Which whiskey should whiskey beginners drink?

[Mettbltt]

[dynamicyandere]

When I used to drink whiskey (I’m trying to stay alcohol-free now for religious reasons), I tried a lot because whiskey was my drink of choice. 🥃


That being said, I’d say the smoothest whiskey at a reasonable price range would probably be Jameson Irish Whiskey.


I’d go with that.


Though, something with a slightly higher price rage would be Johnnie Walker Black Label. (Not Red Label, but Black Label.)


That’s also quite smooth — probably even smoother actually. It’s a blended scotch whiskey with a smokey flavor as well that you might find intriguing.


Outside of those two, everything is going to taste a bit harsher unless you are going into very pricey whiskeys that have been aged for a long time.


The longer the aging process, the smoother the drink will be.


Also bear in mind, it may take several tries before you really acquire the taste of whiskey — similar to coffee, beer, or red wine.


There’s usually a buffer period where you have to keep trying it before you learn how to appreciate it.


As for proof, I’d stick to 80 proof (40% ethanol) and below as a beginner.


As you become more accustomed to whiskey, you’ll be able to appreciate higher proof whiskeys.


My favorite is actually Wild Turkey 101. It’s a bourbon style whiskey that has so much flavors and aromas going on, with a nice long finish, and not odd aftertaste.


It’s a bit too strong for people who aren’t whiskey sippers though.


But speaking of strong, one of your commenters mentioned adding water.


That’s good advice for higher proof whiskey if you want to reduce the bite of the alcohol. Just half a teaspoon will do.


Also, don’t drink whiskey with ice, unless you don’t mind completely wrecking the flavor profile.

[dynamicyandere]

I thought I might add: a lot of people start with whiskey that’s on the sweeter side.

Fire Ball is a very popular one. (A bit too sweet for my taste.) But a lot of people like it. It’s more of a syrup than a whiskey though.

A more sophisticated whiskey that’s also sweet but not as sweet is Knob Creek bourbon. That’s a solid choice for those who want a bourbon on the sweeter side.

Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey is trash though. I wouldn’t recommend it. (In my humble opinion.)

Jack Daniel’s No. 7 on the other hand has a subtle sweetness that I enjoy and has a better flavor profile than its honey counterpart.

Though, it’s a harsher whiskey with not a lot of complexity in the flavor so it’s best for cocktails and shots.

[dynamicyandere]

Ah forgot to mention George Dickel No. 12. That’s another solid bourbon. Also sweet, but not as sweet as Knob Creek bourbon.

Sorry, I used to be a bit of a whiskey enthusiast. I’ll stop now. 🤣

[Mettbltt]

thank you very much you helped a lot

[dynamicyandere]

@Mettbltt You’re very welcome! I’m glad you found my insights helpful. 🙂

The tasting technique that you use makes a huge difference as well — how you pace yourself, allow your nose to pick up on the aromas, rolling the whiskey in your mouth so that your whole tongue has touched the drink, breathing in deep nice and slow, with a slow breath out, it really allows you to detect and enjoy everything that’s going on.

A great tutorial is in this video here. You can see a new whiskey drinker being coached on how to do a proper tasting: https://youtu.be/HG4F0NmGpg4?si=Kz38Bn68b9eEcqp1

Cheers! 🥃

[Mettbltt]

Should I drink it plain or use ice or water?

[dynamicyandere]

@Mettbltt If you want to enjoy the flavor, then I’d always recommend having it plain (straight). But if the proof is higher than 80 (40% alcohol) adding a little bit of water may make it taste better. But, you’ll need to test. Sometimes adding water can make it taste worse, so it depends on the whiskey.

As for ice, I’d only recommend ice if you’re having a cocktail like an old fashioned. But, if it’s just whiskey and ice, I only drink that for the presentation and not for the taste, haha. It looks pretty. But it doesn’t taste nearly as good as it is by itself. Ice plus whiskey ruins the flavor honestly, so I only do it for the aesthetic. Taste-wise though? Straight is always better.

The temperature of the drink affects the taste as well. I think that’s part of why ice makes whiskey not taste as good. The cold temperatures masks a lot of other flavors, but the harsher flavors still manage to come through, which just makes the whole drink taste less smooth.

