I like HP12 and Pulteney 12.... What's next?

anCnoc 12 yr, Springbank 10 yr, Talisker 10 yr, and Balvenie 14 yr Caribbean Cask.

@FMichael I want to begin to explore the smokier, peatier side but would like to ease myself in. I have been strongly considering the Springbank 10 yo and the Talisker 10 yo. If you had to narrow it to one of those, which?

Having only in the previous year really gotten into whisky I feel well equipped to answer this, especially since highland park 12 was one of my early favourites.. I'd recommend Dalwhinnie 15 and Balvenie Doublewood. Dont make the same mistake I did and jump in the deep end with aberlour a'bunadh. It scared me of sherry influenced whisky for quite a few months.

@yalc Hmm.....Well - the Springbank 10 yr, and Talisker 10 yr are quite a bit different...The Springbank reminds me of a more "potent", or "flavourful" Highland Park 12 yr.

The Talisker 10 yr has some peat/smoke, but what I find that stands out more on the nose, and palate is olives/salt/citrus sweetness.

Of these 2 single malts - I find the Talisker to be a bit more unique in that there's nothing out there quite like it, and it is a step towards the smokier scotch whiskys...I'd probably favor it a bit over the Springbank 10 yr.

Wine searcher . com is a great way to find good prices on single malts.

Here are a few I consider "must tries" along the whisky journey, all easily inside your $100 cap:

Bruichladdich The Laddie Ten, Bunnahabhain 12, Edradour 10, Glenlivet 16 Nadurra, Strathisla 12, Glen Grant 10, and Glengoyne 10.

Ardmore Traditional Cask! An excellent introduction to the 'Smoky Side'; a top notch Whisky finished in Quarter Casks, sensibly priced and as far as I can tell one that has no down side. Ardmore is sufficiently peated as to give a stepping stone to the more robust of the Islay's.

Good Luck.

A good peated entry-level product ic Benromach 10yo. This is a dram that Chinese whisky fans love!

What @two-bit-cowboy said ; )

@yalc Seems you like coastals (so do I), then you'll probably enjoy the Oban 14 (undeservedly underrated IMO) and the Clynelish 14. Both are widely available and reasonably priced.

@yalc As so many have said @FMichael, @two-bit cowboy,@CandianNija you can't go wrong with the information those have recommended. Big props to anCnoc 12yr and Laddie ten, Bunnahabhain 12yr. We like the Bunna so well we named our new dog after that expression. Hope this was helpful. :)

Add Dalwhinnie15 and Aberlour 10 and What next? Clynelish 14, Caol Ila 12 and Lagavulin 16?

I echo the Laddie Ten, and add Jura Superstition to the list. Springbank is definitely a good one, it's kind of in-between the Islays and Highland/Speysiders but with its own complexities too. Also, if you want to try something more sherried, I highly recommend Glenfarclas. Too bad the 15 year isnt available in the US though! (it's one of the few whiskies Canada got that the US didn't!)

@lostboyscout Good call on the Jura Superstition I often forget / overlook that one. :)

@FMichael I like the way you describe the Talisker! I suppose what I really crave is the briny character with a hint of smoke. You have piqued my interest in the Talisker.

@A'bunadhman I understand this is a big component of Teacher's Blended, which was the Scotch that I got started on, great suggestion, thanks.

@two-bit-cowboy Seems to be some consensus on The Laddie Ten. I will read up on it as well, so many choices!

@yalc.For a bit more money than the Superstition and a lot more peat the Jura Prophecy is a good one. About $110 in Vancouver, probably a lot less in the US. Any of the Compass Box blended malts, such as Oak Cross, Spice Tree, Flaming Heart, are all excellent. And a killer blend is Compass Box Great King Street Artists Blend. Agree with @lostboyscout on Springbank 10 and The Laddie 10. The Glenfarclas 17 is a good one if you can't get the 15. Can't go wrong with HP 12, Talisker 10 and as @Olivier says, the underrated Oban 14. I've had both the Clynlish 14 and their Distiller's Edition-both very good. A good starting point for peat is the Compass Box Peat Monster (which it is not, it's actually quite sweet and gentle). Enjoy. Like any great trip, half the fun is getting there. Cheers.

@olivier I think you may have me pegged. I love those seaside qualities of the Pulteney 10 and quite enjoyed my bottle of HP 10 but moreso after a few months opened. It transformed for me into something extraordinary after the initial smoke evened out to a background note. Or was that my palate evolving, maybe both.

@yalc My Oban 14 also improved a lot after being open for a few months.

I like Port Ellen 1981 18yo Provenance and Glenfarclas 25 Year . . . . What's next?

Answer: The Poor House. As they say in the old Capital One Viking commercial, "What's in your wallet?" My taste in whisky is fast outpacing the girth of my bank account and the thickness of my heal ; )

Be grateful you haven't got bitten by the Whisky Bug too badly yet.

My advice for a healthy step up from where your tastebuds are currently situated?

Glengoyne 17 (sweet), Talisker 18 (smoky), Glenfarclas 17 (savory), Aberlour 18 (well balanced), Bruichladdich's "Laddie 16" (Floral with a hint of smoke), Balvenie 15 Single Cask (a good yardstick by which to measure others), and Glendronach 15 YO Revival Sherry Cask (sumptuous). And for that fleetingly austere bottle: Scapa 16.

All of these bottles are under $100 where I live, and many of them are well under the mark.

Correction: the Laddie 16 is $130. Better go with the Laddie Ten instead. It's $65 where I live. Still, if you can afford it, the Sixteen is very nice. I disagree with those who say the Ten is better than the 16. I think the 16 is one of a kind. A very nice bottle for a less than experienced palette. The mix of flavors is quite unique and would appeal to the soul that has yet to sink down into the sinfully satisfying depths of an Ardbeg Uigeadail or a Lagavulin, for instance . . . . Although, this said, my first quality single malt was Lagavulin. Still, back in the late 90's when I bought my first bottle, it was a touch milder than it is now. It was also a good deal cheaper back then, even when inflation is taken into account.

@olivier Interesting you mention both the Oban 14 yr, and Clynelish 14 yr...I have a few bottles of each, and in most cases I'll have a hearty dram of both at the same time (comparing/contrasting)...West coast vs East coast.

Update, I went to my local bottle shop intent on getting the Laddie 10yr but they did not carry it so I picked up the Ardmore Traditional Cask. I am enjoying it very much. It is a wonderful mix of smoke and brine with some fruity backnotes. Not overpowering at all. I think this was a very good introduction for me. I thank everyone for the great suggestions, from which I have prepared a very nice wish list.

Cheers!

Personally though I wouldn't recommend the Glenlivet Nadurra, that is one bottle that really disappointed me. Glad you're pleased with the Ardmore Traditional Cask, I'll have to give it a try some time.