I've decided that it's time to broaden my horizons and start trying more whiskies but tbh there's a lot of choice. I've only tried a couple, highland park and laphroaig, I quite liked the highland park but I'm not a fan of the peatiness of the laphroaig. Can anyone recommend me a decent whisky (around the £15 to £20 mark) thats similar to highland park?
Cheers
Glenlivet 15 year old - nom,
£15-20 is much cheapness. £25 OK?
Glenmorangie is hard to dislike and a not disimilar similar style to HP, more sherry finish I reckon. Macallan's are very easy to like too, having a very distinct sweet sherry finish.
Laphroaig is a bit mental on the peat, in a good way though not quite my cuppa tea. There are calmer peaty islanders: Caol Isla for example.
Hope this helps too: Malt Madness
If you're after something similar to Highland Park this taste map (or similar) may help;
I like HP very much and have no time for Laphroaig and the other medicinal Islays.
You can get Co-op own label singlemalt for £20, and very nice it is too.
You can often find The Balvenie for just over £20, you'll like that if you like HP.
I like Bruichladdich, which is (generally) a very lightly peated Islay. But not cheap.
All I've got at the moment is Jura, bought for me (wouldn't buy it normally), it's ok, you might like it, worth trying is it can often be found for less than £20.
Ardbeg 10 is my all time fave for under £30 but there are lots of other milder peaties - try any of the Bruachladdichs.
Most of the Highland whiskies are 'easier' but Glenmorangie still has a wee bit of complexity to it and there are a few to choose from.
Quite often deals on Jura which has the seasidiness of the Islay malts with out being too peaty.
Join a club there'll be plenty of experts to advise you tasting sessions and deals to be had.
I'd take that chart with a pinch of salt, Highland Park isn't particularly smoky and Jura isn't particularly delicate (it's a bit rough, I'm drinking it right now).
Oban, Bowmore, Bruichladdich, Caol Ila, Springbank (and various others but that's a start). I don't think any of them are in your price bracket but there's always something on special offer somewhere.
You might like Black Grouse if you're not a whisky snob yet. 
PS - flavour map is bonkers.
Caol Isla.
Thread closed as far as I'm concerned but they are all good - just different.
@NIck - Jura rough? Away.
No help to the thread but interesting that despite my Scots roots Laphroaig is the only malt I actually like as opposed to apparent opinion here so far.
That chart that the militant one posted gives me 3 others to have a punt at I reckon though...
slainte 
rob
If your in Scotland, my mate swears by the Scottish Whisky Society in Edinburgh, lots of tastings and special reserves.
£15-20 is much cheapness. £25 OK?
Yeah £25 is fine mate.
I've heard good things about Macallan and Glenlivet although I might try and get my hands on a bottle of Glenmorangie for the weekend.
Just out of interest how do you guys find blends match up to single malts?
Quite often deals on Jura which has the seasidiness of the Islay malts with out being too peaty.
Yeah I've been tempted in the past to pick up a bottle of Jura because it looked ridiculously cheap but I was put off when a friend told me it was similar to laphroaig, is this true?
Seems the Co-op one might be Dalmore
If ever a drink was over hyped, it's Scotch. Any I've ever tried has always tasted like deisel
Ok, not rough (Jura) but not particularly delicate either, kinda (takes a sip) disappointing.
buzz-lightyear - MemberIf by that you mean tastes like an ashtray, I'm with you. Worst drink I ever tasted!Laphroaig is a bit mental on the peat,
It's not the smoke per se. I don't like bowmores for the same reason, a weird aftertaste of cardboard! I really like the ardbegs and the lagsavhuilinnnnn which are smoky as hell on hot day.
Jura 10 is a bit single - there's just not alot to it IMO - no complexity at all. It's not at all like Laphroig.
Find an Aldi and have a go at their Glen Marnoch as I believe it's a rebadged something better - it fits your budget and I bought a few bottles last year and wusnae dissappointed
>If ever a drink was over hyped, it's Scotch. Any I've ever tried has always tasted like deisel<
You've got a taste bud issue pal - see a doc.
