Name me some good whiskey

For all you whiskey drinkers out there, what's your favorite one? I usually buy Jack Daniels, but it's not really smooth going down. I did hear talk on one of the IGN podcasts about a whiskey they were drinking, but I completely forgot which podcast it was, or which whiskey.
 
So who can give me some advice on a nice, smooth, whiskey?

Crown Royal, duh.

Whiskey.....MEDIA
 
duh

I too would like some whiskey advice, what's a good gateway drink for non whiskey drinkers? 

Gentleman Jack, from Jack Daniels.  Super smooth.  I've had a Whiskey Sour before, but it wasn't really my thing.  I prefer to drink my GJ with either coke or iced tea.

I used to drink Johnny Walker Black but there was a less expensive blended whiskey I enjoyed called "Black & White".  I know, purists will have my head for suggesting a blended whiskey, but it was still pretty good in mixed drinks like Rob Roys.

Jameson is decent - not so good with Whiskey as I am with Gin (to which there is one answer: Hendricks - don't mix it!)

JD & Coke is the best drink out there topped only by Sailor Jerry & Coke. (The old SJ)

In addition to making sure you know between bourbon (american whiskey , not all are technically bourbon), Irish and Scotch some really like Canadian.  Find a liquor store that sells 50 ml bottles and  buy a bunch of different types to see what you like.

Gibson's Finest is a good whiskey. Older the better. We call it rye up in these parts. Rye whiskey. 

Depends what kind of Whiskey (or Whisky) you like. The main types to concern yourself with:
 
Bourbon is American and made mostly from Corn - typically not quite as smooth, has a "bite".
Scotch is Scottish and made mostly from Barley - LOTS of varieties, with different characteristics depending on the region it from. Single malts are typically for drinking straight, blended for mixing, however Winston Churchill drank Johnny Walker Black straight.
Rye is (typically) Canadian and made mostly from well, Rye - kind of harsh, but in a good way.
Irish Whiskey is similar to Scotch but differences in the distilling process makes for a smoother drink.
 
Good Bourbons - Woodford Reserve (my fave), Maker's Mark, Eagle Rare (I know Brad drinks this)
Good Scotch - The Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, Lagavulin, Glenmorangie, Johnny Walker Blue (but it's REALLY expensive, ie. $300+ a bottle) - if you find a Scotch you like, take note of what region it's from, as you'll likely like other quality Scotch's from the same region. Speyside, Islay, and Highland are the main ones, but there is also Lowland and Cambelltown.
Good Rye - Crown Royal, Gibson's Finest
Good Irish Whiskey - Jameson, Bushmills
 
JD is not exactly a sipping drink. You can (and certainly people do), but Jack is kind of renowned for it's "kick", making it an ideal shooter or mixer. If you're looking for something smooth, you're probably going to want to spend a little more - the better the quality, the smoother but more expensive. Jameson or Bushmills are a good bet for a quality smooth whiskey and they're not too expensive (similar to JD). Try out the standard stuff and if it's not smooth enough, try a more premium label (ie, older). Speyside Scotch would be another good choice, but more expensive. My fave is The Glenlivet 15. y.o. (also available in a 12 y.o. if you want to save some money). Lagavulin 16 y.o., an excellent Islay scotch, is a good choice for a fuller, more robust flavor.

"For all you whiskey drinkers out there, what's your favorite one? I usually buy Jack Daniels, but it's not really smooth going down. I did hear talk on one of the IGN podcasts about a whiskey they were drinking, but I completely forgot which podcast it was, or which whiskey.  So who can give me some advice on a nice, smooth, whiskey? "

" Whiskey.....MEDIA  duh "

Guess it's pretty base but I just really like Jack Daniels.
 
I have half a bottle of Johnny Walker Green that a friend bought me as a housewarming gift and that shit is super smooth but there's just somethin about that sour mash that does me real right.

" Gibson's Finest is a good whiskey. Older the better. We call it rye up in these parts. Rye whiskey.  "

" I take it that you're just starting.  If so, you should first differentiate between whiskey types; you might prefer bourbon, Scotch, or Irish.  A good starter bourbon is 1792 Ridgemont Reserve.  It's relatively cheap, and it's reasonably smooth.  While by no means high-end or special, it's a good cost/benefit bourbon.
 
For Irish, Middleton is a good start.  It's smooth and, while not cheap, it's not too expensive.  For Scotch, I love  Ardbeg Uigeadail.  It's an isla Scotch, so it's rather peaty.  Lovely flavor and incredibly smooth.  Its price ranges ridiculously from place to place and year to year.  A more reliable bet is Lagavulin.  It's not as good as Uigeadail, but still great.  These, though, are recommendations for drinking whiskey.  If you want cocktails, they'd be wasted.  Whiskey is extremely varied, but these mid-level suggestions should give you a cheap and easy way to determine your tastes and have a good comparison base. "

Hendricks

I 2nd the Maker's Mark. Theres some good info in this post..personally I love bourbon but hate scotch. Crown Royal and JD are fine for making cocktails, but they're not really the best for drinking straight.  
 
