Best Scotch for a Bourbon Drinker

[Golferpimp1]

So before I started with Bourbon I gave a blended scotch a shot, it was Monkey Shoulder. I made it through the bottle but didn't much care for it. I'm looking to try a single malt scotch. Any thoughts? I really like bourbon, not a huge fan of Ryes (but like them better than the Monkey Shoulder). I keep eyeing the Balvenie 12 yr, or the Macallan finished in sherry casks (I think it's a 12 yr.). Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks so much.

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[ldugsjr1986]

My "transition" scotch was Tamdhu. Seemed like it had a strong bourbon-ish flavor without a lot of smoke. http://www.tamdhu.com/

I've also moved toward the Macallan series. I've tried the 12 and 18 and am learning to appreciate those as well.

Stay away from Laphroiag for awhile ... it's a smoke bomb.


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[garbanzobean]

In my (probably outlier) opinion, it is difficult to predict which malts you might enjoy based on your preferences regarding bourbon and rye.  I think you're better off going to a well stocked bar and trying a few than you are buying a single bottle.  Case in point: I drank bourbon long before scotch, and the first single malt I tried that I liked was Lagavulin 16.  For quite awhile I didn't like anything that wasn't a total peat bomb.  Took me a long time to warm up to anything that ever gets recommended to bourbon drinkers.  

[Old Dusty]

4 hours ago, garbanzobean said:

In my (probably outlier) opinion, it is difficult to predict which malts you might enjoy based on your preferences regarding bourbon and rye.  I think you're better off going to a well stocked bar and trying a few than you are buying a single bottle.  Case in point: I drank bourbon long before scotch, and the first single malt I tried that I liked was Lagavulin 16.  For quite awhile I didn't like anything that wasn't a total peat bomb.  Took me a long time to warm up to anything that ever gets recommended to bourbon drinkers.  

From one Eric to another.....this is very sage advice. I was recommended several ex-bourbon malts as gateways and really didn't like any of them. And similarly I found the Islay malts were right in my wheelhouse. Also love a good sherry bomb(Glenfarclas 105  and Aberlour A'bunadh for instance). I think it was finding whiskies that had a completely different profile from bourbon( not faint echoes of it) that intrigued me.  Take the bar route to find what you like. 

[ratcheer]

I will recommend The Balvenie 15-year old single barrel. It has a certain sweetness that reminds me of bourbon, somewhat.

 

Tim

[bdrinker]

So many choices, but an affordable one would be glenfiddich 15. It's matured in three different barrel types. One of those is ex bourbon barrels. It will remind you of bourbon, and you'll get those sweet dark fruit notes from the sherry cask influence. Worth a try at a bar as suggested above.

[tanstaafl2]

13 hours ago, Golferpimp1 said:

 

So before I started with Bourbon I gave a blended scotch a shot, it was Monkey Shoulder. I made it through the bottle but didn't much care for it. I'm looking to try a single malt scotch. Any thoughts? I really like bourbon, not a huge fan of Ryes (but like them better than the Monkey Shoulder). I keep eyeing the Balvenie 12 yr, or the Macallan finished in sherry casks (I think it's a 12 yr.). Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks so much.

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Monkey Shoulders has a fair amount of Balvenie in the blend (and is a pretty good transition whisky for the highland style) so if you didn't like that then I am not sure Balvenie 12 will be much better. As Eric suggested you might be better trying a few in a bar first.

 

 

13 hours ago, ldugsjr1986 said:

My "transition" scotch was Tamdhu. Seemed like it had a strong bourbon-ish flavor without a lot of smoke. http://www.tamdhu.com/

I've also moved toward the Macallan series. I've tried the 12 and 18 and am learning to appreciate those as well.

Stay away from Laphroiag for awhile ... it's a smoke bomb.


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Sounds like you are scratching a pretty serious sherry itch with those 2! Adds some sweetness that I suppose is more similar to bourbon than some single malts but I don't find single malts to generally be all that directly comparable to bourbon and rye, even the generally lighter or sherried highland malts. It is it's own thing.

 

[jeffrey r]

I am a recent convert to scotch, and I would say that Balvenie is one of my least liked distilleries.  In my opinion, the ones that really turned me on to scotch were Springbank generally for its uniqueness and awesomeness (10, 12CS, 15, 18, special releases--all good, but be ready for some peat and some funk), Glendronach 12 and 15 in the sherried realm, and Glenfarclas 105 and Aberlour A'Bunadh in the sherry bomb realm.  Glenfiddich 14 and 15 are good malts with some bourbon character.  Highland Park makes some interesting malts (12, 15, 18, etc.).  Once you get going on some of these basics, then it is fun to try some of the peatier malts such Ardbeg, Lagavulin and Laphroaig.

[jvd99]

A well stocked bar will have virtually everything mentioned in this thread.  Go there and ask for 1/2 pours or flight and compare and contrast before investing in a bottle (or several) before figuring out what suits your preferences.  But when doing so, save the peat bombs for last as they will overpower the others if you drink it first.

[mark fleetwood]

19 hours ago, ldugsjr1986 said:

My "transition" scotch was Tamdhu. Seemed like it had a strong bourbon-ish flavor without a lot of smoke. http://www.tamdhu.com/

I've also moved toward the Macallan series. I've tried the 12 and 18 and am learning to appreciate those as well.

Stay away from Laphroiag for awhile ... it's a smoke bomb.


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Lap is like drinking an ashtray.

[Vosgar]

20 hours ago, garbanzobean said:

I think you're better off going to a well stocked bar and trying a few than you are buying a single bottle. 

