If I'm not mistaken, I think all Johnnie Walkers are blends, even the blue.
JE hits the nail on the head here. A little ice or a little water is how anything halfway decent should be consumed. I agree with Puck on the Tullamore Dew, that's my go-to Irish whiskey but if you can find a bottle of 15-year Redbreast, I can't recommend that enough. It can be pricy, I've seen it as high as $92 here but it is amazing.
I've had Macallan 18 and Glenlivet 21 each once. Very special. My go-to, fairly cheapish, single malt is Glenlivet 15. Great tasting and at $60 a bottle, not bad. Balvenie 12 is a good, fairly cheap single malt too.
My favorite "cheap" bourbon is Basil Hayden. And, gotta nod to JE on this one, Woodford Reserve is good too. I can't believe I used to think so highly of maker's mark. A good NY, Brooklyn made bourbon is Widow Jane. It runs on the high side for bourbon, $60 in some places but it is really freaking good.
I don't drink much rye, but I find the High West to be fantastic.
A buddy of mine once gave me a glass of Buchanan's Red Seal which was one of the best single malt's I've ever had but after googling it, it's at least $160 a bottle. Damn.