I need Whiskey help please. Top 5 whiskeys.

[pepito]

If you are serious about this situation I would highly recommend purchasing Jim Murray's: Whiskey Bible
Very good read and this guy is pretty much spot on on describing each individual whiskeys unique notes.
My personal opinions on the nectar of the God's are as follows:
Johnny Walker- Over priced, especially Blue label.
Jack Daniels-Oily in taste and buying Gent's Jack is like choosing a V6 Camaro over a V8 (bland). Green label tastes the best.
Best surprise whiskey-Hibiki 12-
Best Scotch- MaCallan 12 Sherry Oak or 15 Fine Oak. Both are dangerously drinkable and I have yet to meet a Scotch drinker let alone whiskey drinker that does not enjoy a good sip of this stuff.
Best Bourbon-4 Roses or Maker's 46

Either drop by Barnes & Nobles or get with one of your buddies who knows whiskeys. No one like a faker, let alone a fake whiskey lover. In the end, you pick what YOU think tastes good. Piss on everyone else who thinks otherwise because YOU are the one paying the tab and all they have to do is smile, nod, and enjoy your company. Be mindful that there will always be those who nitpick on shit like "oh I wish they had <insert random $$$ brand here> scoff.
Enjoy your whiskey tasting adventure
Cheers

[J]

Ok. My list, if I had to pick only 5:
1. Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve 18 year
2. Elmer T Lee
3. Jefferson Reserve Very Small Batch
4. McCallan 12 Sheery Oak
5. Bookers

[Adawg38]

You can't go wrong with most Irish Whiskeys.

1-Jameson
2-Bushmills
are my top 2

3-Clontarf
4-Michael Collins

Single Malt Scotch Whiskey's are awesome and not too pricey unless you want the top shelf ones. Any Glens from the Highlands...

1-The GlenLivet
2-Glenfiddich
3-Glen Moray

[jgang]

Costco has Crown XR for $89. Smoothest I've ever had.

But then again, I usually opt for a bottle of the Leopold Brothers New York Apple whiskey just for sippin'.

[pookawa]

glenmorangie is amazingly good.

[meatman]

Bourbon:
Woodford Reserve
Elijah Craig 18 yr
Eagle Rare
Makers Mark
Blanton's

Scotch-
Balvenie Doublewood
Glenmoangie
Glenfarclas
Macallan 12 or older
Laphroaig

Through college and up until about 8 years ago, I only drank bourbon and no scotch. Now if a bottle of scotch gets opened, it's usually gone in one night between my neighbor and I.
I still love bourbon though. Went to the distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail about 5 years ago (7 at that time, Buffalo Trace had some sort of issue with the dept of tourism in KY since then). That was a good time with a private tour of Makers Mark and Buffalo Trace.

[CO Hugh]

Everyone seems to have whiskey covered.

For cigars I buy from JR's Cigars. you can order a sampler, they have them often, say 20 mixed cigars for about $30-40. Honestly most people cannot taste the difference in cigars, like wine, beer or bourbon. The nuances are tough to pick up even for experienced smokers.

The key thing is to buy smooth easy smoking cigars. I like the Nicaraguans, but they are stronger. Dominican and Honduran are generally milder.

Fuentes are great cigars, if you can find them at a reasonable price.

[Irving]

Everyone seems to have whiskey covered.

For cigars I buy from JR's Cigars. you can order a sampler, they have them often, say 20 mixed cigars for about $30-40. Honestly most people cannot taste the difference in cigars, like wine, beer or bourbon. The nuances are tough to pick up even for experienced smokers.

The key thing is to buy smooth easy smoking cigars. I like the Nicaraguans, but they are stronger. Dominican and Honduran are generally milder.

Fuentes are great cigars, if you can find them at a reasonable price.

Agreed, and this is my general plan.

[Aloha_Shooter]

I like Makers Mark and Gentleman Jack on occasion but go to 18 year old Glen Fiddich for special occasions. You probably don't want 18 year old anything for an open bar at the wedding, 12-year-old single malts like Talisker, Dalwhinnie and The Macallan should suffice. You really need to taste the varieties as some are smoother than others or will have a smokier flavor.

Some of the larger brands will have small single-shot taster bottles -- that would give you a chance to sample several and pick a few tastes you want people to experience.

[asmo]

<soapbox>

After reading this whole thread I am convinced only a few of you actually have taste buds (Jayock). I am a whiskey/bourbon and scotch snob - with my current collection being worth more than some peoples cars. I have been to 200+ distilleries in my life (75% of them in Scotland) and will one day retire, get my license from the fed and start making my own.

This is my list for top 5 affordable bourbon/whiskey that you can actually find on the shelves in Colorado:

5. Breckenridge Distillery
4. Buffalo Trace
3. Pappy Van Winkle
2. Basil Hayden's
1. Woodford Reserve Distillers Select

If you want a Scotch to throw in there you cant go wrong with Balvinie Doublewood - for the money it is flat out the best Scotch, at its pricepoint, on the market right now. Followed closely by Highland Park (if you can find it).

Oh and for all of you cretins who keep saying "McAllen", "McAlan" and the like its "The Macallan" -- and the best value for the money there is the 15 Sherry Oak (if you can find it -- fine oak != sherry oak) and 18 year being the absolute best scotch that money can buy (and yes I have a bottle of, and tasted, 25 and 40 and I have also tasted 100 year old at Easter Elchies).

For anyone that is trying to recommend something like Lagavulin, Laphroaig, or Talisker - STOP. These are not beginner scotches - some people don't like the taste of Band-Aids and Iodine in their drinks.

</soapbox>