Best Peated: Ardbeg Uigeadail
Region: Islay | ABV: 54.2% | Tasting Notes: Peat, Spice, Oak
If you like peated whisky, this is one of the best out there for sure, says Kurpinsky. Ardbeg is something of an Islay cult favorite, particularly appealing to true lovers of smoky whisky. The flavor of this Scotch comes from burning peat to dry out the barley and stop the malting process, which infuses the grain with smoke. This bottling, named after a local loch, has all the maritime salinity you come to expect from the distillery literally on the water, but also has one of the most satisfying finishes in Islay, adds Kurpinsky. You’ll get plenty of smoke, dried fruits, fresh coffee, dark sugars and that bit of sea salt.”
Region: Islay | ABV: 43% | Tasting Notes: Vanilla, Black Tea, Smoke
McCoy is a big fan of Lagavulin, an Islay distillery that produces some nicely peated scotch. The 16-year-old expression, aged in second-fill ex-bourbon barrels, might be a little pricey, but its well worth the splurge. one of my all-time favorites from Islay, says McCoy. Big peat smoke, spice, sherry and notes of soft wood and black teadelicious all by itself while you’re unwinding next to the fire.
How Does The Taste Of Scotch And Whiskey Compare
Scotch vs. whiskey flavors can vary quite a bit. Whiskeys flavor depends on the variety produced and the process used to do so. For example, bourbons are usually vanilla, caramel, and oak-heavy, while rye or Canadian whiskey is sharper, drier, lighter, and spicier. But, there are some taste similarities between whiskey types since they all use a form of cask, grain, and fermentation and distillation.Scotch is heavier, fuller, more intense, and smokier than whiskey. You might taste these notes when drinking Scotch:
- Leather
The Finest Bottles Of Scotland’s Premier Spirit From Blended To Singles Malts
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Best Single Estate:Glenmorangie The Cadboll Estate at Drizly
Its honey-blossom nose leads to vanilla and roasted nuts, a delightful herbaceousness, and a hint of orange.
You can have a single malt in America, Japan, Taiwan or elsewhere, but to be scotch, it has to be made in Scotland, says Tommy Tardie, owner of New York’s The Flatiron Room and Fine and Rare. But thats just a starting pointtheres plenty of diversity to the nations signature spirit, including single malts, which are made with malted barley, and blended scotches, whose mash bills include other grains.
The world of scotch is also evolving, with restless distillers nowadays playing around with various categories of the whisky, from heavily-peated smoke bombs to sherry-cask whiskies. Theres been a blurring of the lines in terms of flavor profiles, and theres more experimentation going on, says Pedro Shanahan, spirits guide for Los Angeles bar group Pouring with Heart. Its excitingit makes it more of an adventure for a novice who wants to start exploring scotch. From the Highlands to the isle of Islay, here are the best scotch whiskies to get you started.
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Best Islay: Ardbeg An Oa
Wine.com
Region: Islay| ABV: 46.6% | Tasting Notes: Nuts, Stone fruit, Salinity, Smoke
The first addition to Ardbegs foundational range of scotches in a decade, this 2017 introduction is named after the Mull of Oa, a rocky peninsula on the Kilodalton coast where the distillery is located. This affordable bottle is as approachable as Islay whisky gets, thanks to the balance that the former sherry barrels bring to the salty smoke.
Theyre taking a super-peaty whisky and taming it with beautiful wine-cask, says Shanahan. Theres no age on it, but still, its brilliant. Its a great introduction to the islands style.
Some Whisky Is Dyed Macallans Is All
Theres something hypnotic about the brown-sugary luster of whisky. Theres also something artificial. Most of us dont know that, and most of us consciously or not tend to judge a whiskys depth by a color thats artificially hued. Macallan is one of the few whisky producers that doesnt use caramel coloring, which is why it seems to pack inordinate amounts of chewy fruit flavor despite a light color.
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Best Under $: Bruichladdich The Classic Laddie
Region: Islay | ABV: 50% | Tasting Notes: Green Apple, Brown Sugar, Grass
Bruichladdich is known for releasing some intensely smoky whisky, a signature flavor profile of the Islay region of Scotland. This includes the Port Charlotte and annual Octomore releases, which at times reaches some of the highest levels of peat in any whisky out there. But the core bottling is actually this lovely unpeated whisky.
The Classic Laddie is a non-age statement single malt that is light and full of notes of citrus, sweet malted barley, vanilla and honey. This is a good value at under $100, a great whisky to sip neat, and elevates a simple highball cocktail.
The team at Bruichladdich has been hard at work establishing themselves in the field, and this rare unpeated whisky from Islay absolutely brings some modern, forward-thinking, and transparency to the region.” Stephen Kurpinsky, U.S. brand ambassador for Mr. Black Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur
Club Soda And Whiskey
If you are drinking a high-quality whiskey and dont want a mixer that obscures its flavor, use club soda. It will make your whiskey taste more refreshing without dramatically affecting its flavor.
