You might be able to get a Dalmore 12yr in that range. But you get better choices in the $45 - $50 range...

If you can, spend $40 and get the ten-year-old Laphroaig distillery bottling.

There are Balvenies close to the $30 pricepoint that will be reasonaby good. BevMo.com lists a Bowmore for the low $20s.

Hello, I'm new here.

Following up on the comments elsewhere in this thread, I can also heartily recommend the Glenmorangie Port Wood. It is my favorite day in, day out single malt, and the one I use to introduce non-whisky drinkers to the joy of single malt. It can be had, as has been noted, for less than $40.

If they have it in your area, an excellent place to find good deals on single malt Scotch is Trader Joe's. They have even started bottling their own single malts:

- A 10 year Aberlour best described as "dangerous"
- A 10 year Macallan with a rich, earthy flavor
- A 10 year Bowmore with a strong, saline, Islay character

All of these for $19.99 a bottle. They seem to be on a new cask of the Aberlour - while it's still good, it's not nearly as good as the first bottling.

They also usually carry the Glenmorangie wood finishes for $32.99 (Port Wood, Sherry Wood, and occasionally the Madiera and new Burgundy), Balvenie Double Wood (another favorite) for $31.99, and some others. It varies from store to store.

They also have blended - JWB, JWR, The Famous Grouse, and a TJ's house blended - for excellent prices.

Just under $40, you'll also find the Balvenie Founder's Reserve (10 year) and MacCallan 10 year Fine Oak. I gave the Macallan as a gift this Christmas to the biggest Macallan fan I know, and he raved about it. The Balvenie is spicy, light, and flavorful, though I think I still prefer the Doublewood over the other Balvenie offerings.

It's nice to find people eager to talk about Scotch. Quite frankly, after discovering fine whisky (and you owe it to yourself to look beyond Scotland, even if that sounds like heresy :-) I really have no desire for other liquors anymore, besides the occasional Gibson or Gin and Tonic :-)

The Glenmorangie port wood is a great choice -- I used it to introduce my bro in law with a bottle of this (~$40CDN). He loved it. I also picked up a cheap bottle of 12 yr Glenlivet for ($36CDN) as my "everyday" scotch. It's great. The Balvenie doublewood is my current fave and it goes for around $50CDN.

If you're willing to travel up to around $50 you'll find you have many more choices .... here is a running list that I keep of what I consider the best malts for around fifty-bucks. I hope it helps you!

Springbank 10
Glen Scotia 14
Macallan Fine Oak 15
Ben Nevis 10
Dalmore 12
Dalwhinie 15
Highland Park 12
Talisker 10
Clynelish 14
Ledaig 15
Ardbeg 10
Bowmore 12
Caol Ila 12
Laphroaig 10
Scapa 14
Balvenie Founder's Reserve 10
Glenfarclas 12
Glenmorangie 10
Glenmorangie Port Wood 12
Longmorn 15
Glenfiddich Solera Reserve 15

If you're looking for well under $30 (and depending on where you live), Trader Joe's has some good inexpensive choices that are decent on the palate. Lismore is $12-$13, and both Dalmore and Bowmore are under $20. But, if you're lable to spend more on scotch that's closer to $30, Laphroaig is a really good choice. For a little over 30, Macallan 12yr, is a great choice, and for the next level up (40's-50's), I'd go with Oban or The Balvenie. My personal favorite, under $30 is actually a blend. You can't go wrong with Chivas, and you can get it almost anywhere. Good choice if you're stuck in an airport, hotel, elevator, or your living room.

Hey all, this is probabley blasphamy but i always keep a back up in the bar.
It is not a single malt, but a blended scotch from jon marc and robbo.
I like the smokey peaty one, similar to taliskar, but at a smaller $$$tag. 24.00

thats' it!
Brian

McClelland offers decent, very reasonably priced (~$20-$25) single malts. There is no McClelland's Distillery - rather they are other distillery's spirits bottled by McClellands at a lower price point. I believe a number of their current offerings are actually ~5 year Bowmore. I think these make a great every day scotch for those with a small scotch budget.