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
We don’t hear a lot from Oban, arguably the most boutique distillery in Diageo’s impressive Scotch stable. Its core offerings include only three expressions, not counting an annual Distillers Edition and the occasional one-off release, lately as part of Diageo’s Limited Edition line. When I visited the distillery last year, I was told that it…
No, it is impossible not to think of Dr. Evil when hearing the word “magma,” and it is unofficially advised that consuming this new release from Dewar’s is best with a laser beam attached to your head. What is a “magma stone” and what does it have to do with a blended Scotch? Let’s hand…
Since their acquisition by Artisanal Spirits last year, the folks at Single Cask Nation have been extra busy bringing a lot of unique single casks to both their online and retail markets. Today, we’re looking at six different SCN single malts available to Nation members via their online marketplace (no membership fees, just an email…
When I traveled to Islay last summer, I had two goals for my visit to the iconic Ardbeg Distillery. One was to see the brand new stillhouse, which had effectively doubled Ardbeg’s production capability, and the other was to meet the guy that ran the place, Colin Gordon. I knew he had bounced between Islay…
Royal Salute is famous for offering a range of blended Scotch whiskies with 21 years old as the youngest in its age range. A vast array of special editions of Royal Salute with all manner of inspirations and finishing treatments have hit the market over the years — and all are a minimum of 21…
Now in its third iteration, The Dalmore‘s annual Luminary release comprises two whiskies: The Collectible and The Rare, none of which we have reviewed to date. This year’s The Rare is a 52 year old Scotch limited to just a handful of bottles. Significantly more obtainable is The Collectible, our subject today and a 17…
Bowmore’s partnership with Aston Martin continues apace with the latest release of an insane 54-year-old single malt dubbed ARC-54 that carries a similarly insane price tag of $80,000 a bottle. Chances aren’t good that we’ll get a taste of that one to share with you. Thankfully, Bowmore still offers a handful of impressive values, perhaps…
Arran may be a remote distillery — situated on the eponymous island off the coast of Glasgow — but it has an outsized presence in the whisky world. Arran seems to be readily available in most bars of decent repute, and if you find it, you’re likely to find one of the below spirits —…
The ImpEx Collection enters round four this year, with six whiskies comprising the lineup. Four are Scotch, and two are from elsewhere in the world (namely New Zealand and India). We had a full bottle of the Benrinnes release to play with and received smaller samples of the rest. Thoughts on the full lineup follow.…
Eureka! I have found it! Archimedes wasn’t talking about Scotch when he (allegedly) uttered those famous words, that we know of, but let’s imagine that he was. If so, he’d certainly be thrilled to bestow the Eureka moniker upon this special edition of Ardbeg, honoring 25 years since one of the most loyal whisky fanbases, the…