What is Scotch Whisky
Where did the name Whisky come from? The Latin aqua vitae (water of life) from which came the Gaelic “usage beathea” (pronounced weshka bay) became “usky” the Whisky in English. First written record of production of uisage breatha (water of life, eau-de-vie, in Gaelic) dates back to 1494, but its origin is much older.
Scotland has internationally protected the term Scotch. For a Whisky to be labelled Scotch it has to be produced in Scotland. Other excellent whiskies are produced in other countries, but they are not Scotch.
For Whisky to be called Scotch Whisky, it has to satisfy certain criteria which are governed by law Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009. There are literally pages of regulations but in simple terms a Scotch Whisky must:
Be made from barley – Have been produced in Scotland – Be matured in oak casks in Scotland
Be matured for minimum three years – Contain nothing else except natural caramel for coloring
The Scotch Whisky Family:
Single Malt – Single Grain – Blended – Blended Malt – Blended Grain
Single Malt:
Must be distilled at a single distillery from water and malted barley only. Must be produced by batch distillation in pot stills. Single malt is generally the most expensive Scotch. The barley does not have to come from Scotland
SINGLE GRAIN:
Must be distilled from water and malted barley only with or without whole grains of other mallet or unmalted cereals, typically wheat or maize. Produced using a continuous distillation process which does not involve pot stills.
Blended:
This is a blend of single grain and single malt whisky’s. The larger portion is from Grain whisky. The rest is made up from 3 different types of malt Whisky.
- Base malt (larger proportion)
- Top dressers (intense flavors)
- Packers (low aroma intensity)
Some blended whiskies are mixed together then re-casked for approximately 6 months to insure all the flavors are combined, a process called marrying
Blended Malt Whisky:
Blended malt Whisky is a blend of single Malt Scotch Whiskies distilled at more than one distillery. It cannot have the name of one distillery and will have a brand name. Usually done by independent bottlers.
Blended Grain Whisky:
Blended grain whisky is a blend of single grain Scotch Whiskies distilled at more than one distillery
Source The Best Wood:
Up to 70% of the flavor in Scotch Whisky can come from the wood that the spirit matures in. Great wood is essential to make great whisky.
Whisky Regions
Campbeltown Whisky Region
With just three working distilleries, Campbeltown is Scotland’s smallest whisky-producing region. While some argue this doesn’t warrant it being designated a whisky region, its single
Highland Whisky Region
Stretching from Orkney in the north to the Isle of Arran in the south and Aberdeenshire to the Outer Hebrides east to west, the Highland
Island Whisky Region
There are five undisputed Scotch whisky regions: Speyside, Highlands & Islands, Lowlands, Islay, and Campbeltown. The Islands are often considered a region on its own,
Islay Whisky Region
The small, remote Scottish island of Islay (pronounced ‘eye-lah’) is an antique land. A wild and untamed place, where Celtic monks found refuge from raiding
Lowland Whisky Region
With miles of farmland and neat woodlands, the Lowlands is one of the most charming and accessible whisky regions in Scotland. Encompassing Edinburgh, Glasgow and
Speyside Whisky Region
There are over 120 active distilleries spread across Scotland, which are split into five whisky-producing regions; Campbeltown, Highland, Islay, Lowland and Speyside. Where a whisky is
Whisky Distilleries
Ardbeg Distillery
For over 200 years, Ardbeg has been made on the small, remote Scottish Isle of Islay. Ardbeg Distillery is a Scotch whisky distillery in Ardbeg
Balblair Distillery
The Balblair distillery in Scotland, established in 1790, is noted as being one of the oldest working distilleries in the Scottish Highlands. It has, for
Bruichladdich Distillery
Bruichladdich is an award-winning distillery employing generations of distilling knowledge and the principle of minimal intervention. Built in 1881 on the wild Scottish island of
GlenAllachie Distillery
In October 2017, Billy Walker, Trisha Savage and Graham Stevenson came together to purchase the GlenAllachie Distillery. Before acquiring GlenAllachie, the spirit was predominantly used
Highland Park Distillery
Early in the 9th century, when Viking longboats were leaving the shores of Denmark and Norway to navigate uncharted waters in search of new lands
Kilchoman Distillery
Kilchoman Distillery was founded in 2005 and is the first distillery to be built on Islay for over 120 years. It is a farm distillery
Expressions
Abelour 12 Year
Steeped in centuries of legend and surrounded by the dramatic Highland scenery of Ben Rinnes, the village of Aberlour lies at the very heart of
Aberfeldy 16 Year
Whiskies aged in first-fill Sherry butts are especially so, and those drawn entirely from such sherried stock are invariably known as “sherry bombs” for the
Aberlour A’Bunadh
The Sherry and wood form a pincer movement that stamps out any sense of identity in the distillate itself. A great Sherry-matured malt should possess
Aberlour A’Bunadh, Cask Strength. Speyside Whisky
With each batch specially crafted, Aberlour A’bunadh is a unique cask strength whisky that has achieved cult status among whisky connoisseurs. Meaning ‘the original’ in
Ainsley Brae, Sherry Bomb
Whiskies aged in first-fill Sherry butts are especially so, and those drawn entirely from such sherried stock are invariably known as “sherry bombs” for the
anCnoc 12 Years
The story of the Knockdhu distillery starts with a man of vision (who also had an eye for a good investment). In 1892 an enterprising