Can anybody recommend a better blended whisky?

Always found Chivas decent.

and nowt wrong with Grouse if you want a reasonable breakfast whisky.

Sorry, but imo there's no good blended whiskey. Get a single malt (basically any single malt) and it's absolutely lovely. Otherwise, it's bobbins.

Can’t talk about blended but me a the Father in law are smashing the Jameson and ginger today. I may not remember dinner!

As for single malt, I’d recommend Dalmore.

Dark Cloud wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 25, 2024 4:36 pm

Sorry, but imo there's no good blended whiskey. Get a single malt (basically any single malt) and it's absolutely lovely. Otherwise, it's bobbins.

Nonsense...

Single malt....aka "tourist whisky" throughout much of Scotland.

Used to be fun working behind numerous Scottish bars watching countless pretentious (mainly English and American) mug punters getting fleeced in this nonsensical game.

fatboy47 wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 25, 2024 5:54 pm

Nonsense...

Single malt....aka "tourist whisky" throughout much of Scotland.

Used to be fun working behind numerous Scottish bars watching countless pretentious (mainly English and American) mug punters getting fleeced in this nonsensical game.

If you can’t tell the difference, you don’t have taste buds.

There are some decent blends though.

The question was focused on blended I've tried bells grouse Mckendricks Jacobite. The question was directed towards blended not whether single malts are preferred. Thanks Fatboy you have answered the question.

Who said I couldnt tell the difference?

Up to maybe your 3rd glass ...after that you could give the punters anything and they wouldn't have a scooby. ..but they'd spout some real guff...

Cue the whisky gobshites.

A good whisky is one you like. That’s all. I’ll make a few suggestions though of a good blend.

I like Knockando, so I find J&B excellent, nicer than Grouse which again is acceptable. That would be my first two suggestions. If you want to try my recommendation of a good blend then go for Johnnie Walker Gold, if you want to try a great blend and don’t care about the cash then go for JW Blue.

I am a single malt man but must confess that Aldi's cheapo Highland Earl is fine. I got it for mixing with honey and lemon for colds but take the odd nip anyway. Surprising!

All tastes the same on my Haggis!

Johnnie Walker Black Label, however, it costs.

I don’t mind a nip of grouse and ginger.

As for the malt? Wonderful. Love it. Having said that, there’s one or two that can’t even be improved with a heavy mixer. Laphroaig to name one. Like drinking liquid soil…

Comparing a blend to a malt is like carlsberg v peroni, or kestrel v urquell.

W&M or J&B for blends
Malts depends on your favourite region/ style

I am currently enjoying Penderyn a Welsh single malt....Bloody lovely stuff

Johnnie Walker Black Label one of the better blended ones (not Red Label)

Tallisker Skye an excellent single malt.

claret wizard wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 25, 2024 6:28 pm

Cue the whisky gobshites.

A good whisky is one you like. That’s all. I’ll make a few suggestions though of a good blend.

I like Knockando, so I find J&B excellent, nicer than Grouse which again is acceptable. That would be my first two suggestions. If you want to try my recommendation of a good blend then go for Johnnie Walker Gold, if you want to try a great blend and don’t care about the cash then go for JW Blue.

After our works Christmas do last year I ended up drinking expensive whisky with two enthusiasts/experts. I had a couple of glasses then left them to it. It was like they were talking a different language.

White and Mackay, 2 great Scottish footballers in the 1960s Spurs side, Burnley’s biggest rivals at the time.

Jack and Danny with Coca Cola

Johnnie Walker Blue is other worldly.

Not sure about blends, but I’m enjoying a glass of Macallan this evening.

Here’s to a big win tomorrow!

My mate's dad worked at a distillery (Glenmorangie) and he said there was too much snobbery around single malts.

His recommended blended was Teacher's.

I'm not a big drinker of spirits, but I'm another whose blended of choice is Grouse; I'm not overly choosy, but I'm not keen on Bells

Dark Cloud wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 25, 2024 4:36 pm

Sorry, but imo there's no good blended whiskey. Get a single malt (basically any single malt) and it's absolutely lovely. Otherwise, it's bobbins.

That's because none comes from Scotland-the true land of whisky. Irish and American whiskey, not my drink.

Prof wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 26, 2024 1:55 am

Not sure about blends, but I’m enjoying a glass of Macallan this evening.

Here’s to a big win tomorrow!

Now you're talking.

dougcollins wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 26, 2024 9:25 am

My mate's dad worked at a distillery (Glenmorangie) and he said there was too much snobbery around single malts.

His recommended blended was Teacher's.

He was having you on!

IanMcL wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 26, 2024 10:42 am

He was having you on!

No he wasn't.

He got free malts but had a bottle of said Teacher's in the house.

And he used to drink it.

