Scotch Whisky

Requirements for Scotch whisky

For a whisky to be called Scotch whisky, it must be distilled in Scotland and matured for at least 3 years in oak casks in a registered warehouse in Scotland. The cask may be new, but usually, a cask has been used for something else before being used to mature Scotch whisky – for example, for sherry or bourbon. Only for American bourbon is it a legal requirement that the cask must be brand new and made of American oak. Finally, it is also a requirement that Scotch whisky contains a minimum of 40% ABV (alcohol by volume). In Scotland, it is also not permitted to produce any other types of whisky than that which can meet the requirements for Scotch whisky. If one does not comply with this, one must simply find another place to make one's whisky.

How old is whisky?

Whisky must have matured for a minimum of 3 years to be called whisky. A whisky is usually a blend of many different casks of different ages, and it is the youngest of the whiskies in the blend that determines the age that must be stated on the bottle. So, if a whisky states 12 years, it means the youngest whisky in the blend is 12 years old.

The Scotch whisky regions

Scotland is divided into 6 different whisky regions, and each has its own distinct character. Which region you should choose depends on the type of whisky you like best. Here are some general rules of thumb:

Speyside whiskyis named after the River Spey, which supplies water for whisky production. Speyside produces a mild and approachable whisky, often without a smoky flavour. The Speyside region is the largest whisky-producing area in Scotland with over 50 different distilleries.

Islay whiskycomes from the island of Islay, which primarily produces whisky with plenty of peat smoke and a mineral taste.

Highland whiskyare often full-bodied and complex whiskies with a bit of a bite – and often smoky. With approximately 40 distilleries, Highland is Scotland's second-largest whisky region.

Lowland whiskyis often a milder, more approachable whisky with not much smoke or salt. The Lowland region is Scotland's third-largest whisky area.

Campbeltown whiskyare classic single malts, often lightly peated, somewhat dry in character, and with a hint of salt.

Island whiskyis from the islands of Orkney, Arran, Mull, Jura, and Skye. Island whisky gets flavour notes from the rugged nature and the sea but can vary greatly in style. However, Island whisky is often characterized by smoky and salty notes.

Types of Scotch whisky

Scotch whisky is divided into five formal types: Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Single Grain Scotch Whisky, Blended Scotch Whisky, Blended Malt Scotch Whisky, and Blended Grain Scotch Whisky.

Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Single Malt Scotch Whisky means that the whisky comes from one Scottish distillery and uses only one type of grain, namely malted barley. Malted barley is barley that has been steeped in water and allowed to germinate. This forms maltose, a sugar that yeast converts into alcohol during the fermentation process. Single malt whisky is typically a blend/vatting of many different casks of different ages from the same distillery. To be called Scotch Single Malt, a whisky must also be bottled in Scotland.

Single Grain Scotch Whisky

Single Grain Scotch Whisky refers to whisky that is distilled at one distillery and made from malted barley as well as malted or unmalted grain of another type.

Blended Scotch Whisky

Blended Scotch Whisky is a blend of different types of whisky. Usually, one or more good single malts are blended with some less distinguished ones. Blended whisky is from a minimum of two distilleries, but can also be a blend of grain whisky and malt whisky from the same distillery.

Blended Malt Scotch Whisky

Blended Malt Scotch Whisky is a blend of Single Malt Scotch Whiskies that have been distilled at more than one distillery. Blended Grain Scotch Whisky is a blend of Single Grain Scotch Whiskies that have been distilled at more than one distillery.

What makes a good Scotch whisky?

Taste is subjective, and while some are fond of one type of whisky, the same whisky may not appeal to others at all. Some like Islay's notes of smoke, rope, and leather, while others prefer the fruity, fresh expression from Lowland or Speyside. However, there are some criteria that indicate that one is dealing with a good Scotch whisky. Generally, the perception is that the older a whisky is, the better. This is not to say that a young whisky cannot also be really good if it has matured in a good, fresh cask, but high age will often guarantee quality and complexity. Many also perceive Single Malt whisky as 'finer' than blended whisky, but at the same time, there are excellent blends of high-quality whisky that surpass many single malts. So, it can go both ways. If you want a good Scotch whisky that is something special, you can look for Single Cask bottlings, i.e., whisky bottled from a single, selected cask. Here you get a hand-picked, unique bottle of whisky that is only available in limited editions and cannot be recreated. Also, whisky bottled at cask strength has a different expression than whisky that has been watered down to 40% ABV. Many connoisseurs also believe that a good Scotch whisky should not have artificial caramel colouring added and should not have been chill-filtered, so that the whisky's natural oils are best preserved.