Best single-malt Scotch...

I love Lagavulin 16yo but also have a nice weakness for Balvenie Portwood.
I also love strange national liquours like Unicum, Talla Vannin, Cynar, Bechorovka, Balsam, etc.

Lagavulin 16 is awesome!!! Costco carries for only $62 per bottle -- got 4 for myself ;-) hehehe.....

I am new to whisky but Lagavulin opened a whole new area for me. Put a large order from local Liquor store and will have some serious A/B'ing in summer vacation:

Balvenie 15 Year Old Single Barrel Single Malt Whisky 750ml

Glenmorangie Nectar D'Òr Extra Matured Range Sauternes Cask 750ml

Laphroaig 10 year old Islay Single Malt Whisky 750ml

Laphroaig 10 year old Original Cask Strength Islay Single Malt Whisky 750ml

Laphroaig 15 year old Islay Single Malt Whisky 750ml @

Springbank 15 year old, Distillery Bottling Single Malt Whisky 750ml

Talisker 10 year old Isle of Skye Single Malt Whisky 750ml

1992 Talisker Distillers Edition Isle of Skye Single Malt Whisky

Black Bowmore 1964; I drank and still treasure the rest of my 1995 bottled edition which was supposed to be the final ons but I have read Bowmore bottled a few hundred bottles more in November 2007.

CARDHU

When I lived in Scotland there was no "best malt" - variety is the spice of life - I'd have a half a dozen bottles from speyside (from towns where we played golf) - another half dozen from the west coast and then several from the Islands up north and of course a few from the highlands and a couple from the lowlands. Now I am nolonger in Scotland I simply keep six bottles - I stick with Lagavulin - Talisker - Oban - Cragganmore - Glenkinichie - Dalwhinnie - to which I throw in a few with a port wood finish and other distinct colorations. These are all easy to find and relatively cheap/good value and will cover the range that you need for guests (actually a great marketing ploy from United Distillers) - to me there is no best - only what you happen to feel like depending on your mood, the weather and your meal.