Another advantage of drinking whiskey and club soda is that it will dilute the alcoholic content of the spirit, giving you a smoother drink.
To make club soda with whiskey:
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For Macallan At Least Size Matters
Not the way, youd think. Macallan whisky is famous for its self-described curiously small stills, among the smallest copper pot stills in the business. The basic concept and obvious success of using smaller stills has to do with surface-area contact between alcohol and copper, increasing heat and creating more depth and richness in the distillate. Adding small to small, Macallan uses a tiny cut of the distillate 16 percent of the alcohol theyre evaporating to create the final product.
What Soda Goes Good With Scotch
Clear, unsweetened sodas are preferred in a Scotch and soda. Club soda is the easiest choice, though plain soda water out of a soda maker is excellent as well. Sparkling water tends to be less carbonated but is a good option. That said, ginger ale is commonly paired with whiskey in highballs, lemon-lime sodas add a sweet citrus spin, and Scotch and cola is a popular drink throughout Europe. Try different Scotches and other styles of whiskeys with various sodas to find your personal favorites for different moods.
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What Should I Mix With Whiskey
You’ve opened your liquor cabinet. You’re tired of drinking whiskey neat. It’s time to mix things up.
You want some new whiskey cocktail recipes. You want to elevate your favorite whiskey with a few whiskey mixers. We don’t plan to disappoint. If you are a whiskey drinker, this article is for you.
While you can always use a cocktail delivery service to supply your booze, becoming an at-home mixologist is also a fun way to learn the art of cocktail making. If youre not sure what cocktail to make, youre in luck. Here is your guide to some seriously good whiskey mixology.
Scotch Aroma And Flavor
Scotch typically has a more intense, smoky flavor than whiskey. Its pretty heavy, full, and distinct especially to newbies who arent used to its sharpness.The spirits flavors and aromas are highly affected by its distillation practices, mash bill, and type being produced. The oak wood it sits in, which is Scotlands required Scotch cask type, and the aging time in this oak play a large role, too. Plus, the barley grains exposure to peat smoke in the drying stage ultimately affects Scotchs flavor.When drinking Scotch vs. whiskey, you might taste or smell the following:
- Wood
- Rubber, fire, or peat/dirt
- Vanilla
- Nuts
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Chicken With Apple And Whisky Sauce
I can already see your furrowed brow. Chicken. With apples. And whisky?
Its a weird combo I know, but let me assure you it works incredibly well, like fish and chips, bangers and mash and, erm, bananas and custard. Is that even a thing?
This is a very easy dish to make and its reasonably healthy too, especially if you serve it with a side of fresh veg.
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons of Scotch whisky
How to make it
Best Peated: Talisker Distillers Edition
Region: Isla | ABV: 45.8% | Tasting Notes: Iodine, Earth, Smoke, Dried fruit
A classic Islay scotch subjected to a Highland treatment, i.e. secondary aging in Amoroso sherry butts, this bottle is, at first, big, peaty, and smoky, says Shanahan, but then, you start to see this wonderful new balance created. You get these fruit kickers coming through without being too cloying, but theyre added to the peaty notes of the scotch from the isles.
The sherry-cask fruitiness softens yet also highlights the peat, reminding you of the earthy elements in the scotch, he concludes. Dont be afraid to pair this one with food. Those heavily peated, oily, viscous scotches love seafood or meat, says Tardie. One of my favorite pairings is oysters and peated scotch.
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What Is Scotch Whisky
All Scotch is whisky, but not every whisky is Scotch! Dont worry there is also a simpler way: Every form of whisky distilled in the country of Scotland is a Scotch whisky, and no other place on Earth can call their whisky Scotch. See the exclusivity?
Now, there are five different types of Scotch whiskies which are:
Understanding The Difference Between Sweet And Dry Vermouth
If your basic cocktail recipe was a party, it would work something like this: a bottle of gin, tequila, or whiskey actually throws the party big-mouth guests like Campari, mint, and Absinthe make a lot of noise around the karaoke machine and bottles of vermouth dry and sweet bring a bunch of snacks but end up hanging out quietly on the couch for most of the night. A reliable guest, but no party animal.
Thats not to say vermouth isnt interesting. If you sit down next to vermouth at the party, youre almost guaranteed to have a complex, layered conversation despite the fact that Campari just cued up the Les Mis soundtrack on the Karaoke Master 3000. Vermouth is actually incredibly generous with flavor, but its complexity makes it more of a backbone/background component to cocktails . And that applies whether youre talking about sweet or dry vermouth.
Of course, chances are youre not talking about sweet or dry vermouth, precisely because theyre background players. Sure, you might see vermouths splayed across cocktail menus, and youre maybe vaguely aware that theyre key supporting players in some of your favorite classic cocktails . But youre probably not discussing the merits of sweet vs. dry vs. white vermouth with your imbibing friends the same way you might discuss oaky Chardonnay or hyper-hopped IPA.
drop!
