What Is Scotch Whiskey Made From

Seven Additional Whiskys For Beginners

• Dalmore 12 Year Scotch Whisky
• Macallan 10 Year Scotch Whisky
• Balvenie Doublewood
• Glenfiddich 12 Year Scotch Whisky
• Glenlivet 12 Year Scotch Whisky
• Bladnoch 11 Year Scotch Whisky

• Glenkinchie 12 Year Old Whisky

Lighter whiskies are strongly recommended in the beginning. Avoid the Islays at least for now. The Islays are notoriously strong and the burn youll experience may very well turn you off from Scotch forever.

If youre a guest that is offered whisky, out fo respect for your host , try to focus on a whisky they recommend for your palate or one you already know you enjoy that way youre not wasting the dram.

Auchentoshan Three Wood Scotch Whisky

Auchentoshan is a triple distilled single malt from the lowland region of Scotland. The name Auchentoshan is Gaelic and translates to the corner of the field. With most whisky from Scotland, the last stage is where they distill the mash in two copper stills . However, with Auchentoshan, its placed in a third still called the Intermediate Still which gives the whisky strength.

As mentioned, Auchentoshan is unpeated, which makes it an ideal candidate for a first dram. Because its unpeated, the spirit is far more delicate and sweet than most whiskies and the burn many newcomers complain of is so minimal most dont notice it.

The Auchentoshan Three Wood is matured in American bourbon casks, Oloroso sherry and Pedro Ximenez Sherry casks all of which give it a unique flavor profile with significant complexity. It was the winner of the Double Gold Medal in the category of single malts up to 12 years at the 2013 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

The first thing youll notice with the Three Wood is that its very toffee and sherry heavy. The nose is sweet and fruity with hints of currants, brown sugar, coffee, orange peel and raisins. The taste mimics the sweetness of the nose almost resembling a syrup flavor. Its quite nutty with strong hints of lemon and bursts of cinnamon.

The Ultimate Guide To Scotch

via: Unsplash / Yehor Milohrodskyi

First, a quick note on spelling: Scottish, Canadian and Japanese producers spell whisky without an “e” while American and Irish producers spell whiskey with an “e” .

So since we’re talking about scotch, which comes from Scotland, it’s spelled whisky. Next, this is a pretty long and in-depth article that will teach you everything you the ins and outs of scotch.

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Popular Scotch And Whiskey Cocktails

Lets get to some examples of cocktails! Of course, you can drink Scotch or whiskey straight up. But we prefer it mixed into drinks! Keep in mind, Scotch cocktails are considered whiskey cocktails because its a type of whiskey, but not all whiskey cocktails are Scotch cocktails. In fact, if a cocktail calls for whiskey, we dont recommend using a Scotch unless the recipe specifically calls for it. Scotch has a very distinct flavor and its usually called for specifically in a cocktail recipe.

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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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They Have Different Flavors

While both can have smokey, charred notes, Scotch and bourbon develop these traits through different means. Bourbon draws its oaky, vanilla-like flavors from the charred surface of the barrels in which it ages, whereas Scotch’s smoke comes largely from peat burned in the barley malting process. Keep in mind though that not all scotches have a peaty flavor. In fact, only two of the five Scotch producing regions are known for that signature peatiness.

Various Whiskey And Their Manufacturing Items

Whiskey is an alcoholic beverage made from malt, fermentation, and grain. Different whiskeys making uses various ingredients, which are barley, corn, rye, and wheat. These ingredients went through the process of malting.

Wooden barrels are where you can store the whiskey for an extended period, but you have to make sure that it should be made of charred white oak. Not everyone can drink whiskey as it is an alcohol brand, so there are restrictions worldwide to drink a different whiskey. Age limit is one of the main factors in this.

The second thing is class. There are types of people belonging to different categories, and not all are allowed to drink every kind of whiskey. One of the main factors in this is the pricing. Some whiskeys which are well aged and well fermented with genuine grains will cost you so high that an average person will not be able to buy it.

There are various brands to make low price whiskeys so that everyone can drink them. There are whiskeys which are made in different countries, and from other ingredients, some of them are Scotch whiskey, Irish whiskey, wheat grain whiskey, malt whiskey, and rye whiskey.

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What Makes Scotch Scotch

Lets begin by stating the obvious- for a whisky to be classed as Scotch it has to, you guessed it, be produced in Scotland. This is stated in the Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009.

Although this geographic rule is what usually defines Scotch whisky and sets it apart from other distilled spirits worldwide, there is much more to it. The distillation of Scotch can only be carried out by following many rules and regulations in order to preserve Scotchs rich history and traditional production practices.

Whether you believe them to be too strict or not, the Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009, which superseded the Scotch Whisky Act of 1988 are the final word on what defines Scotch whisky. From ingredients and distillation, to labeling and advertising, these rules are what keep the timeless production of Scotch whisky on the right track.

