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Hosting a scotch tasting - recommendations? (1 Viewer)

Chase Stuart

Chase Stuart

Footballguy
I am helping coordinate a scotch tasting for about 35-45 people. I'm thinking 8 bottles is the right number?

I kind of doubt most people will end up having 8 drinks of scotch, so some repeats are probably okay. But looking to go with a variety of islands (Highlands, Island, Speyside, Islay) and price points.

Any thoughts on what you would recommend?

 
Look at the Ledaig 10 for a lower price but solid for the price (~$50)

Another that I think is great for the price is Talisker 12 (~$90).

 
Also for the lower end but great tasting...Balvenie 12 Double Wood.

 
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Highland Park 21 year old is the best scotch I've ever had. Probably around $175 a bottle. The 18 year old is very good, too, for around $50 less.

 
doowain said:
fantasycurse42 said:
Pappy Van Winkle for the high end.
Click to expand...
Probably should suggest something he can actually get his hands on. Or that isn't gonna cost him $2K.
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Had some yesterday... Wife asked me to come with her to her good friend's house, they have a son born on the exact same day as my son, so they're best buds too and enetertain each other while the women gossip. She told me I could watch the game, hang out, and do nothing... Anyways, her husband was in Vegas the week before for a bachelor party and was in Park City or somewhere skiing this weekend, he was supposed to come home on Saturday, but couldn't for obvious reasons. Needless to say, the wife was unhappy with him.

Long story short, she pulls a bottle out of his bar of Pappy while I'm watching the game and asks if I want a glass - I declined bc I feel bad drinking the dude's good stuff. She insisted while I declined. She pours me a glass anyways, at that point I had no choice.... Delllllicious!!!

ETA: Another couple came by with their kid - She did the same thing for this dude.

 
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doowain said:
Also for the lower end but great tasting...Balvenie 12 Double Wood.
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Was coming here to post The Balvenie, but I'd go with the 14 Caribbean Cask.

Also if you want cheap, mild bend and a unique bottle - go with Dimple Pinch.

 
fantasycurse42 said:
doowain said:
fantasycurse42 said:
Pappy Van Winkle for the high end.
Click to expand...
Probably should suggest something he can actually get his hands on. Or that isn't gonna cost him $2K.
Click to expand...
Had some yesterday... Wife asked me to come with her to her good friend's house, they have a son born on the exact same day as my son, so they're best buds too and enetertain each other while the women gossip. She told me I could watch the game, hang out, and do nothing... Anyways, her husband was in Vegas the week before for a bachelor party and was in Park City or somewhere skiing this weekend, he was supposed to come home on Saturday, but couldn't for obvious reasons. Needless to say, the wife was unhappy with him.

Long story short, she pulls a bottle out of his bar of Pappy while I'm watching the game and asks if I want a glass - I declined bc I feel bad drinking the dude's good stuff. She insisted while I declined. She pours me a glass anyways, at that point I had no choice.... Delllllicious!!!

ETA: Another couple came by with their kid - She did the same thing for this dude.
Click to expand...
LOOK AT ME, I KNOW PEOPLE THAT HAVE PAPPY!!!!!

 
Here were my thoughts.

Get 8 bottles, 2 from each of the major reasons, with generally one a little more modest and one more expensive.

Speyside -- Aberlour 16 (a personal fav) and Macallan 12 (your classic scotch)

Islay -- Laphroaig (a classic unique scotch) and Lavaculin 16 (agree with the recommendations here)

Highland - Oban 14 (I think this one is pretty friendly for non-scotch drinkers) and Aberfeldy 12 (never had but seems like it has good reviews for the price point)

Islands -- Isle of Jura (Brooklyn) (I think all the Jura stuff is good) and Highland Park Dark Origins (love HP, never had this one, figured this is as good a time as any).

Thoughts? Anyone ever hosted a large scotch tasting like this -- if so, any tips?

Thanks guys!

 
Everyone (well, virtually every seasoned Scotch drinker) prefers single-malt, but for something like this, I would throw in one single-grain and one blended-grain. Will give the uninitiated a more diverse experience and may prove intreguing for the snobs who swear by single-malt without knowing exactly why.

 
Sat on a wait list for 2 years to get a bottle of Pappy... had to drive over the border to land it...

Ppl are paying 2k+ to get it? jesus

Good. Real good. Not even close to the best thing Ive drank.