Another vote for Caol Isla here (my prefered drinking in the house Whisky), or Bunnahabhain (my prefered drinking in the pub tipple).
Its wrong to think of Jura as a single drink (indeed the same applies to most of the distilleries). Their "Superstition" seems to be popular with people who don't normally like Jura. I've only tried it once and wasn't that impressed, but by that point I was quite p***ed and so will need to repeat the exercise for fairness!
Just out of interest how do you guys find blends match up to single malts?blended malt can be IMHO as good as, or in many cases better than single malt; I'd rather drink an 8yr old sheep dip than whichever vintage of Ardbeg is in my cupboard that tastes of TCP. Blends, mixed with grain whisky can actually be quite palletable and easier drinking - but can also be pretty foul.
stavromuller - Member
If ever a drink was over hyped, it's Scotch. Any I've ever tried has always tasted like deisel
ketchup - Member
I've decided that it's time to broaden my horizons and start trying more whiskies but tbh there's a lot of choice. I've only tried a couple, highland park and laphroaig, I quite liked the highland park but I'm not a fan of the peatiness of the laphroaig. Can anyone recommend me a decent whisky (around the £15 to £20 mark) thats similar to highland park?
All of them 
Other than that pish with too many letters that Darcey etc drink. I like Ardbeg as my favourite. I really like HP as well, try Bowmore; it is cheap and a wee bit less peaty and lighter than HP.
I'm obviously in the minority then, i'm not a big whisky drinker, or in any way knowledgable about the subjuct, but i love all the Islay whiskies and the Jura range. In fact i rather suspect MsD has bought me a bottle of Jura Prophecy (£50) for Christmas
In fact, the nicest thing i've ever drank has been a dram of Ardbeg Lord of the Isles at £12.50 per dram/£400 per bottle - now i know the meaning of smooth!
Really don't like the Speyside or Highland ones i've tried, not enough peat for me.
Old Pulteney is a current favourite of mine. It tastes like the sea, but without the jonnies and shite in it. It's the northern most distillery on the mainland and has a complex taste, a bit sweet, and is nowt like laphroig.
8yr old sheep dip
Is a very nice blend, but I'm not sure I'd rate it above many of the single malts I've tried. Glenfiddich and Glenlivet being the obvious exceptions...
As you weren't so keen on the 'raw power' of the Laphroag, but quite liked HP, I'd be tempted to try Bowmore, or maybe if you can find it Ben Riach (This is a speyside, but has a bit more 'umph' than your typical insipid speyside malt such as Glenfiddich)
If you're in the North of England Booths have a fair few Single Malts on sale for around the £20 mark.
This is currently on offer at Sainsbury's down from £20 > £15...I doubt you'll find a better dram for the price. Very drinkable, smells a bit of pear drops and tastes of oranges.
Won a gold medal at the International Spirits Challenge (blind tasting) and won a Whisky of the Year award in Jim Murray's 'Bible'.
.I doubt you'll find a better dram for the price. Very drinkable, smells a bit of pear drops and tastes of oranges.
Thanks, got to go to Sainsbury's later, will grab a bottle of that I think.
Yeah I've been tempted in the past to pick up a bottle of Jura because it looked ridiculously cheap but I was put off when a friend told me it was similar to laphroaig, is this true?
It'd be hard to find two whiskies less alike. If you like HP, you'll like Jura.
I like Highland Park and am not a big fan of the over peatiness (IMHO) of Laphroaig. I love Quinta Ruba which is a Glenmorangie finished in port wood casks. Normally £30+ but can sometimes be found in supermarkets for around £25. very smooth with a chocolatey finish. On a more easily available note - Aberlour has a nice soft sherry finish a bit like an older Macallan. 10yo around £25, 12 yo a bit more
Also, if it's trying new stuff, you might want to invest in this
If you like Highland Park, you'll prob like: Glenmorangee, Macallan, Glenkinchie, Arbelour and Jura.
Dont pay any attention to that whiskey map. It wont tell you which ones are peaty (which i also hate!).
BTW, if you're ever in an airpot, always pop to the duty free whiskey section for a free tasting session and some recommendations!
Still give me headache though
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