Does this help?

http://www.whiskymag.com/awards/wwa/

Bushmills 

I'm not a whiskey drinker but I heard of Jameson and Glenfiddich to be very good whiskey.

Please, Yamazaki 1984 is $600 a bottle and there are only 300 bottles in the US. Lets not become whiskey snobs.

Irish whiskey Bushmills or Jameson, fine, but it's not even close to Scotch and that's what the finest whiskey in the world is all about. American whiskey (Jack for example) is close to kerosine but Mescal wins that title, good if you want to burn out your month, neither is worth much. Jack is all about advertising and image, nothing about "fine".

Glenfiddich, now we're starting to get in the same country and something worth tasting. Unfortunately it's just a boring single malt Grant's and not that special. For someone getting started and a nice middle flavor Highland Scotch whiskey - Single Malt, I'd suggest Glenlivet 12 year old. Both of them can be found in 12 - 15 and 18 year old, and any of those are nice and tasty, without odd characters or special tastes.

Personally my favorite for years has been Highland Park from Orkney. Not a whole lot more expensive than Glenlivet or Glenfiddich, a mite more salty, smoky and peaty, for rich aroma and flavor. YUM YUM!

I always liked Talisker, also in that same Highland, salt/smoke/peat category. Some people don't like rare scotch and want something a little lighter, then head South, lowland. (personally it's weak and wimpy, also yellow instead of brown) For something interesting and lighter there are many sherry cask lowland scotches, interesting reddish color, light taste, smooth with an even aroma.

Lately I've been sampling Ardbeg special issues. These are limited edition releases. I have to drive 100 miles to get to a store that carries them. $60 for the easy ones, $100 and up for less common and there's one at $400 a bottle (which of course I'll never taste!)

OK so last bit of Scotch opinion, you want a blended scotch, not too expensive but a taste like many of the single malts? Famous Grouse and my favorite "ordinary" Scotch Whiskey? Black Grouse. It's amazing, it's tasty, it's not expensive. 

Now for a small educational moment: Single malt whisky is 100% malted barley whisky from one distillery; single grain whisky is from one distillery but does not have to be made from a single type of grain; blended Scotch whisky is created by mixing single malt whisky and grain whisky. Blended can also be from multiple distillers. Or A single malt is made entirely by distillations from a single producer at a single site, whereas a blend is created by mixing distillation from multiple producers.

Confusing? It's also Scotch upper case and whisky (no e) in Scotland and whiskey in other places, not upper case either!

Best Whiskey in the world? 2010 it was Ardbeg Corryvreckan (just got myself a bottle for my Birthday and American was Rittenhouse Rye 100, just by chance I used to drink that on holidays before I started into single malts. 2009 Highland Park 21 years old. (hey look, I did the search after I wrote my bit...)

Makes me ask, why does it change from year to year, the 21 year old Highland Park is still the same? Oh yes, the most important part of this whole message.

It's All Opinion and personal taste.

Try some Black Grouse (blended) or Glenlivet (entry level single malt) or Highland Park (middle priced single malt). In order of expense and come back with your opinions. Chances are you will be changed for life and never want to drink Jack or the cheap blended whiskeys ever again.

I'm very much in line with Racephoto on this one. I think I'd add Isle of Arran alongside Talisker. Glenmorangie is a good introduction to malts.
The list of single malts on that awards website is pretty impressive. I haven't tried any of the Campbelltown malts (that's a gap that needs filling) but the (probably cheaper) versions of the Islay, Island and Speyside malts that I've glugged have all been spectacular. I really don't see how you can judge one against the other, though.

I've never met any whisky (with or without an "E") from outside the British Isles that was worth drinking. For cheap stuff that slides down easily both VAT69 and Jamieson sit well on my palate.

Quote from: BaldricksTrousers on October 03, 2011, 12:25

I'm very much in line with Racephoto on this one. I think I'd add Isle of Arran alongside Talisker. Glenmorangie is a good introduction to malts.
The list of single malts on that awards website is pretty impressive. I haven't tried any of the Campbelltown malts (that's a gap that needs filling) but the (probably cheaper) versions of the Islay, Island and Speyside malts that I've glugged have all been spectacular. I really don't see how you can judge one against the other, though.

I've never met any whisky (with or without an "E") from outside the British Isles that was worth drinking. For cheap stuff that slides down easily both VAT69 and Jamieson sit well on my palate.

Right you are!  have you tasted this really burnt Lagavolin?  ( did I spell that right)? supposed to be really potent stuff.