All you need to know about Scotch

Beginners Guide to Scotch Whisky


The proper drinking of Scotch whisky is more than indulgence: it is a toast to civilization, a tribute to the continuity of culture, a manifesto of man’s determination to use the resources of nature to refresh mind and body and enjoy to the full the senses with which he has been endowed.

-David Daiches, Scottish literary historian and literary critic.

 

The first written records of Scotch Whisky can be traced back to 1495 in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland – ‘To Brother John Cor, by order of the King, to make aqua vitae VIII bolls of malt’. Scotch Whisky was known as aqua vitae, Latin for “water of life”. Seemingly befitting in our view.

Scotch Whisky is a complicated spirit governed by the Scotch Whisky Regulations of 2009 and upheld by the Scotch Whisky Association.

By law, Scotch Whisky must

  • Be produced at a distillery in Scotland.
  • Be made of only water and malted barley (whole grains of other cereals may be added) and fermented only with yeast.
  • Distilled to an ABV of 94.8% and to only have characteristics of the raw materials used.
  • Matured in Scotland for a minimum of three years in oak casks not exceeding 700 litres.
  • Contain no added substances with the exception of water and/or plain caramel colouring.
  • Bottled to a minimum ABV of 40.0%.

There are multiple variants of this spirit – predominantly based on its raw materials and how it is blended.

SINGLE CASK (OR SINGLE BARREL)

1950 Macallan Exceptional Single Cask Scotch Whisky
1950 Macallan Exceptional Single Cask

Single Cask whisky is made from one individual barrel of scotch of a single distillery. Considering the Angel’s Share (the 2% of the whisky evaporates every year during aging), and that a single cask of Scotch cannot exceed 700 litres – Single cask whiskies are by its nature, limited in number, rare, and expensive. As no two casks are the same, every single cask whisky is completely unique in aromas and flavours.

The Macallan Distillery has a wide range of single casks.

SINGLE MALT SCOTCH

The Glenlivet 18 Years Single Malt Scotch Whisky
The Glenlivet 18 Years Single Malt

Single Malt whisky is a blend of different malt whisky casks from a single distillery. In addition, single malt whiskies must be distilled in pot stills and can only contain malted barley and water (without the addition of any other grains). Single malt whiskies are complex and characterful. The location of the distillery, the types of barrels used to age the whisky, the maturation process, etc influence the flavour of the whisky.

Some of the fantastic Single Malt Scotch Whiskies in our range included the Talisker 10 Years, Cardhu 12, Glenfiddich 12 Years, Glenlivet 12 Years.

Shop our range of Single Malts here.

SINGLE GRAIN SCOTCH

Single Grain Whiskies are quite similar to its counterpart, the single malt whisky with some exceptions.

Haig Club Deluxe Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Haig Club Deluxe Single Grain Scotch

The single grain whisky is a blend of different grain whiskies from a single distillery. Single grain whiskies are able to incorporate malted or unmalted grains such as rye, maize, wheat, oats, etc into the fermentation process,unlike the single malts. This whisky is typically column distilled as opposed to pot distilled. The single referred in the single grain scotch whisky refers to the number of distilleries – one – and not the variety of grains used.

Flavours of single grain whiskies will also depend on the distillery, the types of barrels used to age the whisky, the maturation process, etc. However, as the whisky is distilled in column stills, single grain whiskies typically are not as flavoursome as single malts.

The Haig Club is an example of a Single Grain Scotch Whisky.

BLENDED MALT SCOTCH

Monkey Shoulder Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Monkey Shoulder Blended Malt Scotch

Blended Malt Scotch whiskies are a blend of two or more single malts scotch whiskies from different distilleries. Since this whisky is a blend of different malt whiskies, their flavours range from fruitiness to peat smoke.

The Monkey Shoulder is an example of the Blended Malt Scotch Whisky

BLENDED GRAIN SCOTCH

Grant's Elementary Oxygen 8 Year Old Scotch Whisky
Grant’s Elementary Oxygen 8 Year Old

Blended grain whiskies are rarer than single grain whiskies. These whiskies are a blend of two or more single grain whiskies from different distilleries. Known to taste sweet when aged for more than 17 years.

The Grant’s Elementary 8-Year-Old – Oxygen is an example of Blended Grain Scotch Whisky

 

BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY

Johnnie Walker Blue Label Scotch Whisky
Johnnie Walker Blue Label Scotch

The Blended Scotch is the largest player in the Scotch Whisky category accounting for nearly 90% of sales. The blended scotch whisky is a combination of two or more single malt whiskies and single grain whiskies from various distilleries. By mixing different whiskies, distillers are able to achieve consistent flavour and aroma profiles.

Some of the best know Blended Scotch Whiskies are Johnnie WalkerChivas RegalRoyal Salute.

Shop our range of Blended Scotch Whisky here.

 

 

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *