I keep buying decent whisky and flying through them, so am not building up a collection to well.

I need a cheap, preferably under, £15 whisky/whiskey, that can be my standard dram.

I’ve heard the standard Grouse, and Whyte and McKay blends are pretty decent,… i suppose i should try a few myself and settle on one, but that could take a year, any pointers?

I air more to the Highland and Islay style.

ALDI one is ok. Usually about £10.

A session whisky? 🙂

Oddbins, Majestic, etc often have their own brand malts which are generally cheaper and pretty decent (and made for them by the brands typically), particularly for the money.

We used to drink quite a lot of the standard grouse stuff on climbing/camping trips a couple of years ago. It’s pretty reasonable stuff.

A friend moved off that and on to Snow Grouse, saying it was a bit better.

Can’t really comment on whether it’s highland/islay style though. I’ve not drunk enough of them…

I think the snow grouse is a Grain whisky, also tempted by the black grouse which is apparently peated

10yo Glenmorangie used to be my stock drop.

I’ve depleted my collection of late though. Lucky I’ve got a birthday coming up.

Bailie Nicol Jarvie / The BNJ might work for you. Blended, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Supermarket ‘highland’ malts i.e. own label might work for you too – I’m pretty sure they are just younger/unlabelled versions of what you’d pay more for in a smart bottle.

Snow Grouse is not nice at all! Baillie Nicol Jarvie is worth a shot.

Supermarket own brands (Tesco, Sainsbury’s) are supposed to be ok.

For that money though, I think I’d be buying cooking bourbon and bottles of Coke. Jim Beam can be had for £15 fairly reliably.

meh – i like a good dram as much as the next – but if im out to get pissed i just drink grouse like a good un.

after 2 or 3 you wont know the difference – drop of ice and a bit of water takes away its bitter edge – was out on a stag doo the other week and after we had been drinking for 4 or 5 hours & a distillery tour – 3 of the lads bought 25yo highland park at 42.50 a nip (think its a 900 quid bottle) ….. like they tasted the difference between that and my 2.50 grouse the state they were in….

slowely working my way through a bottle of port cask finished edradour atm though.

Cameron Brig – single grain – isn’t at all bad.
It’s all about your taste though, not anyone else’s.

If you want something that will last there’s a Grant’s matured in ex-Belhaven beer casks. I’ve had a bottle for years – it’s rank so it’ll probably outlast me. Tastes like a hangover – think beer and whisky left to mature in your open mouth overnight.

Black Bottle is a reasonable blend if you like Islay malts. It’s produced by Bunnahabhain I believe.

Aberlour is fine if you want a single malt, but it’ll still be best part of £20, see also Glen Moray (bit too bland for me really). As above, I’d plump for an Aldo one TBH if it’s a nightcap or toddy style whisky you’re after..

Blends – not sure if you can still get BNJ, it tends to be nearer £20 itself. I’ve always liked malts but again, as above, I’d almost be happier trying a decent blend sometimes. I think I had that beer Grants – it might have be Caley beer actually – it was distinctly odd. See also Loch Dhu, one of the few drams that’s made me feel quite ill. See also Drumguish.

trail_rat, please tell me they didn’t then compound that with trying some more.. ach, it’s only money eh 🙂

The Sainsbury’s Islay single malt is nice, but the cheapest I’ve seen it is £20.

Asda Islay malt also excellent. Around £20 though. In the peaty style but at the milder end of the spectrum. Unmistakeably an Islay though.

Lidl do a malt for around £14. Good as anything for an everyday dram.

I might try the black bottle it’s at Sainsbury’s for £18, or black grouse.

I’ll take a goosy gander tonight

Lidl do a malt for around £14. Good as anything for an everyday dram.

I have that one – I don’t like it much.

J&B is/was my default blend. Preferred to most of the other standard stock blends.

Just drink the good stuff – it’s supposed to be enjoyed.

It’s like saying I’ve got steak in the fridge but I’m going to have a horsemeat ready meal so I don’t eat it.

hmm I might try the black bottle if I can put my hands on one 🙂

the coop 5yo blended is ok, about 14quid peaty quite ballsy does the job
Same comments for the Aldi Highland black 8yo, slightly more mellow IIRC than the coop

BNJ is available from RoyalMileWhiskies but it’s 19quid plus the delivery..

abelour isn’t worth bothering, too sweet, too thin

I just look for which single malt is on offer across the supermarkets etc that way you end up with s massive stockpile of decent whiskey and can drink to your hearts content.
I wasn’t going to have a nip tonight but I feel a bottle of Tullimore Dew calling ( I know it’s whisky)

I plumped for the Black Grouse

I must say this is a nice dram.

Prunes, brandy, toffee and marzipan on the nose, with a faint hint of peat whisping at the back

Taste wise initially you get peat hit giving way to sweet dandylions and bakewell tart, nice warming mouth feel, with a sustained finish too

Only £15 too

also of note

Buffalo trace is currently £17.50 and woodford reserve £23, i nearlly plumped for the woodford.

Famous Grouse black, give it a go, quite complex for a blend. Good slug of highland park in here.

where was that – woodford reserve is nice, and I’ve not got one on the go at the mo

bought a jim beam devils cut last week £20 at tesco

I reckon Famous Grouse is fine, also Black Bottle. Look for malts on offer. Glen Moray can be picked up for a decent price.

+1 Asda Islay extra special malt

Black Bush ain’t too bad for an everyday tipple

Bushmills is nice(e).

I used to drink Famous Grouse on non-special occasions, and it wasn’t bad. Then Costco stopped selling it and do Black Grouse instead, which I like.

I aspire to being able to spout some aspirational nonsense with utmost confidence on a thread like this at some point in the future.

where was that – woodford reserve is nice, and I’ve not got one on the go at the mo

Asda

I aspire to being able to spout some aspirational nonsense with utmost confidence on a thread like this at some point in the future.

You’ll be in esteemed company

+1 Asda Islay extra special malt

Agreed. It tastes like a bunnahabhain to me. I’ve also had the Sainsbury one a while ago which was certainly Bowmore. A couple of years back the Tesco one was Caol Ila.

However ignore these and buy a big bottle of Ardbeg. It might be expensive but it’ll last a long while and tastes lovely. It’s fairly impressive too.

bought 4 botles today for under £90

Tesco had a sale on, glenfiddich 12 oak cask, Belvinie 12 double cask, Lagavullin 16, and a talisker storm. All went through the till even cheaper than I expected. Unfortunatly i could only keep one for my self I have several of the others so kept the dou

Sort of along the same line—but curious what a bottle of Jack Daniels sell for in the UK?

JD 70cl is about £20

Black bottle used to be the Islay lovers blend, recently got changed and it’s bloody foul now, avoid like the plague

BNJ, J&B, Canadian Club are all quite acceptable – dunno if they’re cheap.

I like Jameson but it’s a not really the style you mention.

Aldi 18yo single malt used to be quite pleasant and under £20, years since I had it though. Think that was a highland style.