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
It has been a minute since we last looked in on Port Askaig, an independently bottled blend of Islay single malts named for the small village on the island’s northern coast (the lesser used of two ferry ports on the island). Apparently, quite a bit has changed, as the brand now boasts an entirely new…
La Maison & Velier operates an incredible number of sub-brands, and while its focus is on rum, it also has a bustling whisky operation, which is heavy on Scotch. The La Maison du Whisky Artist range has been with us since 2011, mostly single cask Scotch bottled at cask strength. It’s called Artist because sculptors,…
Now in its 5th year, Jack Rose’s Premier Drams continues to be one of the standout whiskey events anywhere. WhiskyFest may have given up on our nation’s capital long ago, but Jack Rose owner Bill Thomas has proven that the city’s whiskey lovers will turn out if the right bottles are on offer. That means…
You’ll have to forgive us for completely overlooking the new-ish The Dalmore 14 Years Old. We’ve diligently kept up with the Highland distillery’s more exotic and pricey releases in recent years, but somehow, we’ve missed some of the more affordable offerings. For all the rarified ambrosia in their portfolio, Dalmore offers quite a few sub-$100…
On my last trip to Scotland, I spent several days on the famed whisky island of Islay. The rugged, low slung Paps of Jura, on the nearby island of Jura, were often just in the distance as I distillery-hopped along the northern coast. I even got as close as Port Askaig where a short ferry…
Indie bottler Single Cask Nation went about business as usual in 2024 despite their acquisition by Scotch Malt Whisky Society parent company Artisanal Spirits. Founders Joshua Hatton and Jason Johnstone-Yellin tell us to expect more of the same as they continue to do what they’ve always done, deliver interesting and high-quality single cask spirits as…
Over the years, we’ve had the opportunity to explore several expressions from Glen Moray with our last tastes, back in 2020, consisting of the 21-year Portwood, a top tier bottling in the Heritage series, and Sherry Cask, a standout from the Explorer Collection. That same year, the Speyside distiller launched another series, the Warehouse 1…
Speyside’s Benriach is one of the few Scotch whisky producers to offer a triple distilled expression. While it remains the norm in Ireland, triple distillation is exceedingly rare in Scotland, typically the purview of Lowland whisky-makers like Auchentoshan and Rosebank who are known for their lighter styles of single malt. For how much longer we…
Created by London-based Elixir Distillers way back in 2008, Elements of Islay is a range of small batch, non age-stated blended malts sourced from, you guessed it, the whisky region (err island) of Islay. While Elements offers the occasional limited edition, the core range is comprised of three non-age-stated expressions: Bourbon Cask, Sherry Cask, and…
Campari-owned Speyside Scotch maker Glen Grant recently introduced two new, highly aged expressions to the American market. Glen Grant 25 Year hit stateside shelves in 2024, while the 30 year is rolling out in early 2025. Along with their 21 year bottling, the trio makes up Glen Grant’s “Glasshouse Collection,” the oldest aged expressions in…