Blended vs. Single Malt

[Ecuador Jim]

After educating my palate to single malts, blends just seem very bland to me. My understanding is that blends were originally designed to allow large distributors to achieve a "repeatable" taste back in the day where scotch distilleries were small and their output couldn't meet the demand.

Clearly all that has changed

 

[St.Ignatz]

For smoke I like the Lagavulin, Spring Bank for a lighter dram and a whole lot in between. On a tight budget I would go with the Teachers Cream blended and Speyburn single. Pour em and line em up to really get the differences is always the best way IMO.
Tom D.

 

[Nash Buckingham]

In some order my favorite single malts

Cold weather: Hands down it's Lagavulin, then Laphroig
other than that, Glenmorangie 10 yr., Glenmorangie Lasanta, Talisker, Bladnoch's John McDougall Single Cask.

On a budget? McLellan's Highland is a very pleasant single malt - and not too pricey.

 

[Creeping Past]

If you like Islay malts, I recommend Ardbeg. It's my new favourite. And I second the recommendation of Old Pulteney a couple of pages back, it's a salty blast and quite unlike anything else.

 

[jamespowers]

After educating my palate to single malts, blends just seem very bland to me. My understanding is that blends were originally designed to allow large distributors to achieve a "repeatable" taste back in the day where scotch distilleries were small and their output couldn't meet the demand.

Clearly all that has changed

That was indeed what the blends were for. However, the tastes back then would not likely tolerate the Scotches we have today---particularly the Peat Monster and The Frog.
Today we have such a variety to choose from it is like pick your poison. I am a Highland Lowland kind of guy but I like Lagavullin and some Speysides as well a Dalwinnie.

 

[John in Covina]

I am not a scotch drinker but have tried a variety of them both blended and singles. A single I thought was good was called Scapa. I've given blended scotch as gifts- Famous Grouse which tends to be well received and quickly drank.

There are very few blended bourbons so the vast majority of Bourbon is the equivilant of a single malt.

 

[Lawrence Connor]

This is me, LC, in August 2006, at the Westin Diplomat Resort
in Hollywood, FL, with a double of Johnnie Walker Gold Label.

Mod Edit: Please feel free to post a more appropriate photo, without the legible vulgarities. Thank you, HJ.
$19.99 per shot, this one drink alone cost me about $40.
It was very good, but I already had at least
several drinks that evening, before this one.

http://www.lawrenceconnor.com/scotch/

Page linked to above shows a few taste tests I did.

:cheers1:

 

[Opas Coat]

Ice!?!? I was under the impression that to truley appreciate and properley drink scotch, it had to be straight up.

 

[Hemerlin]

Ice!?!? I was under the impression that to truley appreciate and properley drink scotch, it had to be straight up.

If one knows the rules (sadly that's where most people fall short), one can break them with style

Most of the time I drink my whisky out of a nosing glass (certainly if it's a new one for me).
But sometimes I just crave a heavy tumbler instead of those fragile tulip glasses and if it's a blend (even a Johnnie Gold or Blue or whatever) and I'm in the mood, then get me some ice with that, too! I like the sound it makes in the glass and hearing is also a sense that can evoke pleasure.

If it tastes good, it's allowed - and after all, there are a lot of ways to lose much more money while having much less fun

 

[MississippiLong]

Glenlivet 12. 3 fingers, 3 ice cubes--once before bedtime. Give me a call if you don't feel better in the morning.

 

[JLStorm]

Im definitely a single malt guy, but I have had one blend that is pretty good which is Johnnie walker blue label. My normal single malt standby's are Macallan 18, balvenie 21, and laphroig 1/4 cask. I occasionally have macallan 25 when Im out, but havent been able to bring myself to buy a bottle.

Blended are ok if there is nothing else to drink, but I dont enjoy the flavor (as there is little separation of flavors and I find it to be a mish mosh of fragrances), but plenty of people prefer blended to single malt too, so to each their own.

