Please recommend a Malt Whisky for a gift

[AGP]

First post, so hello everyone.

I wish to give a thank you gift to someone and although not a heavy drinker, I know he enjoys a dram or two. I have no idea what his preferred Malt is and given that if I asked him he would certainly wish to decline the gift as unnecessary, I have to choose for him.

Rather than just buy him a bottle of Laphroaig which I did for myself once only to find it too medicinal I would rather seek expert advice.

Reading here and other websites I have a list of varying cost:

Macallan 10
Macallan 12
Balvenie Doublewood
Glenlivet Nadurra
Dailluiaine 16
Highland Park 18

I have no desire to just buy the cheapest or for that matter the most expensive but is HP18 worth two of Macallan 10? I would much rather buy a Malt that someone of any palate would enjoy than base the decision on cost alone.

In all honestly, I would probably ask the same question for myself as a newbie who would love to enjoy an occasional dram too. My current, limited, experience other than blends is Glenmorangie and Laphroaig of which I preferred the former.

Thanks all.

[Charlie]

Hi and welcome to the SMW forum

The Macallan malts are amongst the best sherried malts you can get in this age group, the Balvenie Doublewood is another good sherried malt but if i was to choose between them i would choose the Macallan. The Dailuaine 16 is another sherried malt but personally i would go for the Macallan before this it is good but not great.

The Glenlivet Nadurra and Highland Park 18 are both excellent whiskies and both would find it into my top 20 whiskies for any age group or price range.

My suggestion for a good whisky for someone that you are not sure of their tastes would be:

Highland Park 12
Macallan 10
Macallan 12

or a little bit more expensive but IMO worth the extra money as they are extra special whiskies:

Glenlivet Nadurra
Highland Park 18

Charlie

[Mark]

For someone who you are not too sure of their taste i would say that the Glenlivet Nadurra or Highland Park 18 would both be a good choice.

The Glenlivet Nadurra is a deliciously demerara sugar sweet malt with a bit of ginger and spice. It is probably as close to being a liqueur as you can get, as i said delicious, i cant get enough of it and i am sure any whisky drinker would enjoy it.

The Highland Park 18 is also an excellent whisky, it has a touch of everything, a little smoke, orange peel, rich honeyed, butter. I have always got a bottle of this on the go and IMHO it is one of the best whiskies Scotland has to offer.

Mark

[Big Mac]

Hi

As Mark and Charlie have said the Glenlivet Nadurra and Highland Park 18 are both excellent whiskies. Are you looking for other suggestions or were you just wanting it confirmed that these would be a good choice for someoone whom you are not sure of their tastes. Either way you wont find much better in this price range, personally i would go for the Highland Park 18.

Mac

[AGP]

Sounds like the Highland Park 18 is the clear favourite here. Not meaning to bring this to a cash issue but it seems you really do get what you pay for.

The real issue now is whether to buy two bottles rather than imagine the enjoyment being experienced by the recipient.

Thanks all.