There's a scotch out there for everyone
Thinking of getting into scotch? Huh…where does one begin? First of all, scotch as you most probably know refers to whisky. Secondly, Whisky is the spelling in Scotland whilst the Irish and the Americans spell it as whiskey.
Incidentally, it is said that scotch is an offshoot of Irish whiskey, created around the 12th century and introduced to Scotland in the late 1400s. In fact, the word whiskey comes from the Irish phrase uisce beatha, which means water of life. The Scots put their own spin on the drink by using their abundance of peat moss as part of the grain-drying process.
To keep it simple, let’s now refer to Scotch whisky as Scotch. Having said that though, remember – when in Scotland …do as the Scots do; never call it Scotch -its whisky when it's blended and malt when it's single-malt. When ordering malt, it's a faux pas to order it on the rocks because ice numbs the tongue and does not let you appreciate the flavor of the whisky. You can drink malt neat or with water, while some prefer to drink it with a splash of soda.. Apart from that, disregard all those pretentious announcements from scotch ‘know all’ experts on how you are supposed to drink it and which style is best.
To be clear, all Scotch is Whisky, but not all Whisky is Scotch. What differentiates Scotch whisky from other whiskies is that Scotch whisky is entirely produced and bottled in Scotland. Additionally, the ingredients are what really set apart Scotch and whiskey. Scotch is traditionally only made from water and malted barley. However, now certain types of Scotch can be made from a mix of grains. Whiskey is a spirit distilled from a combination of grains like barley, wheat, rye, and corn. The types and amount of grains used in the production process will differ depending on the type of whiskey.
Scotches also vary based on where they are made. The regions of scotch are broken down into Lowland, Highland, Speyside, Islay, and Campbeltown, of which correspond to different brands, characteristics, and production methods.
Scotches can also be broken into categories of single-malt, single-grain, blended scotch, blended malt, and blended grain. Single malts are basically made from 100% barley – one grain only for a single distillery- for a unique flavour profile. Blended whiskies, with consistency in mind, take single malt whiskys for flavour, grain whiskys for texture and blend them together. Differentiating them may seem difficult at first, but with more exposure, you will figure out what you like and don't like.
For a whisky to be declared whisky 'new make spirit' must be barreled in oak barrels for a minimum of 3 years, often it is barreled for much longer. New make spirit is the spirit taken from the still. Different whiskeys are aged for different periods of time. Scotch whisky by law has to age for a minimum of 3 years for it to be called Scotch. In the case of blended whiskies, the age on the youngest blend must be stated. The longer a whiskey is aged, the more of the harsh flavors are filtered from the whiskey. This makes older whiskeys smoother and arguably more enjoyable to drink. For e.g. the differences between whiskies that have been aged for 3 years versus ones aged for 15 years can be easy to distinguish. A young whisky tends to have a traditional spirit taste - harsher and one dimensional. Whiskies that are aged for longer in the cask tend to lose this harsher flavour and become more complex in taste, as it is more full-bodied.
Be wary, expensive scotch does not automatically translate as being good. They can turn out to be risky buys should you dislike the taste. There are plenty of great scotch whiskies available at an affordable price point to start with. Forget about the pundits who wax eloquently on what is right and what is wrong. How you enjoy scotch is entirely up to your preferences, so do not get caught up in whether to sip it neat, from certain glassware, or whatever so-called connoisseurs say is correct.
Once you discover how you enjoy drinking the spirit – that’s all that matters. Remember, there is a scotch out there for everyone.
Ilzaf Keefahs is a freelance writer who enjoys focusing on hospitality related matters that he is passionate about, and likes to share his views with hoteliers and customers alike. He delves into the heart of hospitality to figure out both customer service and consumer trends that impact the industry
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