What Happens After The Distilling Process Is Completed

Once distilling is complete, the new spirit is put into wooden casks. Now it’s time for the hardest part – the waiting game. The whisky is matured in bourbon or sherry oak casks for a minimum of three years before it can legally be called Scotch whisky. Many whiskies are matured for much longer often for a decade or more. Slumbering in dark, damp warehouses were, over the years, the wood of the casks and the surrounding atmosphere gives the whisky its colour character and just some of its natural flavours. Using his trained palate, the master distiller will decide when the maturing whiskey is ready and fit for finishing.

While the basic distillation processes are the same across Scotland, subtle variations in ingredients and the micro-climate can change the characteristics of a whisky. Local preferences and technique, and even the shape and size of the stills at different distilleries all contribute to the huge range of flavours. These characteristics can vary from region to region. Lowland whiskies are known for the delicate malty citrusy character. While Highland whiskies tend to be more robust with nutty notes and hints of honey. If the distillery is near the sea the whisky can have some salty maritime influences creep in like Old Pulteney. Speyside is renowned for its fruity single malts like The Glenlivet.

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A Detailed Description Of Single Malt Whisky Production

How is Single MaltWhisky Made? For more than 500 years barley and water have been the basic ingredients for Single Malt Scotch Whisky. Besides their rugged beauty, the Scottish highlands are characterised by vast grain fields, especially during harvest season. Scotland has unique water. Since there is no limestone, the water is very soft. The rainwater flows over hillsides overgrown with heath and through peat meadows, thereby taking up the unique flavour typical for each distillery. Small, well-protected wells provide the water for the single malt Whiskies. But also the big rivers are needed for producing Whisky. They provide cooling water for the pot stills.

7. Bottling of Whisky

What Grain Is Scotch Made From

Over the past few months, we have been receiving many kinds of questions through our social media. One of our most recent questions was what kind of grain is Scotch whisky made from?

First, scotch is a type of whisky, specifically the whisky from Scotland.

Scotch whisky must be made from malted barley. Scotchs main ingredients are barley, water and yeast, but can also be made from other whole grains that include maize or wheat At the beginning of its creation in 1494, all Scotch whisky was made from barley but, in the late 1700s distilleries began using wheat and cereal rye as ingredients in the Scotch. Scotch whisky must be made in Scotland in order for it to legally be considered a Scotch whisky.

In Canada, most Canadian ryes or whisky contain grain corn as a main ingredient. Some whisky blends are as high as 95% Canadian corn with a blend of rye grain, barley or even wheat grains to achieve the other distinct Canadian whisky flavour. Quite simply, corn produces more alcohol than the other grains do. And by adding even a small amount of rye-grain whisky, distillers can still maintain that traditional and distinct Canadian whisky flavour, by sourcing a local grain that is also higher in alcohol content.

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Single Malts But Dont Call Them Scotch

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By Eric Asimov

• May 12, 2016

Its as Scottish as Robert Burns, tartans and the wail of the pipes. I mean whisky, of course, single malt in particular. The proverbial wee dram is a romance in heather and smoke, fascinating the world over yet always traced back to the foggy glens of Scotland.

Actually, that last bit is not true, and it hasnt been for years. Single malts may always be associated with Scotland, but now they are of the world, made in every continent but Antarctica and all over the United States. The Japanese have been making single malts for decades, and the rest of the world is catching up.

How can Scotch be made outside of Scotland? It cant. By law, a whisky can only be called Scotch if it is distilled in Scotland according to a set of specific rules. But single malt whiskey can be distilled anywhere.

No. 1:

Noting the growing number of malt whiskies from unexpected origins, the Food section tasting panel recently sampled 20 single malts from anywhere but Scotland. We found bottles from Japan and Taiwan, from India and Canada, from the United States and all over Europe, including Ireland, which insists on using its traditional spelling whiskey, unlike the rest of the single-malt producing universe, which, in deference to its inspiration, follows the Scottish usage of whisky.

The traditional approach has been so well traveled, Sean said. If these new approaches can be harnessed, it could really broaden the style.

No. 2:No. 3:

What Is Scotch Made From

If we ask the question: what is Scotch made from, then the answer is water, yeast and malted barley. To use the ‘scotch’ name, the whisky must use malted barley. This is also where we get the term ‘malt’ from. Grain whisky in Scotland traditionally uses corn or wheat. Wheat has become more popular in Scotland since the 1980s.

So, if we ask the generic question what is whisky made from, the answer could be water, yeast and grain. And the grain could be anything from corn, wheat, or rye . If a distiller uses corn, it tends to make a sweeter whisky. Rye gives whisky spice and acidity and wheat gives a sweet and delicate taste. This results in Rye whiskey distinctive style.

