Anyone into single malts?

I'm just starting to explore single malt Scotches and really know nothing about them.  My low carb diet makes beer and wine problematic but Scotch has no carbs so it seems like a good time to start learning about single malts.

1. What is your favorite single malt?

2. What are some good, less expensive single malts to start tasting?

3. Any tips on scotch tasting?

4. Is the bag piper really necessary at a Scotch tasting or can we just squeeze the cat?

5. Any undiscovered treasures - single malts that everyone overlooks?

I guess I should not limit this to single malts - speak up for good blended scotch too.

I'm no expert, but I am partial to Talisker - really peaty.  Can't believe we've had a whisky shop as a customer for years without ever getting a free bottle!  bastards.

I bought a bottle of Sheep Dip for the 3rd meet-up in London, thinking it would be a joke.  When I pulled it out of the bag about 5 people said "Hey! I love Sheep Dip!" and it evaporated in short order.

http://www.drinkhacker.com/2008/12/27/review-sheep-dip-and-pigs-nose-scotch-whisky/

>Talisker

Heh, great minds...  Just started this yesterday when I visited the liquor store and bought a bottle of Talisker.  Have not tried it yet but will during the snowstorm.

>Sheep Dip

Great name!  The price seems good on that one so I will definitely try it.

Here is the current collection I'm starting with:

Malts:

Talisker
1/2 bottle of Glenfiddich

Blended:

Dimple Pinch - my favorite blended so far.
1/2 bottle of Grants

I love a bit of single malt.  My favourite at the moment is Laphroaig.  Highland park is also on the go at the moment.

I was a member of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society for years.  The missus used to give it to me for a valentines gift each year.   I effin hate the stuff, even the smell.

However, they have two great restaurants in Edinburgh and great meeting rooms in their buildings which I used them for.  They also have flats to rent in Edinburgh and London by the night.

They do 'supposedly' brilliant single barrel malts from about 8 years up to 20-odd years and release new bottles each quarter.  As ASDA would say -when they're gone, they're gone.  Normally a barrel gets a couple of hundred bottles.

Website is www.smws.com - where you can order their stuff.   I think know their memberships are way under £100.  You can also buy beer and wine in their establishments.

Quote from: Brad on February 01, 2011, 12:45:21 PM
1. What is your favorite single malt?

2. What are some good, less expensive single malts to start tasting?

3. Any tips on scotch tasting?

4. Is the bag piper really necessary at a Scotch tasting or can we just squeeze the cat?

5. Any undiscovered treasures - single malts that everyone overlooks?

1.  Not sure its possible to pick one, but if pushed Caol Isla 12 year, or something cask strength

2.  Not sure how prices vary outside the UK, but here you can get a decent bottle for around £25.  In this bracket I'd suggest Arbeg, Laphroig, Highland Park

3.  No ice!  It makes the whisky too cold and takes the flavour away.  Add a drop of water if you like, a little at a time.  It changes the taste each time.

4.  Cat's fine.

5.  Again, would say Caol Isla tends not to be seen as much as the other more popular Islay whiskies.  Also worth checking out Springbank.  If you can afford it and find some - Port Ellen is a must.

Quote from: eurotrash on February 01, 2011, 02:32:48 PM
I was a member of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society for years.  The missus used to give it to me for a valentines gift each year.   I effin hate the stuff, even the smell.

However, they have two great restaurants in Edinburgh and great meeting rooms in their buildings which I used them for.  They also have flats to rent in Edinburgh and London by the night.

They do 'supposedly' brilliant single barrel malts from about 8 years up to 20-odd years and release new bottles each quarter.  As ASDA would say -when they're gone, they're gone.  Normally a barrel gets a couple of hundred bottles.

Website is www.smws.com - where you can order their stuff.   I think their memberships are way under £100.  You can also buy beer and wine in their establishments.

I was a member there too for a few years, though only used the London bar.  They specialise in cask strength and label every bottle with a code but no brand to encourage members to buy by taste rather than brand loyalty

QuoteIn this bracket I'd suggest Arbeg, Laphroig, Highland Park

ditto

Adbeg & Laphroaig for the smokey peat flavours

Highland Park is at the opposite end of the 'shock value' scale from them - softer and more balanced

If I had to choose one, I'd have to go for Ardbeg, but only cos my wife loves the Highland Park so much that I wouldn't get enough of it.

Lagavulin is the shit. Then Caol ila 2nd for me. Used to like Laphroig until I discovered them.

Quote from: nicebloke on February 01, 2011, 03:26:59 PM
Lagavulin is the sh##. Then Caol ila 2nd for me. Used to like Laphroig until I discovered them.

I'll add these to my list!

Quote from: Adam C on February 01, 2011, 03:05:14 PM

I was a member there too for a few years, though only used the London bar.  They specialise in cask strength and label every bottle with a code but no brand to encourage members to buy by taste rather than brand loyalty

The number is made up of the distillery number and the cask number - seemingly on that new interwebby thing there is a list of the distillery numbers but never tried to find it.  It is kind of like the mini whisky ip address xx.xx

ET - yep.  I used to know a few of the distillery numbers, but normally had forgotten them again by the time I left the bar.

+1 for Lagavulin

Scotch has become my preferred drink....i love it.

But my palette is probably not as refined.  I also have a hard time spending a few hundred bucks on a good bottle of scotch.

So I typically drink Macallan and Dalwhinnie.  Laphroaig is great too.  But I think Dalwhinnie is my fav so far.

Thanks for all the recommendations!  Writing them down so I know what to look for in the store.  The snow storm has started so I've started, er, tasting.