Water is fine though. Just don’t go too crazy. A teaspoon or half a teaspoon is enough. You can see whether you like it with our without a dash of water. 🙂

[dynamicyandere]

Also, some whiskeys are best for shots, while others are suitable for sipping.

The ones you sip are more complex and you can taste and sense a lot of things.

The ones for shots (e. g. Jim Beam) have a very flat taste with not much going on. So they’re best for taking shots or mixing into cocktails.

[Mettbltt]

thanks. Is jack daniels gentleman jack good for the beginning? I tried johnnie walker red label before and it was incredibly sharp.

[dynamicyandere]

@Mettbltt You’re welcome! Jack Daniels is alright. It’s not much of a sipper as it has a pretty simple flavor profile. (Simple flavor, but it’s not bad though!)

I wouldn’t really bother with Gentleman Jack as it’s just a slightly smoother Jack Daniel’s with some artificial honey flavor. The original honestly tastes better.

As for Johnnie Walker Red, I would pick Jack Daniel’s (the original no. 7) over Johnie Walker Red though actually.

The Johnnie Walker series are blended whiskies, so one style can taste very different from the next.

That’s why I’d recommend Johnnie Walker BLACK. Now THAT one, is a good sipper. 🙂

[dynamicyandere]

@Mettbltt To the uninitiated though, Jack Daniel’s may also have a bit of a bite. Hence why it’s usually consumed as a shot or in a cocktail. The flavor isn’t too bad though. It’s just simplistic. 🙂

[Mettbltt]

thank you
Do you recommend chivas regal?

[dynamicyandere]

@Mettbltt You’re welcome. 😊

I’ve actually never gotten around to trying Chivas Regal yet. So I’m not sure how that one is. 🤔

Feel free to give me an update on what you think if you try it! 🙂

[jamesgoldman]

I drink a lot of whisky/whiskey

To date only found 3 that were truly drinkable neat

*Talisker 10 (Talisker Skye is apparently smoother still but I have yet to open that)

*Glenfiddich 21 year old

*Lagavulin 16 year old (I drank half a bottle of this in one sitting)

These are not the cheapest but are personally the best
Here in the UK they are retailing these at around £50, £150 and £80 for full bottles but they are/were available in quarter bottles, the Talisker is also issued as a miniature

[laurieluvsit]

I don't drink but maybe Irish UFC fighter Conor McGregor's Proper Twelve

[icebrg25]

Well I'm useless on this cuz I no longer drink and whiskey was never one that I desired. So if I was to say which one would be best? Why JD of course will save the black label for last when you become more accustomed to it. Check Daniels I'm talking about before she know that just drink responsibly. Never overdo her indulge you don't have one life to live. Take care of yourself always by not overindulge you in what the Indians call fire water

[RedInnocent68]

Echoing some of the great choices like Canadian Club (a staple since prohibition when American distillers shut down) Johnnie Walker Black, and Knob Creek, and adding Bushmills (Ireland), and Crown Royal (Canada) especially their Northern Harvest rye. Tour the world! Have started to try Japaneses whiskies, which drink like Scotch.

[AngryCarl2]

Well firstly it has to be real whisky. That means you're going to have to make a significant investment. John Grant's is a decent inexpensive Scotch Whiskey. If you're a Bourbon guy Jim Beam is cheaper than Jack Daniels and it tastes better too. Until you develop a taste for the stuff there's no point in paying extra for exotic flavours.

[strateguy632]

beginners should only have classy whiskey with soda meaning fizz water, or whiskey with water same as in the clubs in james bond.

similarly vodka in juice cocktails not straight nor more than a portion.

[ChicoFromThe305]

I don't know about beginners but just drink some Jack Daniels

[zagor]

Buy some of those little airline size bottles they sell at the big liquor stores and try them out. That way you can try a selection without spending a lot, and find which ones you prefer.

[ItsALongWayToTheTop]

Bourbon and water. And focus on the water, so you won't get a headache.

[Anonymous]

A Canadian Blend such as VO, Canadian Club or Lord Calvert. Canadian blends are very smooth and mellow.