What is your favorite budget scotch?

I think you can't go too far wrong with an Ardbeg 10, even with differences in Lot #'s it still is a fine dram if you like the Islay smoke...

@MacKinnon I take back the last comment - I actually meant to say the Abelour 10 - the Ardbeg10 I find a little too overpowering to the palette to call it a "favourite" budget scotch...

Used to be this: connosr.com/reviews/clynelish/…. It's not smoky enough any longer though. It's a shame that Clynelish is now trying to be a Speyside and abandoning its true farmy slightly smoky old characteristics that faintly echoed Brora. It's not too late for Clynelish to return to its (nicely heathen) roots.

I've been enjoying Glendronach 12 lately, even though it's sweet. My taste in smoky scotches has exceeded the budget range, although Banknote (AD Rattray) can be had here for $19 and it's not bad in a bar. I've stopped ordering high end scotches in bars these days because the bottles have usually been open too long and the scotch is often flat.

Try explaining that to a bartender (most of whom know very little about scotch and try to bluff their way into appearing knowledgeable). To most bartenders, an expensive scotch is good until the bottle runs dry, even if it's been open for five years. If I owned a bar, I would put the opening date on the back of the bottles and when the bottle exceeded one year, I would offer that scotch at, say, a 25% discount and have a discount section on the drink menu. That would be genius but no bars do it so far as I know.

Well, actually, I would offer the discount once the bottle was below half empty and over one 1-1.5 yrs old

For $27 - the vatted malt Monkey Shoulder gets a thumbs up.

I like the Shoulder. Also like Bank Note for $19. It's not a blended single malt (only), but it's pretty good for the dough and has more single malt than most blends with grain in there

Budget is relative. For me $40-$60 is for an average standard bottle for me like Laphroaig 10yo, Laphroaig 10yo CS, Ardbeg 10yo, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof (not scotch), and even Ardbeg Uigeadail (all fall in that $$ range for me).

But when I need to go budget I go for Islay Mist 8yo and Old Grandad 114 (also not scotch). Those are both great at around $20-ish. Islay Mist is exactly what it says: young misty peat with a nod to Islay.

Grant's is my standard house blend (there is a bottle around at all time).

Ardmore traditional cask here on the Canadian Prairies is $43 plus tax, a very good buy IMHO. Just had a couple of drams 46% ABV and NCF, some peat and some heat! Jonesz