
Lagavulin 16yo (Islay malt.. Kinda like sticking your nose into a smokey, fishy fire.. totally awesome to drink)
Ardbeg (REALLY full-on Islay malt.. like drinking liquid smoke)
Caol Ila 18yo (boutique Islay malt, spicy and smokey, but gentle for an Islay malt)
Bruichladdich (any bottling/distillation is good)
The Macallan (any bottling/distillation is damned good)

If you want to try any before making a decision, let me know.. I've got most of these lying around the place.

go Glayva
once you've had Glayva you'll never go back!!

I did :P

Go some Chivas Regal

It sounds like he might be a fan of the single malts, so Chivas might not be the best choice.

Actually my Dads birthday will be up at some point so was thinking of what I can buy him. Looking for a single malt that's super smooth.

last edited by shad at 21:33:11 30/May/08

If you want super smooth single-malt whisky, go for the Glenmorangie Sherry Wood Finish.. tastes like molten caramel.. it's one of my all-time favourite drinks.

get some Johnny Blue ya tight ass :P

i wasn't impressed at all by the Chivas regal, which is disappointing considering the rap it gets, but glen fiddich... omg its so smooth.

How much are you looking at roughly for any of these .. Just a rough range

Glenmorangie 10yo
Glenmorangie 18y0
Glenmorangie Sherry Wood Finish
The Glenlivet 18yo
Glenfarclas

Particularly the sherry wood finish.. I'm a fan of Glenfiddich but I want to branch out and try and find an awesome scotch.

last edited by Morsar at 22:30:30 30/May/08

Chivas, Johnny Walker and Dimple are all blended malts. Good though they may be, they're still inferior (in my opinion anyway) to single-malts.

Johnny Walker Blue is more of a marketing gimmick than an actually outstanding scotch. Diageo found some casks of a scotch that had been "lost" 60 years previously during renovations to one of their maturing warehouses. The only reason it's so expensive is because there's only a limited supply of the 60yo. Unfortunately, it doesn't taste even remotely as good as it should for its pricetag.

Seriously, the best scotch I've ever tried (that's not a ridiculously hardcore Islay malt) is the Glenmorangie Sherry Wood Finish. Give it a shot, you won't regret it.


Edited to include approximate pricing:

Glenmorangie 10yo - $65
Glenmorangie 18y0 - $95
Glenmorangie Sherry Wood Finish - $85-90
The Glenlivet 18yo - $105
Glenfarclas - $75-$85

last edited by Gesthemene at 22:37:21 30/May/08

Don't listen to anyone here except for Gesthememe or Morsar, because they're telling you to buy s***.

Honestly, your best dollars-to-quality bet is Highland Park 12y/o. It's about $60 at Dan Murphys, and Michael Jackson (not the pedo musician, the world renowned scotch taster) has rated it pretty much the "best bang for buck whiskey in the world). It's very f***ing complex, a little smokey, full bodied, and just a really, really f***ing good dram. For $60, you're crazy not to get it for him.

Failing that, Macallan 10 y/o is a good bet, as is Glenmorangie or Cragganmore. Glenrothes is really f***ing nice for a sub-$70 bottle too. It really depends on his taste though. But really, Glenfiddich and to a lesser extent Glenlivet are pretty s***house by comparison.

But to just break it down:

Chivas Regal, Johnny Walker Blue, all that kind of s*** are just blended malts. They might be smooth, yes, but they have no complexity or depth whatsoever. They have a big price tag because... well... f*** knows really, because they're boring as bat s***. Get him a GOOD single malt and he'll be converted for life. Try him on Highland Park I reckon, but that's mainly because I'm pretty partial to smokey/peatey malts.

Note - I'm by no means an expert, but who is when it comes to Single Malts? Just don't listen to people saying "OH DUDE TOTALLY BUY HIM SOME CHIVAS BECAUSE ITS PRETTY PRICEY" because they don't know what the f***.

Also - 'Smooth' shouldn't be a reason to enjoy scotch. Scotch should make your brain say "wait, what the f*** was that I just tasted?" - NOT "Oh yeah. smooooooth".

I've spent a bit of coin on Johnny Blue, adding to the collection ;) Hopefully will be getting the last one shortly.

Pharcyde raises some good points for Highland Park and Glenrothes. I haven't tried the Highland Park personally, but I've heard nothing but good things about it. Glenrothes however, is a very nice drop (particularly the 1993 vintage). Very spicy, complex and with rich fruit aromas.

