Scotch whisky is a drink that’s best served neat. However, if you’re not sure what you’re getting into, that could be intimidating. My goal in this article is to give you an overview of the basics of Scotch whiskey so that when someone offers you a dram, or if you find yourself at the store looking for some new bottles of your own, you’ll have the knowledge necessary to make informed decisions with confidence.
What is Scotch whisky?
Scotch whisky is a spirit that is distilled in Scotland and aged in oak barrels for at least three years. The Scotch Whisky Regulations set out the specific guidelines for how this process must be carried out, and it’s these regulations that make Scotch whisky unique.
- The first thing to know about Scotch whisky is that it must be made in Scotland. This means that if you’re drinking your first glass of single malt, you’re technically not really drinking “Scotch” at all—unless you’re trying some exotic blend from another country (but then again, why would you?).
- The second thing to know about Scotch whisky is that it must be made from water and malted barley (with some exceptions). Other grains may also be used to create a more complex flavor profile—but these are still typically limited to wheat or rye.
- Finally (and most importantly), after distilled with water and malted barley, any single malt scotch will spend at least three years maturing in oak casks before being bottled by law as “Scotch.” This aging process adds another layer of complexity by imparting flavors from the wood into each batch’s final taste profile; additionally, during this time period some smaller amounts of other liquids such as wine or sherry might also be added before bottling occurs so long as they do not significantly alter its character or aroma profile beyond what would normally occur during maturation alone!
Distilleries and cooperages
Distilleries are the places where whisky is made. In Scotland, distilleries are called “distilleries” or “distilling companies”. There are many different kinds of these distilleries or distilling companies, and they all make different kinds of whisky.
The cooperage is where the barrels for storing the whisky are made. The barrels are made out of oak that has been charred before it’s used—that means burned!
The oak barrel is filled with a lot of hot water, which softens all the fibers in it so they’re flexible enough to bend outwards into an arc as they dry. Once they’re done drying, they’re ready for use!
After a few years spent aging in these same barrels at various temperatures and temperatures (see below), what you get is one delicious bottle of Scotch Whisky!
Single malt and blended whiskies
Scotch whisky can be divided into two main categories: single malt and blended. Single malts are made from malted barley at a single distillery, while blended whiskies are created by mixing two or more single malt whiskies with grain whisky. If you see the word “blend” on your bottle of Scotch, this means that it’s a blend.
If you want to know more about blends and single malts, check out our guide below!
Islay, Speyside and Highland single malts
- Islay is the peaty region of Scotland. It’s a smoky, earthy flavor that’s not for everyone.
- Speyside is the floral region of Scotland with a lot of grape notes in its wine-like taste.
- Highland is where you’ll find your smoky flavors and peaty flavors—think grilled meats or bacon-wrapped scotch eggs!
Grain whisky
While you may be familiar with the term “whisky” and its many uses, if you’re a beginner and looking to learn more about Scotch whisky, it can still be a bit confusing. One of the first things you have to understand is that there are two main categories of whisky: malt whisky and grain whisky.
Malt whisky is made from malted barley—that is, barley that has been allowed to germinate in water for about two days before being dried again (and cracked), usually using peat smoke during the drying process. The malt is then mashed with hot water from which the sweet liquid extract (known as wort) runs off into a vessel called a washback; yeast is added to this mixture and allowed to ferment for about two days at around 70°F (21°C). After fermentation ends, this liquid known as wash enters another vat called a still where it undergoes distillation—a process whereby steam passes through coils of copper or steel pipes packed with dense material like coal (which catches unwanted elements) before being cooled down in vessels containing cold water or ice so that it condenses back into liquid form. The resulting clear spirit flows into barrels where its basic flavors will mellow over time while also acquiring additional characteristics depending on how long they remain there before bottling or other treatment takes place afterward
How to enjoy Scotch whisky
Scotch whisky is a spirit that’s enjoyed around the world. It can be appreciated in many different ways, from neat to with water or ice, and is often paired with food. As we learned above, Scotch whisky is made from grains like barley and malted barley (malt) which are mixed with yeast and fermented before being distilled into alcohol. The resulting liquid undergoes a second fermentation process known as “double distillation” where it converts the remaining sugars into alcohol.
