JW, if you did not think the Laphroaig was bad, then you may have an affinity for the Islay malts. The 10-year is a "love it or hate it" single malt. I love the raw, wild taste; many do not. I prefer it to the 15-year. If you want to try another very smooth Islay, go with Lagavulin 16-year. It is considered by many to be among the finest single malts available. Here is a good primer for single malts. You can find some excellent reviews and tasting notes, here.
OK folks. I just spent my birthday coins on Bourbon, but since it seems to be a hot topic, and I do love me some scotch, what's the recommended progression when talking Single Malts for beginners.
Currently my favorite Scotch is a blend, JW Black. I've gone through a bottle of 10 year old Laphroaig but I didn't care for it nearly as much as the JW, but it wasn't bad. Probably because I went ahead and cheaped out for the 10 year, but who knows.
So, what's the best to start out with and how should one progress from there?