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
The Dalmore‘s annual Select Edition releases are with us, a pair of vintage-dated releases that are intended to showcase the distillery’s house style, but which tend to meander more than you might think. As was the case last year, this year we’re getting a 15 year old and an 18 year old whisky for our…
Ho ho ho! Forget milk and cookies, what Santa needs this year is a shot of good, hard alcohol to help get him through whatever 2025 has in store for us. Shopping is tough, so if you’re considering a special bottle for a special someone in your life, look no further. We have you covered…
There were already several blended Scotch brands in Beam Suntory’s massive spirits stable, but none quite like this latest effort, Ardray, which launched in late 2023. This whisky, more than any of their other blends, appears geared toward the eager, new Scotch drinker or the single malt purist who still contends that blended Scotch is…
How time flies. It has been well over a decade since we last tasted Bruichladdich’s flagship single malt, The Classic Laddie, when it was initially launched. I would say we’re way overdue for a revisit, but today’s Laddie is a big departure from what we tasted back then, so this is more like a belated…
Highland single malt producer Deanston‘s first release hit shelves in 1974. In 2000, they began distilling what the brand refers to as “the world’s first certified organic Scotch whisky,” as accredited by the Organic Food Federation. In late 2024, Deanston announced new American distribution of their core 18 year-old single malt, in addition to a…
Halcyon Spirits is a new independent bottler exclusively devoted to Scotch, and they’re not pulling any punches. Of the 5 releases the company has put out so far, the youngest is 17 years old, and the oldest is 32. We got samples of 3 of the 5 to check out — corresponding to Releases #1,…
Kelsey McKechnie has been malt master at The Balvenie for two years now, and while she served alongside the venerable David Stewart for a year, she’s now at the top by herself, following Stewart’s retirement in 2023. For 2024, McKechnie is bringing us a trio of releases — two that are part of the distillery’s…
Islay Scotch producer Bunnahabhain has two new core offerings in the United States: 30 and 40 year old single malts. Both of them carry suggested price tags in the low four digits, taking the brand’s regular stateside offerings into new, ultra-premium territory. Today, we’re looking at the 30 year old whisky, an unpeated single malt…
We revisited the top of the Highland Park core range earlier this year with a fresh look at the brand’s much-loved 18-year-old expression. That bottle, along with the 12- and 15-year-old offerings, recently got a packaging makeover, trading in the tattoos (and Nordic subtitles) for a new streamlined and contemporary label that celebrates their…
Our friends at Glenmorangie recently did a broad revamp of their core lineup, mixing up just about everything we thought we knew about the brand, right down to the divisive, new, and very contemporary label redesign. The revamp has touched a number of expressions, but none is more visible than the new version of The Original,…