After seeing it so often mentioned here, I tried Glenlivet 12yr. Aside from the normal alcohol, it had almost no flavor. Not a bad thing but I was expecting something different.

I also tried Woodford Reserve bourbon. It's also ridiculously smooth.

I rarely touch hard liquor but I was in a sampling mood. Just tried both straight.

I'm not a drinker either.
I've tried scotch and it's nothing to crow about.
Now fine brandy, it has character. I like a little 1/4 shot every now and then.
And it's terrific over ice cream.

Not a Bourbon guy at all but love Scotch and Irish Whiskey.
There are a plethora of flavors depending on the region created.
To me "smooth" means lack of character (not quality statement - but flavors).
I especially like the heavy peated Scotches.
To each there own.
And you can't judge all Scotch by tasting just one.

It's been 10yrs or more since I've had Glenlivet, so I don't recall what it was like, but I enjoy Woodford and keep it in my "bar", and I agree - it's very smooth and quite good. I like that they (Woodford) only do a couple of things. Their entire operation and reputation lives and dies on that one Bourbon expression (more or less, though they have the Rye, etc). It's a bit unique in the Bourbon world with particularly narrow offerings. Woodford, Makers, Willett. Four Roses was that way but they have a lot of varieties of the Single Barrel now.

My Woodford sits next to my very best, which sits next to my OGD114. All equal to me, just different, mostly (I'd trade it all for nothing but older VW Rye, if I could).

I drink very little hard liquor but I’m partial to Rye now. I enjoyed some Bulliet Rye on New Year’s Eve.

quote:

Originally posted by smithnsig:
I drink very little hard liquor but I’m partial to Rye now. I enjoyed some Bulliet Rye on New Year’s Eve.

I've been trying a lot of Rye's lately, some good, some bad. I think the last one I tried was Knob Creek's Rye. I bought a bottle of Black Label a few months back, I can't drink it. I cannot get past the smokey flavor.

quote:

Originally posted by Les007:

quote:

Originally posted by smithnsig:
I drink very little hard liquor but I’m partial to Rye now. I enjoyed some Bulliet Rye on New Year’s Eve.

I've been trying a lot of Rye's lately, some good, some bad. I think the last one I tried was Knob Creek's Rye. I bought a bottle of Black Label a few months back, I can't drink it. I cannot get past the smokey flavor.

If Scotch is too smoky for you, don't ever try mezcal.

quote:

Originally posted by Les007:
I bought a bottle of Black Label a few months back, I can't drink it.
I cannot get past the smokey flavor.

JW is relatively weak as far as the Peat/smoke flavor.
Try some Ardbeg 10 - now THAT is some good smoke!
Or some Laphroiag.

An acquired taste no doubt - one a lot of us Scotch drinkers like.

I loves me some Laphroaig Quarter Cask, it don't get much better than that.

Yeah, Scotch has a vastly different taste profile based upon which region being distilled/produced.
With that said I enjoy Campbeltown, Speyside, and highlands.

Started out with Glenlivet. Tried Highland Park and I'm never without a bottle. When it comes to Ardbeg I prefer Uigeadail. The oldest I buy is Lagavulin 16. I prefer the bold favors that have not been smoothed out with age, and I save some cash in the process. Been impressed with a new comer Kilchoman. They are on Islay and do it all. They grow the barley and malt it themselves. Started in 2005. Still no 10 or 12 year out. The stuff they put out now is 5 or 6 years. Bit rough but I like it. Most of the scotch I like are the island distilleries. I also like Remy Martin. Never developed a taste for bourbon.

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:

quote:

Originally posted by Les007:
I bought a bottle of Black Label a few months back, I can't drink it.
I cannot get past the smokey flavor.

JW is relatively weak as far as the Peat/smoke flavor.
Try some Ardbeg 10 - now THAT is some good smoke!
Or some Laphroiag.

An acquired taste no doubt - one a lot of us Scotch drinkers like.

or Caol Ila,

mighty fine stuff

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:

Or some Laphroiag.

Blech! I had to throw a bottle of this away that was given to me as a gift. I generally like single malts, Glenlivet, McCallen, Glennmorangie. But this stuff was like drinking scotch filtered through a dirty sock stuffed with moss.

quote:

Originally posted by myrottiety:

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:

Or some Laphroiag.

Blech! I had to throw a bottle of this away that was given to me as a gift. I generally like single malts, Glenlivet, McCallen, Glennmorangie. But this stuff was like drinking scotch filtered through a dirty sock stuffed with moss.

Laphroiag runs an ad campaign with a bunch of people saying similar things. Quite brilliant really. I like it. I stick with the 10. There is not enough difference between the higher cost stuff.

quote:

Originally posted by myrottiety:

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:

Or some Laphroiag.

Blech! I had to throw a bottle of this away that was given to me as a gift. I generally like single malts, Glenlivet, McCallen, Glennmorangie. But this stuff was like drinking scotch filtered through a dirty sock stuffed with moss.

That's kind of the point... Laphroaig treasures its self-appointed status as "the most richly flavored of all Scotch whiskies."

I personally like it a lot, particularly the Quarter Cask and 15 year, but it definitely isn't for everyone.

Believe it or not, the Scotch experts seem to mostly agree that Laphroaig's unique flavor profile is actually milder now than decades ago.

quote:

Originally posted by myrottiety:

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:

Or some Laphroiag.

Blech! I had to throw a bottle of this away that was given to me as a gift. I generally like single malts, Glenlivet, McCallen, Glennmorangie. But this stuff was like drinking scotch filtered through a dirty sock stuffed with moss.

The older the Scotch is the less pronounced the Peat Flavor is.
Try an Ardbeg 10 - it is like biting into a campfire.
I like the Caol Ila too.
These are the typical flavors from the Island of Islay.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islay_whisky

Perfectly understandable when some does or does not love the taste.

The Glenlivet is a very mildly flavored scotch. It is one of the Speyside style of scotches and they are typically not very smoky. They are also sometimes called grassy. Suffice it to say, they tend to be of a lighter, sweeter, and more fuity style. They are my least favorites.

Try Highland Park, which is a Highlands style from the Orkney Islands. It will be more fuller flavored than Glenlivet. Highland Park's whiskies are often called the best "all-round" scotches. Lots of flavor but well-balanced.

If you want to go all-in on heavy, smoky, sea-tasting whisky, try a Islay style, like Laphroaig or Lagavulin, which is my favorite scotch of any I have tried.

I confess to being partial to Speyside when it comes to scotch malts. Balvenie Doublewood and Glenlivet 18 yo work well for me. That said in the last decade my tastes turned towards Irish (when I stopped smoking ironically) and there Redbreast takes the honors.

quote:

That said in the last decade my tastes turned towards Irish (when I stopped smoking ironically) and there Redbreast takes the honors.

Love Irish too!
Sometimes variety is great.
Redbreast 12 (cask strength), Green Spot or Yellow Spot > among my favorites.

I read some of the detailed reviews and I don't know what they were drinking. Talking about vanilla and honey and chocolate. They must eat some crappy cookies.