Your first whisk(e)y?

Although I was interested in whisky before tasting it, Talisker 10 is what finally did the trick for me.

This goes beyond your question, but I then went straight to every "peat monster" that I could find. The idea that new whisky drinkers should stick to mild expressions does not at all correspond to my experience. Although I now appreciate a wide range of whiskies, It was the heavily peated stuff (Laphroaig, Lagavulin, Caol Ila) that started me on this journey.

Monkey shoulder piqued my interest in whisky. Glenfiddich 18 had me questioning whether whisky was for me. Highalnd Park 12 opened my eyes, and is what I consider my first proper whisky.

Jack Daniels sweet sour mash was my first taste of the liquid gold but that aha moment came with a bottle of Macallan 12.

These are all great starts by the way. Thanks for contributing guys.

It was either Elijah Craig 12 or Rittenhouse 100 proof. Didn't keep records at the time and went through several bottles of both before I could drink whiskey neat.

For Scotch though I know it was most certainly Aberlour 12. Need to buy that one again, I've been through plenty of bottles of the 10 year.

@SMC I absolutely adore Elijah Craig 12 and have heard great things about Rittenhouse. Too bad I can't find it here (without using the web of course).

Easy...early 80's Wild Turkey 8 yr 101.

Ardbeg 10 yr was the first whisky I ever tried neat. The peatiness was something I'd never experienced in a drink of any kind, so I found that aspect intriguing and leaving me wanting more, but as my first neat whisky, I also think it scared me off a little. A number in between, but Macallan 12 yr sherry oak sealed the deal for me.

@GotOak91 Great discussion it brings back lots of memories from my youth. My first whisky was a blend Dewars White label with ice and soda. My first single malt that was purchased for me was Glenfiddich 12yr, that started me down the path of my whisky journey. Thanks for the trip down memory lane. :)

@PMessinger You are very welcome for the trip down memory lane.

@GotOak91 I don't recall my first whisk(e)y believe it or not but I would guess jack Daniel's. But I Do recall being introduced to Johnnie Walker (not sure the label but I liked it) thus sparking my interest in scotch which brings me here today!

Seagram's V.O - that lovely blended juice from the long gone Waterloo plant where the flavouring whiskey was housed.

1974 was when I had my first taste of whisky. It wasn't exactly an hallelujah moment, quite the opposite. It is nothing short of a miracle that I ever had another sip. As a matter of fact, I damn near saw the angels that night.

@paddockjudge That must have been quite a night.

@GotOak91 - oh yes it was.

Might I suggest Sazerac Royal Canadian Small Batch - it is similar to '70's Seagram's top shelf offerings.

@paddockjudge That is noted. Ill have to find that. Thank you

My first was Laphroaig 10, it opened my eyes, mind and heart to Whisky. Prior to then I had only really had cheap blends and if asked would have said I didn't like Whisky. The strong, smokey, peaty nature took me by surprise and by the 2nd glass I was utterly hooked. I then tried other Laphroaig expressions and then branched out from there. I am loving the journey.

Balvenie 10 yr Founders Reserve several years ago.

Jack Daniels mixed with cola back when I was a young teenager. Drinking was for a different back then. LOL.

Glenfiddich 15

First serious sip was Johnnie Walker Black - didn't think whisky was for me after that. First bottle purchased was Crown Royal First bottle I truly enjoyed was Glenlivet 15 French Oak.

Now.....

I very much enjoy Johnnie Black. I no longer drink Crown Royal except the occasional Reserve. And I still love Glenlivet French Oak.

Amazing how the palate evolves over time.

@JJBriggs You are very right (it is quite amazing) @tjb Laphroaig 10 is my absolute favorite dram.

It was either Black Velvet or some hommie concoction a friend's father used to put in empty Wink bottles...I do remember not caring for either of them.

Macallan 30 in 1982. However my friends dad had had it since the mid 70's. Even then it was something he saved for "special occassions". I guess our graduations from HS classified as that ( 18 was the legal drinking age back then ).

I already had 100 different kinds of whisky without knowing how to properly taste and nose them. The one that really threw me in the obsession would be Caol Ila 12, I bought a glencairn to go with it and was comparing my experience with what Ralfy and the Whiskybitch had to say about it. Now all hope is lost... no more fancy clothes, big tv's, hookers or needless nights out ;)

@PeatyZealot You are very right Sir. Good whisk(e)y isnt cheap and its only going to get worse.

@PeatyZealot - Great answer. We're on the same page, I'm afraid. At least my wife says I'm easy to shop for now when it comes to birthday and Christmas presents.

First whiskey: When my co-workers took me out for my 21st birthday and kept pouring shots of JD Old No. 7 down my throat. It was enough to make me stick to beer for the next 20 years.

First taste of serious whisky: When my late father-in-law offered me a taste of Glenfiddich 18 yo. I requested it over ice, and he just glared at me.

The one that got me started: Johnnie Walker Gold, back in 2009. I still couldn't define "blend" or "single malt," but this is the one that encouraged me to do some whisky research. After discovering Ralfy, Serge, and a few other sources, I bought a bottle of Glenfiddich 15 yo Solera the next week... and never looked back.

Jack Daniel's was my first taste of whiskey ever, I was around 14-15 years back then and it tasted so harsh that we had to drink it even more. JD still is probably the worst whiskey there is but I claim that everyone should drink it once in a while to know and feel they are alive...

Lagavulin 16 was the whisky, which made me want start whisky tasting as a hobby. Lagavulin 16 started a quest for the best whisky in the world (for me) and after 70+ whiskys I still haven't found a whisky to top Lagavulin 16. Well, the quest will continue...

@GotOak91 My first whisky was a Glenmorangie 18. I remember drinking it for years as the only malt that I had because I grew up on it and thought was the greatest thing to enjoy. The funny thing is that there's about a 10 year window in which I can't really recall which other whiskies I had.

@Rantavahti . This. Lagavulin 16 was my portal to whisky as a drink to be truly savored. Prior to that, whiskey meant shots of Beam, or Makers on the rocks.

The first bottle of whisky I bought was Highland Park 12. But it was the Lagavulin 16 that got me interested in the first place. I had a glass at a bar after it was recommended to me. After that, my world was changed...