Note - I'm by no means an expert, but who is when it comes to Single Malts? Just don't listen to people saying "OH DUDE TOTALLY BUY HIM SOME CHIVAS BECAUSE ITS PRETTY PRICEY" because they don't know what the f***.

I thought that stuff was like $40 a bottle?

I remember as a young lad trying some 21yo Glenfiddich and thinking it was the best thing I'd ever tasted so I bought a bottle of the 12yo a few years latter thinking it would be similar stuff but it was pretty terrible.

I haven't tried the Highland Park personally

Don't pay rent this week. Instead, go get a bottle of Highland Park 12. Sure, your real estate will be f***ing pissed off, but man you'll be satisfied. Especially within these colder months!

If he's a scotch drinker who actually knows and enjoys decent whisky, I'd consider getting him one of the following (in no particular order, they're all good):


Glenmorangie 10yo
Glenmorangie 18y0

I wouldn't spend more money on Gelnmorangie stuff ever.

And as easy as it is to dismiss glenfiddich as the JW of singlemalts, it's still a very "easy to drink" single malt, and cheap. You don't really have alot to complain about, but nothing to really cherish either.

If you truely want a bottle in the 70ish range i'd for a glenlivet 15yr old french reserve chery cask finish. The bottle it self is pretty damn decent looking and it's a different enough scotch to most.

And blends can be complex and very nice to drink, alot of whats said about them being inferior is not always true. But i find the singles to be alot clearer and more defined in their taste, and alot more consistent from batch to batch. But you also have to remember that in blends, not everything in the blend has to be the age marked on the bottle, just 51%, and that's the biggest failure of why most blends don't stand up against a decent single malt.

Some the scotches recomended by gesth and phar can be REALLY REALLY peaty and if you're not used to it in a scotch, can be off putting (Highland park and Talisker in particular).

Do you know any other malts he has bought/liked?

He may be a fan of Islay single malts, or Orkney, or whatever. Do some research, find out what he likes (region-wise if possible) and then buy accordingly.

If I had to pick my favorite at the moment it would be my new Highland Park 25yo. Tasty stuff.

I wouldn't spend more money on Gelnmorangie stuff ever.

Fair enough, that's a personal choice. I happen to quite like it as a fairly gentle scotch.

And as easy as it is to dismiss glenfiddich as the JW of singlemalts, it's still a very "easy to drink" single malt, and cheap. You don't really have alot to complain about, but nothing to really cherish either.

Kinda defeats the purpose of a single malt.. You're SUPPOSED to cherish them.

And blends can be complex and very nice to drink, alot of whats said about them being inferior is not always true. But i find the singles to be alot clearer and more defined in their taste, and alot more consistent from batch to batch.

Woah.. where the hell did you get that idea? The whole point of blending is to create the most consistent taste. Single Malts are *always* going to have a greater variance than blended malts, since the individual characteristic of the scotch changes from vintage to vintage.. Blending scotches is designed to produce a stable, consistent flavour. Also, what I said about blended malts being inferior, was qualified with "in my opinion".. again, it's a personal taste thing :)

But you also have to remember that in blends, not everything in the blend has to be the age marked on the bottle, just 51%, and that's the biggest failure of why most blends don't stand up against a decent single malt.

Actually, you're totally wrong here.. If they stick an age label on ANY bottle of scotch, they can only proclaim the age of the YOUNGEST scotch in the blend.

Kinda defeats the purpose of a single malt.. You're SUPPOSED to cherish them.

Not always, if i'm knocking a few away before i head into the valley i'll usually just use something cheap like fiddich 12yo. But on the whole yes, and it's why this is such an expensive hobby :P

Woah.. where the hell did you get that idea? The whole point of blending is to create the most consistent taste. Single Malts are *always* going to have a greater variance than blended malts, since the individual characteristic of the scotch changes from vintage to vintage.. Blending scotches is designed to produce a stable, consistent flavour. Also, what I said about blended malts being inferior, was qualified with "in my opinion".. again, it's a personal taste thing :)

It's the idea, but i meant taste profile, not necessarily the exact taste of. There are always 2 types of blend remember, mass consumption (JW Red, black douglas) and then the finer ones that are actually meant to be drunk for taste.

Actually, you're totally wrong here.. If they stick an age label on ANY bottle of scotch, they can only proclaim the age of the YOUNGEST scotch in the blend.

