Johnnie Walker is the best bang for your buck in the Scotch world.

[avenue94]

If we're talking bang for buck, tough to beat Costco for most liquor at this point.

 

[Jack Reacheround]

I would have to agree. It has been a while since I had it. But I remember really enjoying it. And enjoying the price.

 

[Fedorgasm]

If we're talking bang for buck, tough to beat Costco for most liquor at this point.

Yes!!!! And the best part is they sell 4 different kinds of Johnnie Walker!

Blue, Green (sometimes), Black, Double black, and Red.

I wish they sold the gold reserve too!

 

[Dream Evil]

Drinking Ardbeg 10 as I came across this thread.

 

[mantis_fist]

Really enjoyed double black. It was smooth and I'm not a really into drinking anything straight except beer. But that changed my mind.

 

[DaleBoca]

I knew I had some in my liquor cabinet. So I just went through it going through my liquor cabinet I have a bunch of Johnnie Walker Gold reserves. But not only that, I’ve got Johnnie Walker Gold 18 and Johnnie Walker Green 15(From at least 10 years back or so, before they discontinued it for a while).

I had some Blue but that’s all gone.

 

[Omegaboy13]

I'm a wine guy, love cigars, and can even get behind different teas/coffee. Like i do a deep dive into hobbies. Run a decent sized humidor, have done full grain home brewing, make mead, working on my level 2 somme, and roast my own coffee from time to time. But when it came to scotch/whiskey, I could just never really tell the difference between "high" and "low" end. I mean, sure, I can taste the difference between Crown Royal and a higher end 10+ year old scotch. However, it just isn't enough of a difference to me to really get into the nitty gritty of it. All the guys at the cigar club I belong to love it and they give me tastes of whatever they have. I usually just mirror what they're saying, "Oh yeah man, super peaty.". At home, i mostly drink Jack Daniel's or stuff from a local distillery if any spirits at all. I like seeing you guys talk about it though.

 

[BAM]

They do know how to to blend for sure, it's decent quality for a very low price. Can't hate on JW at all. If you are a Whisky nerd and want to try all kinds of different Single Malts, cask maturations, ages, single casks etc. then obviously JW isn't the right stuff. Had the 15 year old blended malt (green) and it was really nice.

Definitely won't hate on anyone enjoying JW.

people like what they like, blends are generally the most popular in the casual crowd. Not what I am looking for in an experience personally.

If TS is looking just for blends, nothing wrong with JW. The green one is the best from what I have seen. It tends to win blinds against the others in the core range.

For the blends crowd, Compass Box has a reputation for quality.

 

[jimbob27]

I like Jameson's as a cheap everyday whiskey.

It's very smooth and light, goes down very easily, but lacks the complex flavours of single malts or more expensive blends.

 

[BoogerDawson]

Best in the Galaxy

 

[Thrawn33]

Best value is Laphroaig 10 imho. I prefer peated scotches and there are quite a few I'd take over Johnnie Walker.

I prefer Ardbeg 10 or An Oa to Laphroig 10, because I love that peat. I have one most Sundays to wrap up my weekend.

That's said, I have a bottle of JW Blue that I have only on special occasions. Was bought as a 20 years enlisted gift, and I'm going on 22 now just over half gone.

 

[Thrawn33]

Drinking Ardbeg 10 as I came across this thread.

Fuck yes. Found a spot that sells some of the exotic blends and may well splurge on them.

 

[Streeter]

Of Scoth or Irish whiskey to me the best is Middleton (Jamesons high end)

To me not much difference in JW black or Blue. Or not nearly enough to be a 200 dollar difference.

 

[kiley_sean]

Balvenie double wood is the best bang for your buck if you ask me. Pre-pandemic it was 40$, still can find it for 50.

Most blended scotch tastes the same to me, I usually get J&B

That's been my go-to for a year now.

When I first started out drinking alcohol, in the late 90's (my early 20s), my first exposure to "Scotch" (and I say this lightly) was Cutty Sark. I about spit it back out. The smoke flavor was gross. "This...THIS SHIT is what everyone is talking about being the best type of Liquor? Fucking trash". I tried it a few more times and then just threw the bottle out and went back to drinking basic-bitch stuff like Crown, Southern Comfort, Beam, Jack Daniels, etc.

Then 5 or 6 years later, while standing in line at a Class-Six (Mil Liqour store) I saw mini bottles of Johnnie Walker (red?). "Hey, cool...let's try Scotch again". And.......my palette rejected the smoky flavor of it immediately as well. "What the fuck am I supposed to like about this bullshit?". It just tasted bad and left a bad taste in my mouth (no pun) for a few minutes. It tasted like I was drinking charcoal water.

Fast forward to 2014, while at an open bar at a Promotion Ceremony (mess dress event), a Squadron mate shoved a glass of Glenlivet 12 into my hand and said drink up. I told him "Nah, I don't do scotch...it tastes like shit". He probably said something about not being a bitch or whatever, so I took some sips (it was on the rocks...something I never used with liquor before). BOOM! Loved it! And we drank that all night and that was one of the worst hangovers I had in my 30's.

