Best single-malt Scotch...


I have to give credit to Redwiki for the inspiration to start this thread. Yes, certain malts better compliment certain music or certain moods. Of the fifteen or so different malts in my cabinet right now, my favorites are: Aberlour "Antique", similar to the popular Macallan, but not as syrupy; a bit drier, light hearted and less complicated; great with Mozart and Brubeck. Mortlach "Limited Edition" cask strength. Powerful, smoky, mysterious. Great with Bartok, Berg and late 'Trane. Loch Morar 25 yr old. Incredibly complex and intense, with a hint of honey and flowers. Great with Poulenc, Stravinsky and Bill Evans. Any other single-malt aficionados out there?
frogman
Highland malts are (generally) full bodied, with a sweet finish & little of the pronounced iodine, peat & salt air character found in Islay malts. Glenlivet is an excellent place to start. Go to a bar or restauarant that has a good selection of drams. Try four or five different ones before you buy a bottle. If you like the Glenlivet, try the Macallan 18 (currently around $80, but worth it), Glenfarclas, any of the offerings from Balvenie, or, for a killer bargain, get a bottle of the Dalmore 12 (less than $25).
For me, Lagavulin, Taliser, Aberlour. Got a bottle of Macallan 18 yr as a gift. It's very smooth, sherried, but I like more heft to my single malts!
Any Islay malt is worth a go if you like peat and smoke, but I echo the earlier recommendations for Laphroaig Lagavulin. Consider also the outstanding Ardbeg and Port Ellen malts (the latter no longer being in production and thus a bit harder to find). As previous posters have indicated, Talisker on Skye is also an excellent dram (and worth a visit if you're in the area).