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How About Japanese Whisky

Japanese whisky is a treat. You may notice that it follows suit with the Scottish and Canadians with the omittance of the letter e. This is because Suntorys first master distiller Masataka Taketsuru studied in Scotland and came to love the taste of Scottish whisky. The biggest Japanese whisky producers are Suntory and Nikka, the former of which has had some seriously cool commercials in the past. You cant really pin Japanese whisky down to a specific style, but its generally Scotchy.

Japanese whisky tastes like: Scotch, sort of, but it really depends on the brand. One thing is for sure, they all taste like relaxing times.

New Traditions In Scotland

Scotland has distilleries like Loch Lomond and Girvan that are paving the way for a new category of Scotch Grain Whisky.These distilleries are bottling Grain Whisky that is of high quality and well matured and is a definite threat to Single Malt.

Loch Lomond is producing Grain Whisky that has won awards and is well known for its smoothness and distinct light-bodied qualities. This being the first distillery in Scotland to produce both Grain and Malt at the same time, it is only fitting that its Grain Whisky is a challenge to the Malt throne.

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What Makes A Whiskey Scotch Whisky

By: Jeremy Glass | Updated: Feb 18, 2021

What would life be without the simple creature comforts that get us through the week. Good friends, trashy TV, comfy slippers and a nice glass of whiskey. For those of us who can pour a couple of ounces of Fireball into a glass and call it day, we commend you. However, there are some of us who require a bit more bang for our buck when sipping mankind’s finest vice. There’s a scotch-drinker nestled within all of us some of us just don’t know it yet.

Despite the inherent ease of drinking the stuff, a lot has to happen to a bottle of whiskey before it can legally be classified as such. Similar to bourbon in color, alcohol content and occasionally taste, scotch whisky is in a category of its own and cannot be labeled as bourbon. So, what makes what you’re drinking scotch and how does it get that way?

What Does Scotch Taste Like Vs Other Types Of Whiskey

The more important question is: what are the flavor differences between Scotch vs whiskey? Of course, Scotch is whiskey . But what distinguishes the flavor? Heres a breakdown of the major types of whiskey with the flavor differences:

• What does Scotch taste like? Blended Scotch has a smooth flavor: malty and buttery, with a spicy finish. Single malt Scotch tastes oaky and woody, with signature peaty and smoky notes.
• What does bourbon taste like? Bourbon has a sweeter flavor than other styles of whiskey, with notes of vanilla, oak and caramel.
• What does rye whiskey taste like? Rye whiskey tastes grassy and peppery, with a signature spicy finish.
• What does Irish whiskey taste like? Irish whiskey is light and fruity, with a lightly floral scent and hints of nutty and vanilla tones. The finish is smooth and mellow.

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Theyre Made With Different Ingredients

The U.S. government has very strict regulations for bourbon, one of which is that bourbon whiskey must be made from a grain mixture of at least 51 percent corn. The rest is usually a mix of malted barley, rye and wheat. Scotch whisky, on the other hand, must be made from malted barley, which is Scotchs primary ingredient, along with water and yeast. Scotch producers are permitted to include other whole cereal grains for coloring.

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They’re Made With Different Ingredients

The U.S. government has very strict regulations for bourbon, one of which is that bourbon whiskey must be made from a grain mixture of at least 51 percent corn. The rest is usually a mix of malted barley, rye and wheat. Scotch whisky, on the other hand, must be made from malted barley, which is Scotchs primary ingredient, along with water and yeast. Scotch producers are permitted to include other whole cereal grains for coloring.

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Grain Whisky Is Actually An Essential Part Of Blended Scotch

When you think of blended Scotch whisky, your mind likely drifts to the big smoky malts that define the blend. You probably dont think about the grain whiskies in the bottle, which are made with a mix of cereal grains rather than solely malted barley. But those grain whiskies are a large reason why Scotch whisky has the influence it does and is consumed all around the world.

To understand why, its easiest to start at the beginning. Scotch whisky blends are made up of single malt whisky and grain whisky. Single malt whisky is made from 100 percent malted barley at a single distillery in copper pot stills. Each distillery has its own character, whether its fruity notes, creamy notes, or smoky notes.

Grain whisky, on the other hand, is made from a mix of cereal grains thats distilled in a continuous still. A continuous still is the same type of still used to make vodka and gin. It strips a lot of the flavor out of the liquid, but its also faster and cheaper to make. Scotch grain whisky retains some sweet notes of toffee and butterscotch to it, but its generally on the lighter side.

drop!

So next time you take a sip of a blended Scotch whisky, take a moment to appreciate the grain in the mix. Without it, theres a good chance you wouldnt have that whisky in your hand.