Similar to ballantines? Advice

[pineaaapple]

Hi.
Sorry in advance if this is posted in wrong category...
I'm completely clueless coming to whisky so I thought I would ask experienced people for advice. My dad recently started adventure with whisky and Im looking for a nice bottle for him as a gift. He mentioned that he likes the taste of ballanties and Im looking for something similar in taste maybe? There is so many types of whisky to buy online that my head spins. I know ballantines is only around 20pound or something and I wanted to get him a nicer bottle maybe up to 50 pound or around but I dont want buy anything completely off track. I will appreciate any recommendations
Thank You
Marta

[Redders1974]

Ballantines is a blended whisky. Which means it's a mix of various malts and grain whisky. I'm not a big fan myself but they do a 17 yo. Around the £50 mark. Other suggestions maybe look at Chivas regal made by the same people again blended. Or if your going down the single malt route Something easy going and unpeated from speyside like Glenlivet Or Aberlour.

[John]

If you wish to stick with the Ballantine's blend the Ballantine's 17 is a step up from the Finest blend £50 on Amazon

But I would suggest stepping up to a single malt, Amazon currently have the Glenfiddich 18 year old for £59 or a little cheaper and equally as good is the Glenfiddich Project XX Experimental Series for £42.90

Others which I am sure he would enjoy are (and you may even be able to get two bottles for your £50 budget depending what you choose):

Glen Grant 10 & 12 year old
Glenfiddich 12 & 15 year old
Glenlivet 12
Strathisla 12 year old
Glenmorangie 10, 12 Quinta Ruban
Dalwhinnie 15, Winters Gold
Old Pulteney 12, 15 if your budget can stretch

All of these should be available from Amazon with free delivery or if you want to shop around there are a few good specialist online whisky shop listed here http://www.scotchmaltwhisky.co.uk/shops.htm

[DaveWn]

If you want to stick to the blended whisky style then I agree with the suggestion of the Ballantines 17.

From Johns recommendations for single malts, all are very good, from them I would pick out the Glenfiddich Project XX or 15 year old if you are unsure of what he may enjoy most, both of these are very good whiskies which any whisky drinker should enjoy.

[BigShing]

[pineaaapple]

Hi again

Thank You all for so many replies. I never really saw my dad drinking anything apart from some beers on family occassions. Couple months ago he tried some whisky at friends house and since then he bought some and has a drink from time to time, he says he enjoys it more than beer or whatever else. As he is quite new to this I think I will get one of those suggested single malts to give him something new to explore.
I really appreciate the help, I feel much more confident buying one of your picks as it will be something good instead of just lucky pick

Thanks again
Marta

[BigShing]

Ah right, if he's only taken up the whisky drinking for a couple of months then I guess we should consider him a starter and really an ideal candidate for making that step away from cheaper Scotch blends into a more serious single malt. Personally I would recommend you look at a single malt that is just nice and sweet and pleasant just to ease him in gently. You could go for something more complex, but I think it's better to just keep it simple when you're just getting into single malts.

I think John's list abovecovers many great starter drams. My personal selection from that would be:

Dalwhinnie 15 - A really easy going single malt that's just sweet and pleasant to drink. Can be had for around £36-£38 at tesco or amazon or Masters of Malt
Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban - This is a very rich, very sweet port cask whisky. It's richness makes it a great whisky for breaking in someone who finds spirits harsh.
Glenmorangie Lasanta - Kinda like a baby sister of the Quinta Ruban.
Glengoyne 12yr - Very flavourful, around £32 at amazon at the moment.
Glenmorangie 10yr - About £26 at Sainsburys right now I think. This is just an iconic Higland Malt.
Glenfiddich 12yr - An iconic Speysider that's very fruity.
Glenfiddich 15yr - IMO no better than the 12yr, just different. Makes a more impressive gift though. Think it's around £32 at Tesco

What you could do on a £50-ish budget is go for one of the cheaper whiskies here, like the Dalwhinnie 15yr, and then buy him a Glencairn Glass and maybe a sample of Islay whisky to see what he thinks of smokey whiskies. For instance on Master of Malt right now you could add the following:

Dalwhinnie 15yr - £37
Glencairn Glass - £4.84
Kilchoman Machir Bay 3cl Sample - £5.21 OR Bowmore 12yr 3 cl Sample - £4.82 (this is a a much more mellow smoke compared to the Kilchoman).

With delivery you'd be looking at just under £52 for that lot. I would post you the links to the items but it'll help the site more if you just go to the site via this forum's affiliate link and search for each product yourself. Note that to obtain a sample of the Machir Bay or Bowmore you have to go to the listing page of the 70cl bottle and choose "3cl Sample" on the right to add a sample.

Alternatively, just get him any one of the whiskies listed above and nothing else, because they're each a great present for a whisky lover on their own!

[lincoln imp]

I would consider this, it has a nice easy profile

Mackinlays Shackleton blended Malt (only single malts in mix, no grain) usual price is £30 but can be had for as little as £22-£25 it is very often on offer, you would have some money left to buy a couple of nice whisky glasses?
_________________
Pour me a glass please.

[Redders1974]

[BigShing]

I think the Shackleton is currently £20 (or thereabouts) in Tesco at the moment. EDIT: Just checked and it's £20 until 28th October according to their website.

[lincoln imp]

[Alexppp]

The Shackleton blend isn't a particularly special whisky though. For just a little bit more money you can get a definite step up in quality with the single malts mentioned above. My pick - especially for someone new to whisky and coming from blends - would be the Glenfiddich 15.