OT - Any blended scotch drinkers here? - OT

Sea2Ski

I realize upfront asking this question could be akin to asking what charcoal to use, gun rights opinions or some political question.  I also know that there are equivalent forums for questions like this, as this one is for the egg, although I am certainly not a member on them. But truth told, I value the opinions of those here, and I know a lot of people here are expert brown water drinkers, so I figured I would just ask.

Preface: my father rarely drinks at home. Only on holidays and very special occasions will he pour himself a drink. A few years ago he was looking/admiring a bottle of Johnny Walker Blue label when we were on vacation (when he does have a scotch, he drinks black label) but said he would never ever buy one (blue label) for himself.  Later that year I surprised him and gave him one for his birthday. Once he saw what it was, he could not finish unwrapping and open it fast enough.  He cherished that bottle and had a small pour on very special occasions as well as a very small nip after shoveling his steep driveway.  At 85, although he could - he never, ever indulges or treats himself. 

I was looking at other bottles comparable the the Blue label, however I know nothing about this brown water stuff. I picked up this bottle for him for x-mas because  it was a blend (like JW) and was recommended by the guy at the store. I do know that many here are into single malts and shy from blends, but my father loves the smoothness and balance of the blends, but that is where my knowledge about his preferences ends. The online reviews I found post-purchase are good. 

Is anyone into blends and have you had this? Good choice? Return and get something else? While it is always good to get what one likes, it is also fun to find a new bottle that is hopefully also fantastic  and maybe even a new favorite. 

lousubcap

No help here other than in my small corner of the world brown water is bourbon and blonde water is scotch.  Not that anyone cares. 

Sea2Ski

lousubcap said:

No help here other than in my small corner of the world brown water is bourbon and blonde water is scotch.  Not that anyone cares. 

But they are both brown?!?!?  

Seriously, never knew that. Already learning! 

pgprescott

I’ve never had it but as a scotch drinker I’d be tickled to receive that bottle. I’m sure it will be great. Should be in the general profile he likes. As opposed to something like Laphroig or Ardbeg. Nice move!

dmourati

JW Blue label is in a class on its own. The Dewar's is a nice attempt but I'd go with a single malt to see if he is into drinking it with some more regularity.  Try these:

https://www.totalwine.com/spirits/scotch/single-malt/oban-14-yr/p/678750

https://www.totalwine.com/spirits/scotch/single-malt/hibiki-12-yr/p/113352750

Spaightlabs

That's a fantastic blend.  Blends get a bad rap from the scotch snobs, but all does is smooth out the flavor profile and take out the little inconsistencies from batch to batch.

Well done.

pgprescott

Spaightlabs said:

That's a fantastic blend.  Blends get a bad rap from the scotch snobs, but all does is smooth out the flavor profile and take out the little inconsistencies from batch to batch.

Well done.

I just wanted to agree more than once. I have dozens of single malt bottles in my house (small problem) but there are numerous blended scotches that are great drinkers. 

Spaightlabs

Same prob as @pgprescott  - there are 12 or so bottles of single malt floating around here and a few blends.  If someone says they have a particular preference, they can have it, if they just want to drink a nice scotch and enjoy it but don't have a preference, they get a blend.

JohnEggGio

Standard Dewars is my “everyday” scotch.  I’ve never had the 25.  I’m guessing it to be outstanding.

caliking

Given what you know about your dad's taste/preference, you are about to give him a great present .

Don't give him a single malt if you don't know he will like it. You could always buy him a drink somewhere to see what he thinks, THEN buy him a bottle of it. 

Seems like he likes to savor his drink, so give him what you think has the best chance of making his eyes light up.

Sea2Ski

As @Spaightlabs stated, I understand that the blends are made to round out the single malts when needed or when necessary by the distillery. I think that is what my father enjoys, a well rounded blend. The single malts, from what I have read can be very smokey, peaty, earthy, and who knows what else. If it pleases my father, then it was a good choice. Based on the responses so far, I think I might have a winner. 
Thanks everyone. 

