Scotch Whisky
Whisky made in Scotland, referred to as Scotch, is one of the most popular types of whisky in the world. By law, it must be distilled to no more than 189.6 proof and produced from a mixture of water, cereal grains, and malt, with the only allowed additives being water and caramel coloring. Scotch must be aged in oak casks in Scotland at a licensed warehouse for a minimum of three years, but, unlike bourbon or rye, those casks can, and almost always are, used barrels instead of new ones. Scotch is separated into five categories, one of which is required to be displayed on the label: Single Malt (100% malt barley from a single distillery), Single Grain (all grain spirit from a single distillery), Blended Grain (grain whiskies from multiple distilleries), Blended Malt (a blend of single malts), and Blended Scotch (a blend of malt and grain whiskies). The malt used to make Scotch can be dried by fire from with compacted vegetation called peat, which imparts a unique flavor on the final product. (This type of Scotch is most common on island regions, particularly Islay.) There are five whisky-producing regions in Scotland, each with its own style and character: Lowlands, Highlands, Speyside, Islay, and Campbeltown.
Top Scotch Whisky Posts:
A Tour of Scotland: Understanding Scotch Whiskies
Touring Scotch Whisky Distilleries in Speyside, Scotland
Drinking Scotch with The Dalmore’s Richard Paterson
Whiskies of Glen Grant with Master Distiller Dennis Malcolm
Tullibardine keeps mixing up its lineup, and while you will find its numerically guided Signature Range in the U.S., you will also now discover three expressions exclusive to the country, two with age statements, one without, and all focused on affordability. The distillery site dates back to 1488, but these three offerings are as fresh…
This is our second round with the independent bottlers at The Single Malts of Scotland, but unlike our first round, these are designated as “Reserve Casks.” I’m not entirely sure what makes them Reserve Casks — none are single barrels but rather blends of 3 to 10 barrels, and they all seem to be exclusive…
The latest semi-experimental Scotch from Glenmorangie‘s “A Tale of…” series is, on the surface, an obvious one: Spice notes are endemic to single malt Scotch, so it makes sense that Dr. Bill Lumsden would try to amp them up with this offering, the sixth bottling in the long-running collection. Designed to mimic a spice market.…
Well folks, it’s the moment that most of you seem to have been waiting for. Whiskey reviews were again the most popular segment of coverage here on Drinkhacker in 2025, and who are we to keep you hanging? What did we like best — the very best — of the hundreds of whiskeys we tasted…
Glenmorangie has a new permanent edition in town, an age-stated expression that completes the distillery’s Flagship trilogy lineup of age-stated offerings, which includes Glenmorangie Original 12 Years Old and Glenmorangie Infinita 18 Years Old. Glenmorangie The Altus 25 Years Old (Latin for “high”) is matured in ex-bourbon casks and partially finished in Malmsey Madeira wine casks…
We’re catching up with Orkney’s Highland Park today with a look at three expressions — one old friend, rebranded, and two new releases that are now gracing shelves and back bars. Don’t be surprised if none of this looks overly familiar; Highland Park recently rebranded its entire lineup (yet again) with new labels, new bottles,…
Johnnie Walker Black Ruby is one of the blender’s more complex products, featuring a complicated maturation that involves PX and oloroso sherry casks, “seasoned” red wine casks, and ex-bourbon casks — and no Port at all, as the name of the whiskey might connote. It’s also only available outside the U.S. or in duty free/travel retail…
Did 2025 turn out the way you were expecting it to? The world’s gone so insane that, at this point, I don’t think anything that happens in the next 12 months could possibly surprise us. Did you also get the memo that the alcohol business is in massive decline? Turns out people stopped drinking, just…
Bunnahabhain introduced a cask strength version of its flagship 12-year-old single malt back in 2021. It started life as an annual release but then took 2024 off. Now it’s back and slated for regular, yearly appearances, or so we’re told. Bunnahabhain is the most northerly distillery on Islay, the island best known for its peaty…
You may have noticed more offerings on the shelves lately from Loch Lomond. That’s because the brand reportedly renewed its focus on the U.S. market in 2025 after a brand refresh in 2022. We were quite impressed with the results for the entry-level, 12-year-old expression reviewed earlier this year. A rarer, 18-year-old release is also…