I must say, as far as single malts, laphroig 1/4 cask has probably tied with if not overtaken macallan 18 as one of my favorite standby's and for the price you simply cannot beat it.

 

[BellyTank]

Blends vs. Vatted Malts

A consideration, which I don't know has been mentioned on this thread before:

"Vatted Malts", (aka pure malt)which we don't hear so much about, are blends of Single Malts, whereas, "Blends"
are blended from Malt AND grain alcohols, fillers. These are usually corn spirit, or other (non-barley)
grain liquor.
So- "Vatted Malts" are "PURE malt", Blends" are not all malt at all.

Johnnie Walker Green is a Vatted Malt.

As an aside... as a Malt drinker, I prefer JW Red, to any of the other JW blends- it tastes more like Malt.

Glass of The G in hand.


B
T

 

[Kishtu]

It's the Hairy Bloke. Sometime soon I'll get my own login.

I am an Islay man as well. I think the peatyness is something special.

I do like to keep a good blend in the house, as I am prone, occasinally, to a very bad back, and it is useful to have a bottle of mucsle-relaxant / anesthetic in the house.

On a down-note I have heard Glenfiddich poorly rated ("one of Scotlans finest cooking-malts").

I find all others a bit raw for my taste (see the rum thread).

Laphoagh (sometimes known in the Vikings as "Leap-Frog") is really good, but, strangely enough, my all time favourite was a supermarket own-brand, that of Morrisons, here in the UK. For those of you in Britain, avoid Marks and Spencer Islay, as they have achieved the almost impossible and made a tasteless Islay single malt.

All the best

SANTE!

The Hairy Bloke

 

[Corto]

As a novice Scotch drinker, I'd like to thank everyone for this very educational thread.

However, you should have seen my face as I saw the price tag while reaching out to pluck a bottle of Lagavulin off the shelf. Ouch. I guess you get what you get what you pay for when it comes to single malts!

 

[jamespowers]

As a novice Scotch drinker, I'd like to thank everyone for this very educational thread.

However, you should have seen my face as I saw the price tag while reaching out to pluck a bottle of Lagavulin off the shelf. Ouch. I guess you get what you get what you pay for when it comes to single malts!

Ah yes! lol It ain't cheap. The local Beverages and More keeps it behinds glass if that tells you anything. My friend recently asked: "Do they really steal fifth sized bottles?!"
Answer: "Yes they do!"
He was just wondering how they walked out inconspicuously with a bottle down their pants.
Anyway, that friend hates Lagavulin. I don't mind it at all.
If you want a decent starter scotch that isn't going to break the bank then try McClelland's varieties. They are made by Bowmore and have decent taste and character. They make a Highland, Lowland and an Islay if I remember correctly. There is a reputed Sherry Cask Highland supposedly out there but I can't get my hands on one. [huh]
Glenmorangie makes some interesting (expensive) single malts as well. That is the first scotch I have tried that was aged in Sauterne casks. It lends quite a unique flavor.

 

[DerMann]

Even though I'm still fairly novice in the scotch field, I have already discovered that single malt scotches are far better than blended.

The good blended scotches are either more expensive or almost as expensive as better single malt scotches.

As such, The Glenlivet is by far my favourite scotch. Not exceedingly expensive ($50-$60 for a great bottle 12-15 years old).

Nothing compares to the smoothness of a great single malt scotch.

 

[jamespowers]

Even though I'm still fairly novice in the scotch field, I have already discovered that single malt scotches are far better than blended.

The good blended scotches are either more expensive or almost as expensive as better single malt scotches.

As such, The Glenlivet is by far my favourite scotch. Not exceedingly expensive ($50-$60 for a great bottle 12-15 years old).

Nothing compares to the smoothness of a great single malt scotch.

Good point. A blend costing as much as a good single malt?! Forget about it.

 

[Fly Boy]

I'd very highly recommend Redbreast from Midleton. A fantastic pure pot still whisky.