The Auswine Forum

I thought I'd buy my father a single malt whiskey for his 70th and as I'm not a whiskey drinker, I'm kinda lost. He's never owned a bottle of single malt so I thought I'd fix that. The whiskies he buys that I can think of are are Dimple, Chivas Regal and I think he's had all the main offerings from Johnnie Walker.

A Scot here suggested The Balvenie so I thought maybe their 12 year old Double Wood.

Any other suggestions? He usually drinks them on the rocks so previously I bought him an ice spheres mould (kinda for novelty but also I think he did find them lasting longer).

I think the Balvenie could be a good choice... or maybe Highland Park?

I think if he has never had single malt before you want to avoid anything too peaty/iodiney (like the Islay whiskeys - Laphroig, Ardbeg, etc).

sjw_11 wrote: think if he has never had single malt before you want to avoid anything too peaty/iodiney

He probably has had a single from time to time but he's never owned a bottle so that's what I was thinking, try to find something that might be smooth (not that I know if this one is smooth) and not too out there.

I may be a bit late to this but if your father likes Chivas Regal then the Strathisla 12 year-old might be the ticket. Apparently this malt is the core ingredient of the Chivas 12 year-old.

Mahmoud.

Ah, right. That's good to know. It's not too late either so thanks

A Highlands single malt with age would provide greater enjoyment and appreciation to your dad. Try a couple of drops in a small glass (a dram) and some air time. Two names I remember well due to flavour and taste are: 15yo Fettercairn, 26yo Glenglassaugh. Expensive but a hell lot cheaper than a Grange (and last much longer).
Cheers...Dac

I was at the Duty Free in Hong Kong and was pleasantly surprised by free tastings of scotch, blends and single malts. Among the following premium blends I was impressed by the both The Chivas 'Ultis', a blend of five single malts (therefore a vatted malt) and for half the price of the others the Ballantine 21 Year Old. Both are new products.
Cheers ................. Mahmoud.

I think you need to go with a good brand and nothing says Whiskey more than MacAllan . It's not a favourite and it's poor qpr, but it's a good place to start and it's a name your father may have heard of.

If you want to take a chance,then Laphroaig or Lagavullen will show him something different - it's the wine equivalent though of giving him a Jura White, something a lot of people dislike intensely.

mychurch wrote:I think you need to go with a good brand and nothing says Whiskey more than MacAllan . It's not a favourite and it's poor qpr, but it's a good place to start and it's a name your father may have heard of.

If you want to take a chance,then Laphroaig or Lagavullen will show him something different - it's the wine equivalent though of giving him a Jura White, something a lot of people dislike intensely.

I would never introduce anyone to single malts with an Islay as they might belong to that half of any group that I've tasted with that dislike peat. Especially since we're talking of gifting the entire bottle. Better to offer a characterful single malt in the vein of what he has been drinking all his life.

The only time I've seen non-peat people appreciate a peated whisky is when it is heavily sherried, sweeter style. And even then it's a case of hate the nose but like the taste.

Therefore, Macallan good, Laphroaig and Lagavulin no good.

My two cents ........................ Mahmoud.

Mahmoud Ali wrote:I may be a bit late to this but if your father likes Chivas Regal then the Strathisla 12 year-old might be the ticket.

I thought I'd follow this up. He loved it so thanks for the suggestion!