Got a bottle of johnnie walker red label and I have to say that I am thoroughly enjoying it. Nice light caramel taste with oak and spice in the back ground. Don't drink often Its either once every month or so when I get time to see my friends and then it is beer. When I do it on my own I normally get whiskey or rum to drink slowly. Good stuff, any good suggestions for a good bottle of scotch for around the 30$ range for a 750ml bottle?

Glen Livet 12, Auchentoshan, or The Singleton 12 are all favorite $30 +/- scotches of mine.

Congrats on your first bottle of scotch--even if I hate Johnnie Walker.

You know, the grocery store brand is just re-labeled versions of the good stuff--you just pay for a name. Heheheh.

A really good affordable Speysider - Aberlour 12 year double cask matured. This has become my absolute favorite reasonably priced single malt. I can get it at one of the big box stores for $32, helluva deal. This stuff is so amazingly better than any blended scotch out there and for just a few dollars more, it's ridiculous. Has a sherry influence and notes of dried fruits and baking spices.

If you don't like the sherried Speyside whiskies, a really nice, mellow Highlander that is consistently good is the standard 10 year bottling from Glenmorangie. Again, big box price here is $29, and you get a lot of refinement for that $29. Not a big bold multidimensional powerhouse, but a damned sight better than any blend you'll find out there.

If you like huge, in your face "I am malt, hear me roar" whiskies, Laphroaig 10 year, the standard peat bomb from Islay. $32 at Trader Joes.

I don't know how you usually drink your scotch, but get a small glass and drink it neat, adding only a few drops of water and let it breathe. You'll find there's a world of refined layers of flavor in there, not the one dimensional needs soda water or sumthin tatse of Jonnie Walker (or those other mass made blends). The big blending houses use grain spirits (corn whisky) as a base and add single malt scotch sourced from other distilleries to make their blends. Once you try a good single malt as described above, you'll start to notice that unmistakable grain whisky taste in those blends and you'll have a tough time going back.

I usually spend on Scotch. Here in NC that means between 50-90 a bottle. Oban, Balvenie, and 18 year old Chivas. The 18 year old is much better then then 12 year old and is only a blend of two whiskeys. Incredibly tasty.

For $40 or less I hit the bourbon. Elijah Craig 18 year old is $40 a bottle and if you find it, buy it. They are discontinuing the 18 year old and coming out with a 20 year old at a price point $100+. Evan Williams Single Barrel is reasonably priced and also very tasty.

For $30 a bottle where I live its hard to beat Glenmorangie original (10yr), a very nice malt imho

Thanks guys. Gonna have to look into those. I an not a big fan of jameson I know its irish but compared to the scotch out seemed too monochr omatic and pure, I like the stuff I drink to be drank straight so it needs a good bit of flavor for my untrained palet.

Sounds like you should go with the Laphroaig. If that isn't enough flavor for you, you can't be helped

Harlock, you being the scotch lover, I'm amazed you haven't tried Glenmorangie yet. That's like a redneck saying he hasn't ever tried Coors . It's actually the #1 selling single malt in Scotland.

Gotta start some where. The first time you try something is the best till the next best thing.

I picked up a bottle of McClelland's Islay a couple of weeks back because the local ABC Store (The state liquor stores here in NC) had it on sale for $21.99. That's the last time I do that. I have to put several ice cubes in just to make it drinkable, at least for my palate. I looked it up, and it appears it's only aged 5 years.

So next time I'll spend the extra $20 and get something decent.