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
Laphroaig’s special-edition Cairdeas releases often fall back on wine casks — its 2013 Port cask release remains one of my favorite Islay whiskies ever — so this 2020 offering offers some familiar elements. It’s a ...
Located in central Scotland, the county of Perthshire was home to the original Stronachie distillery until its doors closed in 1928, after nearly a three-decade-long run of operations. Independent bottlers AD Rattray purchased an original ...
We’ve had the privilege of reviewing numerous special releases from Cragganmore in recent years. The humble and unassuming Speyside distillery was one of the original six in Diageo’s Classic Malts series, and has yet to ...
Everyone enjoys a good bargain, and Trader Joe’s has a reputation in the United States for selling tasty things at reasonable prices. Islay Storm could possibly be an exclusive to Trader Joe’s in the United ...
A few months ago, a particular Glenlossie (courtesy of Signatory) made for an enjoyable summer evening experience. When the email announcement arrived that there was an opportunity to purchase another bottling from the Scotch Malt ...
Clynelish gets plenty of love from here and today is no exception, as we consider a double dose from the distillery. These two expressions differing mildly from one another courtesy of two independent bottlers: one ...
Along with Compass Box, Bruichladdich has been at the forefront of the Scotch transparency movement, a rejection of the intense secrecy rules that the Scottish government has long demanded around the production of whisky. For ...
Kilchoman’s release of Loch Gorm — number 9 as far as I can tell — is a vatting of 21 casks of the Islay distillery’s production, variously hailing from 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2011. As usual ...
We have not enjoyed the privilege of a proper deep dive into the lineup of Glasgow’s Glengoyne in a decade. As such, with the assistance of some friends, we culled together a sample set and ...
A quick search on our site for reviews of Fettercairn reveals a few morsels of coverage but nothing substantial. It’s not that it is unworthy of receiving our consideration, it’s just that we haven’t gotten ...