Then you should check the blended malts on Chivas and JW. Most of them aren't the same age(around 40% of it younger than listed). If you're reading old books or books based on SHOULDS or the GOOD blends, then yes, you're right. Reality of the commercial brands is very different. They've been able to blend younger malts in for atleast a decade. I believe it was a licensing change in scotland/england that allowed the bottlers to do it (or maybe locally? nfi, but there was a change).

Then you should check the blended malts on Chivas and JW. Most of them aren't the same age(around 40% of it younger than listed). If you're reading old books or books based on SHOULDS or the GOOD blends, then yes, you're right. Reality of the commercial brands is very different. They've been able to blend younger malts in for atleast a decade. I believe it was a licensing change in scotland/england that allowed the bottlers to do it (or maybe locally? nfi, but there was a change).

You had me worried for a second.. but then I went and checked :) The expressed age on a bottle of whisky CANNOT be older than the youngest whisky in the bottle. This was first legislated in the 1988 Scotch Whisky Act, and once again in the new Scotch Whisky Regulations 2008 which is replacing it.

I'm not sure where you're getting your information from, but I'm sorry to say that you're misinformed :(

get maggo, faggo!

Top advice Ges. IMO if you're only gonna drink 5 malts ever you need to try:

#1. Glenmorangie 18 ~ $120 or Glenmorangie Sherry Wood Finish. 'Nuff said by Ges already...

#2. Lagavulin ~ $85. Seaweed + peat ftw! Why this combo works NFI but it does!

#3. Talisker / Laphroig ~ $75. Rich gold in colour warms your throat/mouth beautifully. Laphroig was actually imported to US during prohibition by some surgeons via the Red Cross, packaged as "Medical Supplies" ie Iodine lolza.

#4. A good single barrel @ cask strength (ie bottled at barrel 55-60% *not* watered down) like Benrinnes 21yo 1979. Cannot describe how "out there" different/good these can be. Can barely smell/notice the alcohol as opposed to most hi alco s*** like Bacardi 151/Absinthe.

#5. Anything by Maccallan ~ $65+. Kinda like Glenmorangie but not as delicate/light. Def next best thing tho.

Some from left field:
-Strathisla; 10yo malt released by the Chivas Brothers, only good. One of the main malts that comprise Chivas Regal IIRC.
-Oban; from western Scotland, little bit of everything really.
-Any of the Aberlour 15yo sherry/port aged/finished variety. How could you omit Aberlour Ges!? It's amber red and quite fruity as far as whisky goes.

JW Blue FTL yo. Wtf it's only 40%!* I'd rather try ANY of the individual malts in this on their own, than this watered down, over-priced shizzle. Yeah it's a good tipple, but it ain't $250 good...

Happy hunting/drinking CHUB. Was down at First Choice at Regatta last week...fkn huge selection. Also try that huge liquor store at Windsor/Lutwych on Gympie Rd.

Also Ges/others, which (if any) of these should I get my brother to buy duty free when he gets back from China next week:

1979 Bunnahabhain, 25 year old, Lombard "Jewel Of Scotland" 750ml.

1990 Caol Ila 17 year old Cask Strength, Murray McDavid Mission Gold , Haut-Brion Cask, Single Malt Whisky 750ml.

1979 Caol Ila 25 year old, Cask Strength Distillery Bottling Islay Single Malt Whisky 750ml.

Benromach 22 year old, Port Wood Finish, Speyside Single Malt Whisky 750ml.

1980 Benromach 24 year old, Cask Strength, Speyside Single Malt Whisky 750ml.

Benromach 25 year old, Speyside Single Malt Whisky 750ml.

Bruichladdich 18 year old Islay Single Malt Whisky 750ml.

1990 Macallan 17 year old Cask Strength, Murray McDavid Mission Gold , Haut Brion Cask, Single Malt Whisky 750ml.

1989 Macallan Mackillop's Choice Single Cask Islay Single Malt Whisky 750ml.

1976 Glenglassaugh 30 year old Dewar Rattray Single Cask Single Malt Whisky 750ml.

1981 Lochside, 21 year old, Lombard "Jewel Of Scotland" 750ml.

Macallan "Fine Oak" 21 Year Old Single Malt 750ml.

God.. that's a pretty good looking list you've got there.