As I look back, I think when I drank the Scotch before, I was shooting it like an Irish Whiskey, which was an overload to my palette. Also, I think my palette just got well-seasoned over the years and was now accepting of Scotch

Drank Glenlivet 12 for a few years while sampling other similarly priced Scotches (but never Johnnie Walker), and landed on Glenmorangie 10 as the one that had the stronger flavor that I liked and it was well priced. I don't know how I stumbled on Balvenie Double Wood, but that is now my #1 Scotch at the moment.

I have written down some of the Scotches that people have posted and will try those next. I'm all about trying, but when I'm staring at a wall of Scotch with all kinds of prices and years, etc...It's hard to zero in on anything.

 

[pv3Hpv3p]

That's been my go-to for a year now.

When I first started out drinking alcohol, in the late 90's (my early 20s), my first exposure to "Scotch" (and I say this lightly) was Cutty Sark. I about spit it back out. The smoke flavor was gross. "This...THIS SHIT is what everyone is talking about being the best type of Liquor? Fucking trash". I tried it a few more times and then just threw the bottle out and went back to drinking basic-bitch stuff like Crown, Southern Comfort, Beam, Jack Daniels, etc.

Then 5 or 6 years later, while standing in line at a Class-Six (Mil Liqour store) I saw mini bottles of Johnnie Walker (red?). "Hey, cool...let's try Scotch again". And.......my palette rejected the smoky flavor of it immediately as well. "What the fuck am I supposed to like about this bullshit?". It just tasted bad and left a bad taste in my mouth (no pun) for a few minutes. It tasted like I was drinking charcoal water.

Fast forward to 2014, while at an open bar at a Promotion Ceremony (mess dress event), a Squadron mate shoved a glass of Glenlivet 12 into my hand and said drink up. I told him "Nah, I don't do scotch...it tastes like shit". He probably said something about not being a bitch or whatever, so I took some sips (it was on the rocks...something I never used with liquor before). BOOM! Loved it! And we drank that all night and that was one of the worst hangovers I had in my 30's.

As I look back, I think when I drank the Scotch before, I was shooting it like an Irish Whiskey, which was an overload to my palette. Also, I think my palette just got well-seasoned over the years and was now accepting of Scotch

Drank Glenlivet 12 for a few years while sampling other similarly priced Scotches (but never Johnnie Walker), and landed on Glenmorangie 10 as the one that had the stronger flavor that I liked and it was well priced. I don't know how I stumbled on Balvenie Double Wood, but that is now my #1 Scotch at the moment.

I have written down some of the Scotches that people have posted and will try those next. I'm all about trying, but when I'm staring at a wall of Scotch with all kinds of prices and years, etc...It's hard to zero in on anything.

To me some are insanely smokey too, I guess I have to assume some people like that?

If you like the Balvinie, Tomatin is a reasonably priced similar light/sweeter whisky.

 

[jlagman]

Team Ardbeg checking in, I always keep a bottle of Uigeadail on hand.

I started liking Scotch with Johnnie Walker Black Label; it's decent and available virtually anywhere that serves alcohol. It's not a bad gateway Scotch, I just hardly find myself drinking it anymore unless I'm at a place that doesn't have some of the other Scotch that I either know I like, or want to try.

When I'm feeling "cheap", I'll usually switch or bourbon or even a Canadian whiskey.

 

[jlagman]

To me some are insanely smokey too, I guess I have to assume some people like that?

It's definitely an acquired taste, but count me amongst the peat lovers; it can sometimes feel like drinking BBQ.

I think most people are initally exposed to whiskies through shots, with the goal of quickly getting drunk. With that in mind, of course you'll initially hate it: you're firing down 1.5oz of at least 40% alcohol in one shot, our bodies are hardwired to treat that like poison.

 

[Thrawn33]

Team Ardbeg checking in, I always keep a bottle of Uigeadail on hand.

I started liking Scotch with Johnnie Walker Black Label; it's decent and available virtually anywhere that serves alcohol. It's not a bad gateway Scotch, I just hardly find myself drinking it anymore unless I'm at a place that doesn't have some of the other Scotch that I either know I like, or want to try.

When I'm feeling "cheap", I'll usually switch or bourbon or even a Canadian whiskey.

Prefer the 10 or An Oa to Uigeadail personally but don't take that as a judgement, just a me thing...especially with a decent cigar after a steak dinner....

Found a place selling the Ardcore blend for close to 200...half tempted to buy just for the box

Is it worth it? I'll spend for good shit, but usually only after I taste.

 

[jlagman]

Prefer the 10 or An Oa to Uigeadail personally but don't take that as a judgement, just a me thing...especially with a decent cigar after a steak dinner....

Found a place selling the Ardcore blend for close to 200...half tempted to buy just for the box

Is it worth it? I'll spend for good shit, but usually only after I taste.

It wasn't my first Islay Scotch, but I learned to love that style with Uigeadail; it's just so rich, bold and savoury, like chewing on a heavily seasoned, fatty piece of brisket. I also enjoy the Corryvreckan, but only really pick it up if a sale coincides with a craving.

I will say, I hated the Wee Beastie. [/shrug]

 

[TankAbbott4Eva]

I had a Johnnie Walker Blue once when I was in Japan, I was very drunk so probably didn't appreciate it