While there are many Scotch whisky types available on the market today, most Scotch whiskies fall under one of four categories: single malt (also called “vatted”), blended malt (also known as “blended”), grain or grain-based blends and pure pot stills like bourbon whiskey produced in Scotland (but not technically considered Scotch).
Once you’ve decided what type of Scotch you’re going to try out next—and hopefully bought yourself a bottle—there’s one more step before enjoying it: how do I drink my new favorite beverage properly?
The best way to enjoy Scotch whisky is neat or with a few drops of water.
Scotch whisky comes in a variety of styles and each one is best enjoyed differently. There are blended whiskies, single malts and even some blends that feature an equal amount of malt and grain whisky. It’s important to know the difference.
Blended Whisky: Blended Scotch whisky is the most popular type of Scotch on the market today. In fact, it accounts for 90% of all sales! However, they can be tricky to classify because there really isn’t a specific definition for what “blended” means in this context—it could mean anything from 50-50 malt and grain distillate (with no age statement) all the way up to 100% sherry cask matured single malt with an eight-to-ten year age statement.
Because there’s so little regulation around blend production methods, you’ll usually see two letters after the word “Blend” on your bottle label (e.g., Johnnie Walker Black Label). The first letter refers to where your whisky was distilled (if it begins with an A or B). The second letter refers to which grain was used during distillation (if it begins with an L or M). For example: JW Black Label 12yo AdVs means that this particular blend contains at least 12 years old malts sourced from four different distilleries; whereas JW Blue Label 18yo GdMs indicates at least 18 years old grain sourced from two different distilleries. This system allows producers like Diageo—the world’s largest producer—to keep track of quality control while maintaining consistency across their portfolio from brand adaptation point onward!
Whisky tasting notes
Next, it’s time to taste the whisky. Take a sip and swish it around your mouth. You’ll want to pay attention not only to the flavor but also to how long it lasts on your palate afterward. This is known as “finish.”
- Nose: The smell of the whisky comes first, before you even take a drink. Generally speaking, this will be floral or fruity (think apples or pears), with hints of honey or vanilla thrown in for good measure.
- Taste: How does that nose translate once you’ve got some liquid in your mouth? Again, think about what you’re tasting as a whole—flavors like cereal grains and malt should be present (in small amounts), but there shouldn’t be any overwhelming notes from one ingredient over another; instead, everything should blend together harmoniously into one delicious sip!
- Finish: Finally comes finish—how long does that first sip linger on your tongue after swallowing? A good scotch will leave behind traces of its flavors for several seconds after swallowing; if they disappear immediately upon drinking then chances are pretty high that either something went wrong during distillation or aging processes…or maybe just don’t buy another bottle from that distillery!
Scotch whiskey is made with barley, yeast and water, and nothing else.
The first thing you should know about Scotch whisky is that it’s made with barley, yeast and water—and nothing else. In fact, that’s about all there is to know about Scotch whisky!
But if you’re still curious (and you should be), here are a few more tidbits:
- Scotch whisky can only be made in Scotland. That means if your bottle of 12-year-old Glenlivet says “blended in Scotland” on the label, it can legally call itself Scotch. If it says “bottled in USA” then…well…I’m sorry. There’s no other word for it: Your bottle is not real scotch whiskey! You’ll just have to drink something else instead.*
- All Scottish single malt whiskies are made using pot stills—that means they are distilled twice as opposed to column stills which produce a lighter product but also use chemicals such as sulphuric acid and sodium hydroxide (what your mom uses for her laundry). Pot still distillation produces a richer and fuller taste than column distillation does because fewer impurities are carried over from the first run through copper tubing before being collected by another set of copper pipes called worm tubs.*However this method also generates more congeners which give scotch its signature smoky flavor.*
Conclusion
We hope that this article has helped you to understand more about Scotch whiskey. It’s a fascinating drink with a long history and many styles and types, but it all starts with barley, water and yeast. We encourage you to try different whiskies from various regions of Scotland to discover your favorite!