I have to admit, I haven't tried or even heard of a number of them, so I've ranked them according to my personal favourite flavours/regions/brands. In descending order of preference, I'd suggest:

1) 1979 Caol Ila 25 year old, Cask Strength Distillery Bottling Islay Single Malt Whisky 750ml.

2) 1990 Caol Ila 17 year old Cask Strength, Murray McDavid Mission Gold , Haut-Brion Cask, Single Malt Whisky 750ml.

3) 1976 Glenglassaugh 30 year old Dewar Rattray Single Cask Single Malt Whisky 750ml.

4) 1976 Glenglassaugh 30 year old Dewar Rattray Single Cask Single Malt Whisky 750ml.

5) Macallan "Fine Oak" 21 Year Old Single Malt 750ml.

6) 1979 Bunnahabhain, 25 year old, Lombard "Jewel Of Scotland" 750ml.

7) 1980 Benromach 24 year old, Cask Strength, Speyside Single Malt Whisky 750ml.

8) 1981 Lochside, 21 year old, Lombard "Jewel Of Scotland" 750ml.

9) 1989 Macallan Mackillop's Choice Single Cask Islay Single Malt Whisky 750ml

10) 1990 Macallan 17 year old Cask Strength, Murray McDavid Mission Gold , Haut Brion Cask, Single Malt Whisky 750ml.

11) Benromach 25 year old, Speyside Single Malt Whisky 750ml.

12) Bruichladdich 18 year old Islay Single Malt Whisky 750ml.

13) Benromach 22 year old, Port Wood Finish, Speyside Single Malt Whisky 750ml.


For my money, you just really can't go past the Caol Ila.. It's not cheap, but bugger me it's awesome.

If he has any liquor allowance spare, lemme know.. :D

I will have to check out the Caol Ila, big fan of Islays I have tasted.

Gesthemene you mentioned Ardbeg, for Islay malts is it stronger or on par to a laphroaig (one of my favorities) or just different?

Speyside is also a great region, The Macallan 40+ is the best thing I have ever tasted

Ardbeg is the peatiest, most full-bodied Islay malt I've ever tasted. Laphroaig, Talisker, Lagavulin and Caol Ila are all really great malts with varying degrees of peat, smoke and iodine, but ardbeg malts are almost obnoxiously potent :)

last edited by Gesthemene at 22:40:03 31/May/08

yeah, ardberg does pack quite a wallop in terms of peat. it's also fairly nutty. birthday present to myself last year was a bottle of the lagavulin 1990 distillers edition ($187), which is the same age as their 16yo (bottled '06) but from specially selected casks. i had the 16yo already and did a side by side comparison. f*** me sideways, the extra 90 dorrah was so worth it. i'm sad cos i've only got about two nips left.
another recent favourite i found is the benraich. it's a peated speyside. all the awesome things about speyside like burnt caramel and orange peel and wild honey perfectly balanced with a quite distinct, but lean whack of smokey peaty awesomeness.
bought a bottle of the knockando 12yo a couple of weeks ago and i gotta say, not particularly impressed.
also +1 for caol isla. hooaaahh.
gesthemene, have you tried the hart brothers cask strength? it's caol isla barrels, bought and matured and bottled separately. it's lovely, but the nuttiest whiskey i've ever had.
and in case you didn't know, last wednesday of every month the queensland malt whiskey society meets in the platform bar of the grand central hotel. $25 per meeting, you get a small amount of finger food and 5 healthy drams of awesome scotch and you get to wank on about whiskey for a couple of hours with a whole bunch of proper scotch drinkers. can't go wrong. if you're interested, pop in to drinx @ grand central and sign up for the newsletter and they'll let you know what the story is.

glenlivet ftw.

and in case you didn't know, last wednesday of every month the queensland malt whiskey society meets in the platform bar of the grand central hotel. $25 per meeting, you get a small amount of finger food and 5 healthy drams of awesome scotch and you get to wank on about whiskey for a couple of hours with a whole bunch of proper scotch drinkers. can't go wrong. if you're interested, pop in to drinx @ grand central and sign up for the newsletter and they'll let you know what the story is.

ooh.. tempting :) I may just do that :)

Get him some Laphroaig, he'll orgasm

ooh.. tempting :) I may just do that :)

tempted to fang it back up to scotland after reading this thread. tried to get a 79 glenlivet for my bday, but couldnt, boo

Get him some Laphroaig, he'll orgasm

Either that or swear never to imbibe a drop of scotch ever again!