I'd say:
Weller 107
Rittenhouse Rye BIB
Eagle Rare 10
Willett Rye 3
Stagg Jr
Glenmorangie 10
Laphroig 10
MacKenzie Rye
Old Potrero 18th Century Style Whiskey
Connemara Peated Irish Whiskey CS
The start of an excellent cabinet.
What would be your list of the top 10 whiskeys for a beginner looking to get into whiskeys/scotch/bourbon? I know you recommend Buffalo Trace specifically Eagle Rare, but I'd like to know more of what you think beginners should buy in order to be more cultured about what whiskeys they're drinking.
I'd say:
Weller 107
Rittenhouse Rye BIB
Eagle Rare 10
Willett Rye 3
Stagg Jr
Glenmorangie 10
Laphroig 10
MacKenzie Rye
Old Potrero 18th Century Style Whiskey
Connemara Peated Irish Whiskey CS
The start of an excellent cabinet.
Can I throw my hat in the ring? I am a neophyte by all accounts, but I can attest that Redbreast 12 is a good starter as you work up the chain towards scotch. Most Irish whiskeys older than 8-10 taste like wood to me, but I find the Redbreast pleasantly complex for an Irish.
Now that you have established the Beginners workout, how about an Intermediate list?
Matt Reynolds just got a carepackage from Wisconsin. A bottle of Old Bardstown 90 Proof Bourbon.
Clearly, I'm not far enough along, then. Flavorless, though? Dickel's White is flavorless. Redbreast at $60 is a bit much... think I gave $40-45 for mine. I'll keep my eyes open for Connemara, though.
My list of excellent beginner whiskeys (all under $45)
1) Eagle Rare (high corn bourbon)
2) Weller 107 (wheated bourbon)
3) Four Roses Single Barrell (high rye bourbon)
4) OGD 114 (high rye bourbon)
5) Rittenhouse Rye BIB (rye whiskey - but its only 51% rye)
6) Smooth Ambler Rye (best MGD 95% rye for the money)
7) Willet Rye 3 (their own juice - really, really good)
8) Glenmorangie 10 (sweet scotch)
9) Laphroiag 10 (smokey scotch)
10) Elijah Craig Small Batch (~12 year old Evan Williams)
I'm not a whisky expert, but have tried a fair number of scotches. If you're a total newbie, you'll probably just want to drink ones that exemplify the region and aren't too expensive or hard to find.
1. Glenkinchie for a lowlands scotch, not heavily peated, lemon and cut grass. The peat's made from grass in that area.
2. Dalwhinnie for a Speyside scotch, only lightly peated. Tastes like honey and raisins. The peat's made from heather in that area.
3. Lagavulin for an Islay scotch, made on an island on the west of Scotland. Tastes like salt and the sea, bit more peaty. The peat's made from seaweed and the ocean air gets in the barrels.
4. Glenmorangie for a Highland scotch, made in the middle of Scotland. Lies somewhere between Speyside and Lowlands in flavor.
5. Highland Park for an Island scotch, produced very far north in Scotland on the islands. Similar to a Speyside in flavor, and frankly makes great scotch. Good value.
Then you can start going into the super peaty scotches, the ones aged in wine barrels, and other whiskys such as those made in Japan, Ireland, and the US. those five would be a good start though!