Hi Rick,
I am no connoisseur either but I do enjoy a glass after a dinner out or a special occasion.
The trouble with buying for somebody else is that Scotches can be extremely distinct in flavor. The differences can be so pronounced that a Scotch drinker may enjoy one brand but think another is akin to bath water. Some taste smooth, others harsh. Some taste very strongly of wood, others smoky (tobacco, not smoked meat ;-). Some seem a bit fruity, others spicy, others taste like seaweed. You could actually list flavors almost indefinately.
Oh and Yes, that's right I did say seaweed. Some Scotches actually include seaweed as an ingredient. It's subtle in some but the one bottle of Scotch I ever gave away because I didn't like it at all, tasted like sipping seaweed brine.
So, in short it helps to find out what he likes. In my area, you can not get a decent bottle of Scotch for under $50 dollars but I suspect you can where you live.
When I buy my regular Scotch to keep around the house for guests, my favorite is the $80 dollar, 18 year old Glenlivet. It is flavorful but light on the peatiness and is generally a safe bet to serve to guests who might not be brave enough to try more extremely flavored varieties.
I have also recently become a fan of Oban. It's also pretty mellow and a safe serve to guests but I'm preferring the flavor right now.
For special occasions, I'll experiment with a brand or year I have never tried yet but keep the Glenlivet nearby just in case. Experimenting with all the different extremities of tastes is part of the fun of drinking scotch.
So I can't comment much on prices but since Scotch is often flavored by the region it comes from, I'd suggest that any of the Glen....s are traditional a laess radical blend and safest for a gift purchase.