 

Agree completely with this statement since we all know everyone's tastes are a little different.

 

If you happen to find a bar that has Old Pulteney 21yr, give it a try. A fellow SB'er gave me that recommendation a few years ago and I absolutely love it. They also have 12yr and 17yr versions, but for me the 21 is the way to go.

[smokinjoe]

On December 12, 2016 at 7:49 AM, Old Dusty said:

From one Eric to another.....this is very sage advice. I was recommended several ex-bourbon malts as gateways and really didn't like any of them. And similarly I found the Islay malts were right in my wheelhouse. Also love a good sherry bomb(Glenfarclas 105  and Aberlour A'bunadh for instance). I think it was finding whiskies that had a completely different profile from bourbon( not faint echoes of it) that intrigued me.  Take the bar route to find what you like. 

I love this advice, along with the other Eric's.  Dive in and see what you like. Doing this a pour at a time at bars is an efficient way to travel the spectrum.  Scotch is a different animal from bourbon, so go in with an open mind and you'll appreciate those differences.  

[mosugoji64]

I've yet to find a Scotch that I genuinely like. A few have been good but were old and expensive so not really worth it for me to pick up a bottle of something I find "good." If you're interested in checking out malts in general, I have had some Japanese whiskies that I thought were very good and possibly closer to the bourbon profile. If that's an option for you, I've had some Yamazaki, Nikka, and Hibiki bottles that were very tasty. Some members more familiar with Japanese whiskies can chime in with their thoughts.

[johnnyz28]

I haven't found any scotch that shares much of a flavor profile with bourbon.  You really need to start off sampling until you find something that works for you.  I started off with Highland malts and it took awhile for Islay whiskies to grow on me.  Other folks I know started off liking Ardbeg more than say Balvenie or Glenlivet though so you never know.

 

Personally, I love Talisker in every expression but that might not work for you.  

 

Start grabbing samples whenever you can until you find what you like!

[jvd99]

Another route could be High West Campfire which blends bourbon, rye and scotch, which sounds weird at first, but its actually pretty good.

[squire]

On 12/12/2016 at 8:59 AM, ratcheer said:

I will recommend The Balvenie 15-year old single barrel. It has a certain sweetness that reminds me of bourbon, somewhat.

 

Tim

 

I agree with Tim on this one, not because Balvenie is much like Bourbon, rather it's much less Scotchy than the heavier malts.  Frankly, after a 40 year fling with Single Malts I now just stick with Bourbon.

 

 

[squire]

On 12/12/2016 at 6:12 PM, mark fleetwood said:

Lap is like drinking an ashtray.

 

I would say it's like licking an ashtray.

 

 

[mark fleetwood]

yep, your participle is better than mine. (hated English in high school.)

[jvd99]

On 12/23/2016 at 11:59 AM, squire said:

 

I agree with Tim on this one, not because Balvenie is much like Bourbon, rather it's much less Scotchy than the heavier malts.  Frankly, after a 40 year fling with Single Malts I now just stick with Bourbon.

 

 

That's more than a fling my friend

[kaiserhog]

I would recommend any of the Auchentoshan line but especially the American Oak and the 12 year old.  The 3 Wood is excellent but definitely more of sherry finish. All though are excellent.

[b1gcountry]

I like the unpeated Glenn rothes, but I'm far from a scotch guy, and it's pretty expensive for what it is. I'll take redbreast 12 every day for the same price. Yes I know that's Irish, but whatever.

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[EarthQuake]

I have difficulty with heavily peated scotch as well - it generally seems very one note to me with the camp fire smoke completely overwhelming. While I can appreciate Lagavulin 16 for what it is, I don't really care for it.

 

I would try out Glenlivet 15 year French Oak, it's not heavily peated and the french oak finish gives it a cognac like sweetness that I think many bourbon drinkers would appreciate.

 

I quite like Aberlour A'bunadh, which is again not heavily peated. It's cask strenth though so maybe not a great scotch to start with, but perhaps the Aberlour 15.

 

I would also recommend Japanese whiskey in general, which is scotch styled but usually lighter, more subtle, and easier to get into. Hibiki 12 year if you can find it is absolutely fantastic, and another pour that I think bourbon fans could find something to appreciate. It's finished in plum wine casks which adds a nice sweetness to round it out. Yamazaki and Nikka Taketsuru are easy to recommend as well, though the 12 year versions of both are, like the Hibiki, difficult to find.

Edited March 14, 2017 by EarthQuake

[JasonMPyle]

Laphroig 10 was my first peated.  First try was rough.  I've grown to enjoy it.

 

A flight at a a bar is a good idea, but make sure to save anything peated for last.  It'll color anything after it in my opinion.

[Bourserker]

I think going to a bar is a good idea.  50ml bottles are also your friend.  You can get some of the common ones like Glenfiddich 12, Macallan 12, Johnny Walker, and so on in 50 ml bottles.  For me personally Macallan 12 was my first scotch...tried a 50ml bottle then got a bigger bottle.  I've had many over the years, and I tend towards the peated stuff.  Laphroaig is one of my favorites...as others have mentioned it does have an ashtray thing going on, and I like that for some reason.

[dcbt]

I have to update this thread. I hate most scotch but I finally found one I can tolerate. I could actually drink this socially if I had to. (I'd still never reach for it on my own with so many bourbons to choose from instead.) 

 

Glenmo 10.

 

Not peaty at all. I think I saw the initial recommendation on cowdery's blog from a few years ago.