Talisker 10 (52$ at bevmo, about the same locally here)
After drinking Balvenie Doublewood 12 and Macallen 10, I wanted to try something a little different that was not a Highland scotch. I am very much a novice scotch drinker, so I do not have the command of the flavors that others do, but you can instantly tell that this scotch is not like the ones i have drank before. It has a much stronger bite to it. I would assume that is because of the peatyness of this scotch over the others I have drank. I still found this very drinkable and enjoyable. It might not be as smooth as some, but I think it has some distinct characteristics that make it stand out from the crowd. I would recommend trying it as a third or fourth bottle of scotch a novice would buy.