Legume

A 25 year old scotch, blend or no blend from a known quality distillery should get a very wide-eyed, appreciative reception.  Every time.  I would bet there are few on here that have any brown liquor that old in their cabinet and by all accounts, there are plenty that have some great whisk(e)y collections here on the forum.  He’ll be beyond happy, I’m sure.

pgprescott

Sea2Ski said:

As @Spaightlabs stated, I understand that the blends are made to round out the single malts when needed or when necessary by the distillery. I think that is what my father enjoys, a well rounded blend. The single malts, from what I have read can be very smokey, peaty, earthy, and who knows what else. If it pleases my father, then it was a good choice. Based on the responses so far, I think I might have a winner. 
Thanks everyone. 

For future reference, any highlands region single malt will be a pretty easy drinker IMO. Those from Speyside or Islay are much more complex and/or aggressive. That accounts for most of what’s out there. 

caliking

I will also add - as with many other things, why should anyone care , about anyone else's opinion,  regarding how you spend your money to make someone in your life happy ? 

Debates like which charcoal is best, blended Scotch vs. single malts, etc. will rage on forever. So don't let that get in the way of your dad enjoying what is obviously a special gift from his son. 

Theophan

Gosh, he's 85, may not be around many more years, and you KNOW he was just deliriously happy with the JW blue, and you've said that year after year he's been a Johnny Walker guy.  Why not give him something you know he LOVES?  You did it right with the JW Blue.  Why not just do it again -- he loved it!

theyolksonyou

Theophan said:

Gosh, he's 85, may not be around many more years, and you KNOW he was just deliriously happy with the JW blue, and you've said that year after year he's been a Johnny Walker guy.  Why not give him something you know he LOVES?  You did it right with the JW Blue.  Why not just do it again -- he loved it!

But what if he loves this one more?

littlerascal56

My my vote is to give him the Dewars 25.  I love Dewars, and you can’t go wrong with that bottle!

Toxarch

theyolksonyou said:

Theophan said:

Gosh, he's 85, may not be around many more years, and you KNOW he was just deliriously happy with the JW blue, and you've said that year after year he's been a Johnny Walker guy.  Why not give him something you know he LOVES?  You did it right with the JW Blue.  Why not just do it again -- he loved it!

But what if he loves this one more?

https://youtu.be/vgk-lA12FBk

Toxarch

My dad is 78, still works 60+ hours per week (because he wants to), and loves Johnny Walker black. He can't go past a Duty Free shop without buying a bottle of black label to take home. I bet there's 12 unopened black label bottles in his bar. Mom said he's not allowed to buy any more. He can buy others, just no more black label until those are drank. He's got the money but has never bought Blue label for himself. My brother and I buy him a bottle every few years and like your dad, he will only get it out for special occasions and he loves it  By the way, you can go to the walking man website and get free custom labels printed out for gift bottles. 

His second favorite is Chivas Regal. He's got several bottles of that as well. I don't know if it is any more expensive than black label but maybe your dad would like it since mine does.

We've bought him Macallen 18, Glenmorangie, Glenlivet, and lots of different single malts from Scotland. He likes them but still prefers Johnny Walker. Haven't gotten the Japanese Scotches yet, but they get great reviews. He did really like Amrut which is a single malt from India. Fairly inexpensive too. 

I forgot which bottle I got him this year. 18 year old... something he doesn't have yet.

GrateEggspectations

I’ll speak plainly here. There’s a lot of snobbery when it comes to scotch. “Single malt” whisky is malt whisky from a single distillery. The only difference between a blend and a single malt is that the single malt is usually comprised of a blend from within a single distillery. Blends have been given a bad and unearned rap in recent years, but they can be every bit as good as their single counterparts. Good explanation here: https://drinks.seriouseats.com/2012/02/what-is-single-malt-scotch-what-is-blended-whisky.html

By way of the Dewar’s 25, you’ve made a fine choice that will no doubt please him. 