Header image via Alessia Pierdomenico / Shutterstock.com
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Old Forester 86 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Part of the Brown-Forman portfolio, Old Forester markets itself as Americas first bottled bourbon and claims 150 years of history. But this bottle boasts much more than its historical value all of our tasters agreed that Old Foresters 86 proof was the best bottle under $25. This bourbon is intensely aromatic. The alcohol is seamlessly integrated into a stunning depth of flavors and aromas. Think: brown sugar, caramel, and candied fruits on the nose and honey, vanilla, and hints of cedar on the palate. The finish is spiced and impressively lengthy, leaving a tingling sensation that lingers for an age. Average price: $21.
Best For Cocktails: Auchentoshan American Oak
Region: Lowlands | ABV: 40% | Tasting Notes: Nuts, Pepper, Vanilla
While you might want to think twice about using that $300 bottle of 25-year-old whisky to whip up a Manhattan, there are single malt scotches that play beautifully in cocktails . One such whisky comes from Auchentoshan, a distillery located in the Lowlands just outside of Glasgow.
This triple-distilled whisky has an almost bourbon-like character, making it great to use in a Manhattan, Old Fashioned, Boulevardier, or any other whiskey cocktail you can think of.
Auchentoshan is one of the few Lowland distilleries making single malt. These whiskies are traditionally very light and grassy. The American Oak is matured in first-fill bourbon casks, giving it a vanilla fruity note. The grassy notes remain but under a lemon curd light citrusy and cream layer. Lynnette Marrero, co-founder of Speed Rack, bar director at Llama Inn
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The Beautiful Macallan Estate Is Definitely Haunted
Its been scientifically confirmed that most buildings in the U.K. are probably haunted, but Macallans flagship Easter Elchies estate might definitely be haunted. Roderick Kemp took over Macallan in 1892. Beyond introducing the essential Spanish sherry casks, Kemp, who was supposedly a bit of a difficult boss, is rumored to haunt the estate to this day. Let the boss nightmares ensue.
The Scotch Whisky Guide
For many years, Scotland has produced some of the finest whiskeys the world has ever seen.
As such, I have come to not only appreciate the complexity and intricacies of a fine bottle of Scotch, but Ive developed an adoration, nay, an obsession with Scotch whisky and its continual pursuit of perfection. It is my distinct privilege to have the opportunity to share my love of Scotch with you in this primer that will focus primarily on the worlds most beloved single malt Scotch whiskeys.
Scotland
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How Is Scotch Different From Whiskey
Scotch is a style of whiskey, and the main difference between scotch and other whiskeys is geographic. They also differ in terms of ingredients and how the word whiskey is spelled. Scotch is whisky specifically made in Scotland. It is distilled from peat-dried malted barley, which imparts its signature smoky flavor, and is either blended or single malt. Scotch also spells whisky without the “e.” Other whiskey styles are distilled in other parts of the world from other grains, including corn and rye.
A Curated Selection From Some Of Scotland’s Finest Distilleries
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Best Splurge:Lagavulin 16 Year Old at Drizly
Aged in second-fill ex-bourbon barrels, the 16-year-old expression is well worth the splurge.
Many scotch enthusiasts may discover that they’re well into their journey of appreciation before they ever actually learn what the phrase “single malt” even means. To be considered a single malt scotch, the whisky must be distilled from a mash bill of 100 percent malted barley at one distillery and aged for a minimum of three years in wooden casks. Distillers are then allowed to get as creative as theyd like, from experimenting with the number of distillations to using a variety of cask finishes.
There are more than 120 distilleries in Scotland making single malt whiskymuch of which is ultimately destined to be used as a component in blended whiskies, but some of which is bottled as an individual expression of the particular distillery’s character. With a style out there for everyone, here are the best single malt scotch whiskies available in a range of categories.
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Whiskey Aroma And Flavor
Whiskeys flavor and aroma range is huge. It all depends on its type and production process, so there really isnt a standard whiskey smell or taste. For example, grains can be smoked or unsmoked. Also, many yeast and barrel types can be used, largely impacting a whiskeys aroma and flavor.To compare, bourbons are often heavy on the oak, vanilla, and caramel notes while Canadian or rye whiskey is lighter, drier, sharper, and spicier. In Irish whiskey, youll find major malt, cream, citrus, and wood flavors.That said, there is some scent and taste overlap between whiskey types since they all use some form of fermentation and distillation, grain, and cask. All of these things affect aroma and flavor.
The Best Scotch Whiskey For Treating Yourself
Yes, you read that right. This is a 43-year-old Scotch that was recently unleashed by an unsuspecting world by Talisker, which aged the whisky inside casks containing staves that were exposed to the elements while making their way across the Atlantic Ocean.
Part of the reason youre going to shell out a solid chunk of dough for The Macallan M is the Lalique crystal bottle it comes in. However, the Scotch inside is still the main attraction here a dark liquid aged in Spanish sherry casks featuring an impeccable balance of fruit, oak, and smokiness .
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