Y'all are making me thirsty!
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IMHO, single malts are very, very, much overrated!

Blends are much less expensive for the most part and much more complex in flavor!

Hell, JW Black, a very reasonably priced blend is far more complex and most single malt. It is what many, many, hard core scotch drinkers favor.
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I got a Glenlivet 12 year based on Pnoon's recommendation, and it is very good!
It was barely $30, really good.
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I love me some Johnny Black! If you live near a Total Wine and Spirits their price is unbeatable to me!
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Deff Aberfeldy --- $35 a bottle and awesome -- also Glenmorangie really smooth and not expensive
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Glenmorangie 10 or 18
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Lots of mentions of JW Black. They've got a new one, Johnnie Walker Double Black, that is available for around $33 is worth it.

I'm the one guy in the room that doesn't like Macallan. I've tried a few of them and just don't care for them.

So, $20-$40 range:
JW Black & Double Black
Glenfiddich
Glenlivet 12
Singleton
Dewar's 12
Glenmorangie 10
Speyburn 10
McClelland Speyside
Auchentoshen
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What is the difference is taste/process?
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I have not seen the Johnnie Walker Double Black yet, however, as soon as I do I will be trying a bottle.

A best buy out there is Teacher's. A very nice smooth blend for very cheap $
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To me it's got a touch of spice and some smokiness that the Black doesn't have. If you enjoy Black I recommend giving the Double Black a try.
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Thanks. :-)
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Monkey Shoulder
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Never Heard of it!

Where is it made?
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Love to make Brass Monkey with Monkey Shoulder. Not bad And Apes and Apples :-)

James
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Lately, I've become very fond of Irish single malts. Try Tyrconnell single malt Irish at about $35/750ml. Bushmill's 10yr single malt is also very nice at a few dollars more a bottle.
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It's a Scotch blend. Rather good actually.

BTW - The name of the whiskey refers to a strain injury distillery workers would get from shovelling barley. Eventually their shoulders would hang because they had torn all their cuff muscles.
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couldn't agree more! :-)
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“There is no such thing as bad whiskey. Some whiskeys just happen to be better than others." William Faulkner.

(Probably not entirely true.....)
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I agree with that sentiment. I happen to like singles and blends, but Chivas 12 was my dad's scotch and what I cut my teeth on, and will always have a soft spot in my heart and place in my bar. I actually have the 4.5 litre bottle (in a cradle) on my bar - in homage to my pop.

Chivas 18 is a nice treat, JW black of course, and monkey shoulder is a welcome addition to the blends. As I understand, the scots, themselves, mostly consume blended whiskey?
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Single malts......Ardbeg 10, Laphroaig 10, Springbank 10, Bunnahabhain 12, is a great starting place.
Now...I am just not into blended scotch..HOWEVER, Campbeltown Loch is by far the best blend you can get. Its dirt cheap at 33.00 a bottle. Beats the pants off of 200.00 Johnny Walker blue.
All those i mentioned is under 60.00 For less than that....its tough to get a single malt that is worth it.
I love Scotch! It is so much "complex and just "better" for a lack of a proper term than American Whisky.

P.S. Ardbeg Uigeadail and Laphroaig Quarter Cask is both around 60-70. The Uigeadail is possibly the best scotch you can get for the money!! Personally, Uigeadail and Springbank 10 is mighty hard to beat. Uigeadail...is pronounced.....oog-eeeh-dahl
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