Personally, when I’m buying or receiving scotch, I like to try new products.



I hide the good stuff at the back. 

Theophan

GrateEggspectations said:

... The only difference between a blend and a single malt is that the single malt is usually comprised of a blend from within a single distillery...

You're right about the snobbery, and about how wonderful blended Scotch can be.  And you're right that a few whiskies are made purely from blending single malts.  But most "Blended Scotch" is not just blended single malts.

From the article you linked to: "A blended scotch is a mix of both malt whiskies and grain whiskies."  The "malt whisky" there is the single malt Scotch.  The "grain whisky" is very different, almost always much lighter.  Some distilleries make really good whisky from grain, but even good grain whisky is quite different from a whisky made purely from malt.  It's quicker and cheaper to produce, and is lighter than malt whisky.

That doesn't mean they're not delicious -- many people prefer blended Scotch to pure malt whisky!  But no, the huge majority of blended Scotches are not blends of single malts.  They're blends of single malts AND "grain whisky," which can be quite different from malt whisky.

fishlessman

the only scotch i ever really enjoyed was Macallen 18,  i say enjoyed because the once a year bottle went from 80 bucks to near 500 bucks and now just under 300 bucks.  for me thats ridiculous.  the flavors are all over the place, you either love it or hate it

Sea2Ski

theyolksonyou said:

Theophan said:

Gosh, he's 85, may not be around many more years, and you KNOW he was just deliriously happy with the JW blue, and you've said that year after year he's been a Johnny Walker guy.  Why not give him something you know he LOVES?  You did it right with the JW Blue.  Why not just do it again -- he loved it!

But what if he loves this one more?

It was this dilemma which made me stand in the liquor store for about an hour deciding which way to go. Then I made the final decision for him to try something new.
Then I started second guessing my decision which drove me to start this thread. After reading the reviews post-purchase then hearing what has been stated in this thread, I am hoping @theyolksonyou possibility of finding something different but just as good, or maybe even better than what he thought he liked will be the end result. 

I was just hoping that there was not going to be a slew of “that stuff is just way overpriced and tastes like this $20 bottle of xyz brand” responses. This does not appear to be the case, and for those reasons I am a more comfortable with my final decision. 
I guess I will find out when he opens the bottle or he decides not to try it and go with a bottle of the blue label.  I can exchange it if I want, as long as he does not open this bottle. 
We will see Christmas morning.

pgprescott

Sea2Ski said:

theyolksonyou said:

Theophan said:

Gosh, he's 85, may not be around many more years, and you KNOW he was just deliriously happy with the JW blue, and you've said that year after year he's been a Johnny Walker guy.  Why not give him something you know he LOVES?  You did it right with the JW Blue.  Why not just do it again -- he loved it!

But what if he loves this one more?

It was this dilemma which made me stand in the liquor store for about an hour deciding which way to go. Then I made the final decision for him to try something new.
Then I started second guessing my decision which drove me to start this thread. After reading the reviews post-purchase then hearing what has been stated in this thread, I am hoping @theyolksonyou possibility of finding something different but just as good, or maybe even better than what he thought he liked will be the end result. 

I was just hoping that there was not going to be a slew of “that stuff is just way overpriced and tastes like this $20 bottle of xyz brand” responses. This does not appear to be the case, and for those reasons I am a more comfortable with my final decision. 
I guess I will find out when he opens the bottle or he decides not to try it and go with a bottle of the blue label.  I can exchange it if I want, as long as he does not open this bottle. 
We will see Christmas morning.

Funny thing about food and booze is like life, different strokes for different folks. As far as I’m concerned you can keep the JW Blue. I’d rather have something else.i prefer black label to blue label.  Others fawn over it and that’s just fine. Your thoughtful gift will be cherished as it is the sentiment behind it that matters.