Also...this is incredibly important for all alcoholic beverages of quality..the proper glass is critical.  Some people like a highball, but a better glass would look like a tall brandy snifter (but a brandy snifter will do in a pinch too). This types of glasses are good because they capture the aroma of the drink..and about 75% of what you taste comes from aroma. 

Bulleit Bourbon awesome bourbon in a frontier bottle 

" @composite said:

" Gibson's Finest is a good whiskey. Older the better. We call it rye up in these parts. Rye whiskey.  "

The 18 year old smells like butterscotch and goes down like silk. Mmmm.
   

If you want something really strong, get Buffalo Trace, very good whiskey but it will fuck you up very fast. 

I hate Jack Daniels, if you want a good whiskey to drink neat try Jameson Crested Ten

Another vote for Maker's Mark. In fact, some of you may remember that Ryan Davis once had a bottle of Maker's Mark on his desk in one of the Giant Bomb Mailbag videos; that's quite a bit more conspicuous than their typical stacks of energy drinks.

" Whiskey.....MEDIA  duh "

If you're doing Johnny Walker, anything less than Green probably means you have a loose idea of what 'good' blended whiskey is.
 
Also, I still hold that Crown is overpriced trash.  
 
For single malt I go Glendronach or Laphroaig.

" maker's mark is the best i have ever had  "

I recommend Famous Grouse, no ice

• Rebel Yell
• Bulleit
• Knob Creek
• Ezra B
• Bookers

Jameson All the Way!

I almost forgot, but to our European friends (cuz I've never seen it in North America), Vat 69. Pretty good stuff.

For absolute smoothness,  Basil Hayden'.

Not so into burbon myself. Prefer Irish Whiskey. 
I got this one called Clontarf for my birthday, haven't checked it out yet but whiskey drinking friends of mine recommends it. 
Also, starting out with Jameson on the rocks is an easy way to get accustomed to the general flavor (if such one exists).

Bushmills is real nice.

For a reasonable price I vote Knob Creek as the best.  It's pretty smooth and not too expensive.  You can sip it with or without ice (neat) and it's pretty good.

I always say theres no such thing as bad bourbon, only better bourbon.
 
Though there are a very few exceptions to this rule if you look hard enough.  All are great, I prefer Crown Royal or Jack Daniels straight up and I like Makers Mark with a dash of diet coke.  The high priced bottles are to your tastes.
If you want value I suggest   Evan Williams  , great drink for the price.

Whiskey sucks, drink rum!

Crown on the rocks or Jack and coke.

" Crown Royal, duh. "

• Canadian Club - One of the most widely available blended whiskeys, and it's got a very smooth taste to it.  It's not really SCOTCH...but it plays a lot like one, so I'm listing it here...goddammit!
• Johnny Walker - Red Label is pretty much purely for mixing.  Black Label is good for mixing or sipping.  Green Label is not something I would suggest.
• Chivas Regal - It's a good "get-you-drunk" whisky.  Have it on the rocks, however, and give it at least a good five minutes to open up for some good flavor.

• Glenlivet 12 - One of the most widely available single malt scotch whiskys, and a good introduction point to single malts in general.
• Glenfiddich 15 Solera - Don't EVER try the 12 or 18 y/o.  They are not recommended at all.  The 15 is an incredible little treat, as it's made using a Solera vat process like they use with brandy and cognac.  It gives it a very distinct taste.
• Aberlour 10 - It's a bit more stout than Glenlivet, but not as harsh as the Glenfiddich 15.  There's a good floral nose to this, and the taste lasts a good while after your sip.
• Macallan 15 - I remember enjoying this one, although I felt it was a bit spirity in taste before strawing it (adding a couple dabs of water).  After the straw, it opened up a lot and was a very interesting whisky.  Definitely not a starting place, however.
• Ardbeg 10 - This is the big daddy for me.  Ardbeg is a peat scotch, and it's NOT for the faint of heart.  If you are looking to put some goddamn hair on your balls, chest, and places you didn't even know existed, Ardbeg 10 is the place to be.  Uigeadail is my next place to go with this fine specimen of peated whisky, and I'm ready for the challenge.

You all bourbon amateurs.  Woodford Reserve is the best.  I like Scotch but I haven't drunk enough to give a valid opinion on it but what I have drunk was good.

Jim Beam.