Islay whiskies are characterised by their smoky, medicinal, and maritime qualities, often featuring notes of seaweed, iodine, and salt. Islay: This small island off the west coast of Scotland is known for its bold, peaty whiskies. Speyside whiskies tend to be less peaty than those from other regions, and many are matured in sherry casks, which impart rich, dried fruit and spice notes. This region's whiskies exhibit sweetness and elegance, often with fruity, floral, and honeyed flavours.
Speyside: Located within the Highland region, Speyside is home to the highest concentration of distilleries in Scotland. Some subregions, like the coastal areas, produce whiskies with a hint of sea salt and brine. Highland whiskies can vary in character but are often full-bodied, with various flavours that include fruity, malty, and peaty notes. Highland: This is the largest and most diverse of the whisky-producing regions and covers a vast area of northern Scotland. It is said that the location a Scotch whisky is distilled also gives it a distinctive character and can influence its flavour. The result is often a consistent and balanced flavour making it more accessible to newer Scotch drinkers. The aim is to achieve a smooth, light and subtly flavoured whisky.īlended Scotch: Blended Scotch whisky is the most ubiquitous style of whisky blending single malts and grain whisky from many different distilleries. The aim here is to balance the flavour profiles.īlended Grain Scotch: Like blended malt, this is a blend of singled grain whiskies from different distilleries. Single grain is generally sweeter and lighter in flavour and body compared to single malts.īlended Malt Scotch: Blended malt (also known as vatted malt) is whisky made using only malted barley from two or more distilleries that have been blended. Single Grain Scotch: Single grain is a Scotch whisky made using only grain that isn't malted barley produced by a single distillery using a column still. Single malts are typically rich, flavourful and complex. Single Malt Scotch: Single malt is a whisky made using only malted barley produced by a single distillery using a pot still. Knowing the difference will help you understand what flavour to expect: We won’t go into much detail here, but you should know that there are five main categories of Scotch. Several laws and regulations define Scotch whisky labelling. We've also looked to find the lowest price for each bottle at the time of publication and linked to a reputable whisky retailer.īest Scotch Whisky guide sections: We won’t be going into the collector’s Scotch whiskies here, it’s all about the best readily-available Scotch at different price points and flavour profiles.
Every bottle we recommended has been tasted by one or more of the experts, some have been sipped for excellence more than once. We’ll also give you a course in Scotch 101 so you know the ways to drink Scotch and what the different types and regions mean. In this guide to the best Scotch whiskies, experts from distillers to whisky reviewers and Scotch whisky award judges list their favourites based on type, flavour and price. It’s the national drink, and the history of Scotch whisky is interwoven with the country's history – with its rises, falls, illegal nature and cultural wealth in flux with that of our nation. Whisky is, and always will be, synonymous with Scotland. What you need to know about choosing the best Scotch whiskies We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement.
From everything you've ever wondered about whisky, to what drams to buy based on taste and budget, we have it answered here in this ultimate guide.
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