Which whiskey is most palatable?

Which whiskey is most palatable?

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seadragon

Original Poster:

1,137 posts

214 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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I know there is a massive link on here, and some others too so I apologise for asking again.

I want to try and develop a taste for whiskey, but ever since my failed attempts as sneaking some of my dad’s Glenfiddich and Bells as a kid, I haven’t tried since. The intense burning alcohol (with perceived lack of taste) has put me off since my teens.

I like Bourbon etc and the closest I have come to enjoying any whiskey (albeit with a mixer), is Bushmills ‘Black Bush’.

I am ideally looking for whiskeys people could recommend that are extremely palatable, or as close to palatable that one can be, so at least I can start to develop a taste and take it from there. The whiskeys don’t need to be cheap as I kind of get the impression the better the quality the better and maybe less harsh the taste (maybe I misread but I guess whiskeys all have their individual tastes).

Baryonyx

17,990 posts

158 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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Why do you want to develop a taste for something you don't like?

johnxjsc1985

15,948 posts

163 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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There must be hundreds part the fun is trying them all out

JimM169

392 posts

121 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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I was in exactly the same boat a week ago! I found the old thread on here which seemed to recommend the Speyside whiskys as being a good starter and Talisker was suggested a few times. As it turns out they didn't have any in my local Waitrose but did have a 12yo Glenlivet on special offer at £23 so I grabbed a bottle of that and it's bloody lovely !! All I can say is that the single malts are a world apart from the likes of Teachers, Bells etc and you shouldn't stuggle too much developing a taste smile

prand

5,910 posts

195 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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I think, if you're like me, you will have to to grow to like it rather than were simply born to drink whisky, there's no other way but just have to roll your sleeves up and get into it!

If you like bourbon, you probably want something with higher residual sugar and less of the dryness of some of the hairy chested peaty island malts.

I have come across a very sweet one from the tiny Edurador distillery going to a wedding in Pitlochry, but I'd probably say that's as far away from "real" whisky as bourbon is as it's got strong sweetshop and honey flavours. But it's very drinkable, and it's still Scottish single malt.

If you're not up for supping it neat, and really, there's no shame if you are, it does help to have a drop or two of water, or (perish the thought) some ice to take the edge off.

hornetrider

63,161 posts

204 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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I started drinking whisky only a few years ago. I got wrecked on Bells when I was 17 and it put me off for most of my life. A road trip round Scotland 20 odd years later is what it took! For me the most enjoyable ones are speyside malts, so I'd recommend Glenfiddich 12 or Aberlour 10.

If you find them a little harsh at first you could always try taking the edge off with a small cube of ice.

Vocal Minority

8,582 posts

151 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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Is speyside a good starter? I would suggest something from the Highlands will be lighter and easier to get on with.

gifdy

2,065 posts

240 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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My suggestion would be Glenmorangie - it's one of the sweeter ones and doesn't have much mustiness which can put off people not used to Whisky. I was given a bottle of 'The Orginal' which is only a 10 year old but scarily easy to drink. I'm taking a glass every night before bed at the moment for 'medicinal' reasons. I have Ebola. My wife reckons it's just a cold but she's not medically trained, so what does she know.

Janluke

2,553 posts

157 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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Try Chivas Regal 12 its a fairly recent blended whisky and an attempt to bring in new whisky drinkers. Quite smooth and easy and not harsh at all.

If you like that maybe try a Balvenie Doublewood another 12 year old but a single malt, spends half its live in an ex bourbon cask and half in an ex sherry cask(hence double wood). The sherry cask adds a slight sweetness(sweet is a very relative term here)

IMO it should be drunk with no ice and a very small amount of water, the water opens up the flavour.

However like wine there's a lot of BS talked about the hows and whys so at the end of the day drink what you like how you like

seadragon

Original Poster:

1,137 posts

214 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
quotequote all
Thanks all, much appreciated

To answer the first reply, I want to try and develop a taste so I can see what all the fuss is about. On TV/movies, with people I know, in books, many are into whiskey with almost a religious zeal.

Wanting to try something if at first you didn’t enjoy is hardly unusual. As a kid I literally loathed peanut butter, mayonnaise, celery etc, but now I love them, so why not whiskey too?

I drink pretty much anything. At home gin/vodka and if at the pub then a nice real ale/bitter. I guess if I developed a taste I could buy a few nice bottles and have a sip now and again (and possibly I might drink less alcohol overall each week too).