 
I have been to a few scotch tastings, but am not an expert by any means. I think 8 is really pushing it, although as you say with 40 people, its likely most won't try all 8. I don't actually know what an "Islands" scotch is, and don't perceive enough difference between most Highlands and Speyside scotches to really justify 6 bottles between those styles. I think the best you can do is give folks a general introduction to the drink, so agree that its a good idea to include 1 or 2 blends, and a Japanese bottle. Many folks turn their noses up at blends, but they are by far the most popular scotches, and there are some very good ones, so its worth including imo. Make sure you have some water handy and encourage tasters to try it neat first, then after adding a few drops of water and comparing the taste. Encourage them to compare the younger scotch with the older aged stuff, or perhaps have similar scotches aged in different types of barrels for comparision. I would tell people to save the Islays for last, as that will be a palate-wrecker. One other thought is to have a few bottles of a cheaper blend and some mixes to introduce a few scotch cocktails.

 
My two favorites (at this time) are Lagavullin 16 and Bunnahabhain 18.

Both Islay scotches.

Scotchy scotch scotch. I love scotch!

 
CletiusMaximus said:
I have been to a few scotch tastings, but am not an expert by any means. I think 8 is really pushing it, although as you say with 40 people, its likely most won't try all 8. I don't actually know what an "Islands" scotch is, and don't perceive enough difference between most Highlands and Speyside scotches to really justify 6 bottles between those styles. I think the best you can do is give folks a general introduction to the drink, so agree that its a good idea to include 1 or 2 blends, and a Japanese bottle. Many folks turn their noses up at blends, but they are by far the most popular scotches, and there are some very good ones, so its worth including imo. Make sure you have some water handy and encourage tasters to try it neat first, then after adding a few drops of water and comparing the taste. Encourage them to compare the younger scotch with the older aged stuff, or perhaps have similar scotches aged in different types of barrels for comparision. I would tell people to save the Islays for last, as that will be a palate-wrecker. One other thought is to have a few bottles of a cheaper blend and some mixes to introduce a few scotch cocktails.
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These are all good points. Any recommendations on blends? Johnny Walker -- maybe gold? The place I'm looking at has it for $53, which I think is a pretty good deal (green is $52).

The website I'm using has a pretty limited japanese supply - Nikka Pure Malt Taketsuru seems to be the one that makes the most sense ($63), but never heard of it.

 
Chase Stuart said:
CletiusMaximus said:
I have been to a few scotch tastings, but am not an expert by any means. I think 8 is really pushing it, although as you say with 40 people, its likely most won't try all 8. I don't actually know what an "Islands" scotch is, and don't perceive enough difference between most Highlands and Speyside scotches to really justify 6 bottles between those styles. I think the best you can do is give folks a general introduction to the drink, so agree that its a good idea to include 1 or 2 blends, and a Japanese bottle. Many folks turn their noses up at blends, but they are by far the most popular scotches, and there are some very good ones, so its worth including imo. Make sure you have some water handy and encourage tasters to try it neat first, then after adding a few drops of water and comparing the taste. Encourage them to compare the younger scotch with the older aged stuff, or perhaps have similar scotches aged in different types of barrels for comparision. I would tell people to save the Islays for last, as that will be a palate-wrecker. One other thought is to have a few bottles of a cheaper blend and some mixes to introduce a few scotch cocktails.
Click to expand...
These are all good points. Any recommendations on blends? Johnny Walker -- maybe gold? The place I'm looking at has it for $53, which I think is a pretty good deal (green is $52).

The website I'm using has a pretty limited japanese supply - Nikka Pure Malt Taketsuru seems to be the one that makes the most sense ($63), but never heard of it.
Click to expand...
https://www.masterofmalt.com/country-style/japanese/single-malt-whisky/

 
Chase Stuart said:
CletiusMaximus said:
I have been to a few scotch tastings, but am not an expert by any means. I think 8 is really pushing it, although as you say with 40 people, its likely most won't try all 8. I don't actually know what an "Islands" scotch is, and don't perceive enough difference between most Highlands and Speyside scotches to really justify 6 bottles between those styles. I think the best you can do is give folks a general introduction to the drink, so agree that its a good idea to include 1 or 2 blends, and a Japanese bottle. Many folks turn their noses up at blends, but they are by far the most popular scotches, and there are some very good ones, so its worth including imo. Make sure you have some water handy and encourage tasters to try it neat first, then after adding a few drops of water and comparing the taste. Encourage them to compare the younger scotch with the older aged stuff, or perhaps have similar scotches aged in different types of barrels for comparision. I would tell people to save the Islays for last, as that will be a palate-wrecker. One other thought is to have a few bottles of a cheaper blend and some mixes to introduce a few scotch cocktails.
Click to expand...
These are all good points. Any recommendations on blends? Johnny Walker -- maybe gold? The place I'm looking at has it for $53, which I think is a pretty good deal (green is $52).

