Scotch 101: How to figure out your style

What is scotch?

Malted barley is the basic building block of scotch. But to be scotch, a spirit must meet the checklist of regulations passed by the UK parliament in 2009:

• It must be distilled in Scotland from water, malted barley and other whole cereal grains.

• It must be aged in oak casks for a minimum of three years.

• It must be bottled at no less than 40 percent ABV.

While Scotch whisky shares some similarities with its American and Irish cousins, it’s made distinct by its place of origin, regulation and even spelling.

Is scotch “whisky” or “whiskey”?

Did you know? Scotch whisky is whisky without the “e”– always. The word comes from the Gaelic usquebaugh, or “water of life,” but which the Irish spelled “whiskey” for their homegrown equivalent.

While Scotch whiskey in America was typically spelled “whisky” early on, they later adopted the Irish spelling, but there is more to set American and Scotch whiskeys/whiskies apart than just the spelling. America’s most famous whiskey variations – bourbon and rye – are distilled from a majority of corn or rye, rather than malt.

The 5 types of scotch

By law, scotch is divided into five classifications:

1. Single malt Scotch whisky:

   Made at a single distillery exclusively from malted barley, like Talisker 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

2. Single grain Scotch whisky:

   Made at a single distillery from malted barley and one additional whole grain, such as wheat or rye, like Orphan Barrel Muckety-Muck 25 Year Old Single Grain Scotch Whisky.

3. Blended malt Scotch whisky: Made by blending two or more single malts, like

   Copper Dog Speyside Blended Malt Scotch Whisky.

4. Blended grain Scotch whisky:

   Made by blending two or more single grains.

5. Blended Scotch whisky:

   Made by blending one or more single malts and single grains, like Johnnie Walker Black Label Blended Scotch Whisky.