Can't go wrong with Glenfiddich--it's like the Chardonnay of single-malts. The first time I tried an Islay scotch I thought I was going to wretch...and then I was introduced to the "Godfather" cocktail. It's a scotch (the smokier the better) with a splash of Amaretto over ice.
I am on the brink of moving away from tequila as my beverage of choice.
Couldn't tell much of a difference between Lagavulin and Bowmore, but like them both. Interestingly, the bottler McLelland's now has a line of budget single-malts (30-35 CAD) from every part of Scotland. Hope to try the Islay in the next few weeks.