Thank you very much for the tips so far, I think I have a good place to start so far. Keep them coming so I can see if there is a trend in the ones being suggested.

Thanks again.


krunchkin

2,209 posts

140 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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there is no "fuss". Whiskey is an alcohol delivery system which somehow manages to attract more bullst than the French wine industry. And that takes some doing, Fair play to the Jocks

Stuart70

3,910 posts

182 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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Springbank is a lowland malt and an easy drink to acclimatise. Otherwise glenmorangie, glenfiddich are good starters.

Good luck and enjoy developing your taste.

krunchkin

2,209 posts

140 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
quotequote all
Stuart70 said:
Springbank is a lowland malt and an easy drink to acclimatise. Otherwise glenmorangie, glenfiddich are good starters.

Good luck and enjoy developing your taste.
yes - good luck enjoying the unique and amazing flavours of mass produced alcohol owned by global beverage giants. Next up - Moet&Chandon

Cheese Mechanic

3,157 posts

168 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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Do you have a Waitrose within striking distance OP?

If so, a foray into their spirits dept, may be worth a crack. They sell an array of Malts in 20cl bottle sizes, which is a handy way of trying different whiskies without too much expense. I think from memory, they stock around a half dozen or so, not a huge selection , but worth knowing about.

As for full sized bottles, Springbank (as already mentioned) is certainly worth inspection, and also, Bunnahabhain 12 , both are stocked by Waitrose I beleive and sit around the £30 mark.

On the other hand, do you have a decent whisky bar locally? May be an idea to give that a visit also, pick a random malt and go from there. Of course, such drams tend to be pro rata expensive, but a good way to study variation in whiskies, perhaps many you would not think of buying by the bottle.

Good luck with it all, above all, rule everything in, and nothing out, basically, be adventurous.

hoegaardenruls

1,218 posts

131 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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Cheese Mechanic said:
Do you have a Waitrose within striking distance OP?

If so, a foray into their spirits dept, may be worth a crack. They sell an array of Malts in 20cl bottle sizes, which is a handy way of trying different whiskies without too much expense. I think from memory, they stock around a half dozen or so, not a huge selection , but worth knowing about.
Not a bad idea, as I probably wouldn't even go to the expense of buying a bottle of something you potentially don't like as a first step.

My first experiences with single malts were thanks to the landlord at one of the pubs I started drinking in when I was 18, just suggesting a couple of things to try instead of the Jack Daniel's I'd got into. He kept a good selection of stuff, and I ended up with a decent knowledge of what I liked/disliked from then on. After that, it was just a case of trying different things and expanding on that.

Other options might be an organised whisky tasting, as they often cover a broad range, or go to a decent whisky shop where the staff have a decent knowledge and should be used to advising on whisky's, and will usually have samples and smaller bottles as well.

As much as you can listen to recommendations of what to buy, it's all personal taste, and just finding what you as an individual like.

sleep envy

62,260 posts

248 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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Don't just stick to the jock stuff, Yamazaki 12 is very easy to drink.

seadragon

Original Poster:

1,137 posts

214 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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Thanks all and I also appreciate the tips about getting smaller bottles at Waitrose or going to a whiskey club, makes sense to try shots or small glasses of different ones and go from there. I am not bothered about scotch, irish etc, I just want to be able to take a sip and enjoy. Japanese is something I have read is definitely worth a look, so also on my radar.

I guess I would need to do the whiskey club/tasting in stages or I could line myself up for a massive hangover if I went all out on one night.

I think I could go back and forth on this, but based on some of the advice I might as well just go for it and if I don’t like some I can always keep and offer to guests when they visit

Thanks again

Japveesix

4,477 posts

167 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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Try this Whisky:
https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-178.aspx

AnCnoc 12 year old. It was one of my favourites as it was so drastically different to mostof the other whiskies I had at the time (all peaty, smokey, overpowering ones).

It's very floral, citrusy, light and sweet. It's lovely.

Blown2CV

28,699 posts

202 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
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Let me recommend something which personally I hate! David Beckham's Haig Club appears to have been developed with people who don't like whisky (I've dropped the E) in mind. I don't necessarily agree with it, to me it tastes like nothing, and I hate the marketing concept and figurehead, but it's not about me!

cslwannabe

1,395 posts

168 months

Thursday 27th November 2014
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