IanMcL wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 26, 2024 10:42 am

Now you're talking.

Prof wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 26, 2024 6:13 pm

Mac.jpg

Online Cruelty!

Dark Cloud wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 25, 2024 4:36 pm

Sorry, but imo there's no good blended whiskey. Get a single malt (basically any single malt) and it's absolutely lovely. Otherwise, it's bobbins.

The short sightedness of this comment has been enough to get me to login and comment, which is extremely rare. There’s some excellent blends out there, be they blended grain, blends or blended malt. Things like Peat Monster, Dewars, Cutty Sark can all hit different notes and different flavour profiles and do so excellently. There’s even an argument that blends can offer a greater range, single malt requires the blender to be bound to one distilleries output(note that unless it’s single cask there’s still blending involved), but with a blend the blender has the freedom to express themselves and show off their skills, particularly with some of the more boutiquey bottlers in the industry like Compass Box.

I say all of this as someone who spent 6 years out on the road selling whisky (amongst other things) for one of the most respected and knowledgeable independent whisky bottlers in the country and I’m lucky enough to call multiple Masters of the Quaich good friends. There’s excellent whisky available in all categories and it’s people like yourself who insist that it HAS to be single malt whisky that allows those with more knowledge to find value in blends and single grains.

Beckm0 wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 26, 2024 6:59 pm

The short sightedness of this comment has been enough to get me to login and comment, which is extremely rare. There’s some excellent blends out there, be they blended grain, blends or blended malt. Things like Peat Monster, Dewars, Cutty Sark can all hit different notes and different flavour profiles and do so excellently. There’s even an argument that blends can offer a greater range, single malt requires the blender to be bound to one distilleries output(note that unless it’s single cask there’s still blending involved), but with a blend the blender has the freedom to express themselves and show off their skills, particularly with some of the more boutiquey bottlers in the industry like Compass Box.

I say all of this as someone who spent 6 years out on the road selling whisky (amongst other things) for one of the most respected and knowledgeable independent whisky bottlers in the country and I’m lucky enough to call multiple Masters of the Quaich good friends. There’s excellent whisky available in all categories and it’s people like yourself who insist that it HAS to be single malt whisky that allows those with more knowledge to find value in blends and single grains.

He did say 'Whiskey'.

Prof wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 26, 2024 6:13 pm

Mac.jpg

Ice in a malt whisky...sacrilege !.......
I'm currently gluging my way through a 16 year old Lagavulin ...lovely.

Steve1956 wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 26, 2024 7:38 pm

Ice in a malt whisky...sacrilege !.......
I'm currently gluging my way through a 16 year old Lagavulin ...lovely.

No ice

Steve1956 wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 26, 2024 7:38 pm

Ice in a malt whisky...sacrilege !.......
I'm currently gluging my way through a 16 year old Lagavulin ...lovely.

Haha! Yep. Sometimes you need a little rehydration as you drink

Prof wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 26, 2024 8:00 pm

Haha! Yep. Sometimes you need a little rehydration as you drink

I generally need that the next morning after drinking it neat.

Sometimes neat, sometimes rocks, depends on my mood and the scotch. As someone said above, there is no one way to drink it and some blends can be enjoyable too - each to their own and how they enjoy it. I bought a 25 year Macallan once and really didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would (there’s $2500 I’m not getting back).

Heck, when Blackburn scored late today I felt a little joy - life can be odd at times!

J&B is excellent and that's a blend.
Give it a whirl.

Please don't judge until you've tried it, but there's a blended whisky at Aldi called Highland Black for £14.99 and it's genuinely one of the best blends I've ever tried. And I've had a few!

Beckm0 wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 26, 2024 6:59 pm

The short sightedness of this comment has been enough to get me to login and comment, which is extremely rare. There’s some excellent blends out there, be they blended grain, blends or blended malt. Things like Peat Monster, Dewars, Cutty Sark can all hit different notes and different flavour profiles and do so excellently. There’s even an argument that blends can offer a greater range, single malt requires the blender to be bound to one distilleries output(note that unless it’s single cask there’s still blending involved), but with a blend the blender has the freedom to express themselves and show off their skills, particularly with some of the more boutiquey bottlers in the industry like Compass Box.

I say all of this as someone who spent 6 years out on the road selling whisky (amongst other things) for one of the most respected and knowledgeable independent whisky bottlers in the country and I’m lucky enough to call multiple Masters of the Quaich good friends. There’s excellent whisky available in all categories and it’s people like yourself who insist that it HAS to be single malt whisky that allows those with more knowledge to find value in blends and single grains.

I did say "in my opinion"!

I had a Macallan 15 at a restaurant once, and when it was brought over I asked if I could have some ice. The waitress raised an eyebrow and said 'for this?' I replied in the affirmative, and she simply said 'no' and walked away.