The website I'm using has a pretty limited japanese supply - Nikka Pure Malt Taketsuru seems to be the one that makes the most sense ($63), but never heard of it.
Click to expand...
The high end Johnny Walkers are pretty good. I don't know them all but I'm sure the Gold is good. I've had the green and thought it was very good. Chivas and Dewars make high end blends that are well - reviewed. I would not get Famous Grouse. It was a very good blend up until several years ago when they changed something. The only Japanese I've had was Yamazaki. I don't remember which, but it was excellent.

 
I would go with Balvenie 12, 15 & 21 to allow people to climb the ladder on a single brand plus the Port Wood is the nectar of the Gods.

Perhaps repeat this for two other brands of different varieties of scotch.

 
Baloney Sandwich said:
I would go with Balvenie 12, 15 & 21 to allow people to climb the ladder on a single brand plus the Port Wood is the nectar of the Gods.

Perhaps repeat this for two other brands of different varieties of scotch.
Click to expand...
:goodposting: Never been to one of these things but that's an angle I'd find pretty interesting.

 
Ok. I'm going to hijack this thread. I'm not a hard drink kinda guy but beer is beginning to get old and tiresome. I've never really had good scotch, tequila etc...

How does one start exploring? I need a starter suggestion, a bottle I can acquire at any reasonably priced local liquor store. How should I start?

Ice? Warm? With water? Please help.

 
mr roboto said:
Ok. I'm going to hijack this thread. I'm not a hard drink kinda guy but beer is beginning to get old and tiresome. I've never really had good scotch, tequila etc...

How does one start exploring? I need a starter suggestion, a bottle I can acquire at any reasonably priced local liquor store. How should I start?

Ice? Warm? With water? Please help.
Click to expand...
Macallan 12 or Johnny Walker Black would be my suggestions to start with.

My guess is you'd be better off starting with ice. If you like it over time and want to try it neat (no ice, no water), give it a shot but don't force yourself. Drink anything the way you want to drink it and eff the snobs.

 
mr roboto said:
Ok. I'm going to hijack this thread. I'm not a hard drink kinda guy but beer is beginning to get old and tiresome. I've never really had good scotch, tequila etc...

How does one start exploring? I need a starter suggestion, a bottle I can acquire at any reasonably priced local liquor store. How should I start?

Ice? Warm? With water? Please help.
Click to expand...
I would start with bourbon or Irish - tons of good mid-level options in the $30-$50 range. After going through a few bottles of those, if you find you like whisky, try a scotch at a party or corporate event to see if its something you can get into. I would not recommend getting a single malt scotch as your first introduction to whisky.

 
So apparently I have Glenfiddich 12 in my alcohol cabinet? Huh.

Anyway, I like the aroma. A bit too 'bright' for me guess I was expecting something a bit more, I don't know, carmely or smoky or deeper?

I really have no clue what I'm talking about or if this is #### swill or really good (or honestly how it got here).

 
mr roboto said:
So apparently I have Glenfiddich 12 in my alcohol cabinet? Huh.

Anyway, I like the aroma. A bit too 'bright' for me guess I was expecting something a bit more, I don't know, carmely or smoky or deeper?

I really have no clue what I'm talking about or if this is #### swill or really good (or honestly how it got here).
Click to expand...
Glenfiddich is a Speyside. They are lighter and sweeter than the rest. You want smoky, you've got to go with an Islay. More full-bodied, go with a Highland.

 
AAABatteries said:
Glenlivet 12

If you are wanting to spend some - Macallan 18
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:goodposting:

Macallan 18 is probably my favorite thing in the world to drink.

Glenlivet 18 is much better than the 12, but the 12 is a good, inexpensive option.

 
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