I'm not really sure what you mean by the butterscotch nuts.

This might be where you're going wrong. Do not put butter in your scotch. Do not, in fact, put anything in it, except perhaps a little spring water. Of course, it helps if you start with decent scotch (or Irish) sipping whiskies, not quaffing whisky: Laphroaig, Bhunahabhain, Caol Ila. Not that you're going to find those for $30 a "handle", but then a "handle" is quite a lot. There's a good range at about $45 a bottle at http://www.whiskyshop.com (though you'd expect to pay more like £25 in England).

Peter