That said, it can be easy to spend more than you bargained for – sometimes a lot more – if you get persuaded by fancy marketing and labels. So, let’s talk about a few of those things here. To clarify, I’m not suggesting any of the below are bad purchases. But I do think it’s important to be aware of what you’re buying before you make the purchase. Once you know what you’re buying, all the more power to you to get what you want.

First, don’t always assume fancy labels make for a fancy whisky. For example, a series of parent brands started bottling their whiskys with labels from a hugely popular HBO series that involved dragons, thrones, and games thereof. Take a closer look at the packaging and you’ll see that, at least in some cases, the contents are really one of their standard Scotches, just with a new label. In other words, what’s in the bottle isn’t something new, but they’re instead wanting to capitalize on the fame of a popular series. Nothing wrong with that, but unless you’re really wanting that particular bottle for your collection, you might be able to find the same whisky for a lower price, just without the fancy new livery.

Second, distilleries can get creative with their different varieties of whisky. Sometimes they like to distill a spirit in a single type of cask (like American bourbon barrels), but other times they’ll start with one type (American oak, for example) and finish in a cask that used to hold a different kind of spirit (like a sherry or rum barrel). The trace remnants of the other spirit often impart a unique flavor and color combination that adds new character to the whisky. For example, because rum is usually distilled from sugarcane, when whisky is finished in rum barrels it often ends up slightly sweeter than if finished a different way. Neat, right? Don’t be surprised if those varieties cost a little more. Is it worth it? Well, maybe. Sometimes those combinations can be rather tasty and are worth the extra expense. Other times you might not be able to taste the difference, in which case why spend the extra money?

Third, like fine wines, Scotch gets better as it ages. How much? That’s a matter of preference. But what you’ll see in your local spirits shop is that prices for whisky increase very quickly as they start getting much older than about 15 years. Seriously, go look. Find a particular distillery and then compare the prices for the 15-, 20-, 25-, and 30-year-old whiskys. Notice the price difference? Now, let’s be clear: older whiskys are almost always better, and by this we mean smoother, less harsh, and often have different notes than their younger (less experienced?) counterparts. However, does it make sense to drop the extra cash? That’s more personal preference than anything else. For me, I’d rather buy two 15-year-old bottles than one 30-year-old bottle, but I know plenty of people who would disagree.

Fourth, kind of like Point 2, distilleries will sometimes create new blends for different times of the year. This is kind of like how breweries will create different kinds of beer for different seasons. For example, you’re unlikely to find many stouts during the summer because people are more interested in lighter ales and lagers. But even during the cooler parts of the year, breweries will experiment with different kinds of stouts: adding fruits, seasonings, and other ingredients to see what happens. So it is with whisky. For example, on a recent trip to Scotland we were at a distillery and found a Winter’s Gold option. Unlike almost every other whisky we’ve tasted, this version is intended to be served chilled (they store it in the fridge), because it is only distilled in the wintertime and so the cold is literally built into this spirit. This makes for a different experience. Did I taste it? Absolutely. Was it good? You bet. Did I buy a bottle? Obviously. Do I keep it in the fridge? Nope. Would I have bought the same bottle back home? Probably not. Not because it’s not good, but because I wouldn’t have had the same experience tasting it here.

Other times distilleries play with the ingredients in the whisky itself. But remember, by law whisky can only have 3 ingredients (water, yeast, and the grain), so they get creative with the things they’re already using. For example, in a prior post we included a picture of the Glenmorangie Signet whisky. For that version, the distillery roasts the barley longer than usual, giving it a color and flavor not unlike roasted coffee beans (also included in the picture). In turn, that gives similar flavors to the end-product whisky, which is as neat as it is tasty. More expensive than their more common varieties? You betcha. Was it worth the money? I think so. Did I buy a bottle? No, and I’m still upset about it.

In the end, whisky preferences are personal things. The things I look for in a whisky will almost certainly be different from what you look for. Still, there are a few guidelines I try to follow when buying Scotch.

1. I think there’s value in finding one or two (or more) versions that you really like and stick with those in the main. Those are your go-to Scotches that you can find in most stores and bars. I’d call them basic but there’s nothing basic about them. For me, those bottles will cost $60-$80 from our local shops.
2. If there’s something unique at the store, ask if there’s an option to taste it. If not, keep your eye out when visiting your local bars and order a taste while there. Better to spend $10 to taste something than $150 on a bottle only to find it might not be what you were expecting. Or, if a few friends are equally curious, split the bottle among you. Like it? Great, now you know for future reference and might consider buying your own bottle. Not what you wanted? Still good information to have, and it didn’t cost you your next paycheck to find out.
3. I like to patronize stores where the people actually drink whisky (or gin, or whatever), as they can give you a more professional recommendation. That means finding your local spirits store and not grabbing a bottle while buying groceries (unless ‘groceries’ mean limes, but that’s a different post). Yes, that means you’ll probably spend a little more, but I’m more okay with it because I get good recommendations. Also, supporting local small businesses is generally a good practice.
4. To partially contradict myself, take recommendations with open ears. In other words, keep in mind that recommendations reflect what the person likes and doesn’t like and that might be different from your preferences. For example, if you’re looking for a good peated whisky and you get a recommendation from someone who doesn’t like them, there are probably better recommendations to be had.

Again, we’re not suggesting you don’t buy unique whiskys or try new things. That’s just bad advice. At the same time, there’s plenty of value in making sure you know what you’re buying and why you’re okay spending the extra money on it.

Slainte Mhath!

The post Let’s talk about (love) Scotch…again first appeared on The DeBode Way.

Here’s the thing, people travel to many European (and other) locations to appease their epicurean interests. France for cheese and butter. Russia for caviar. Italy for pasta and cheese. Spain for tapas. The Greek isles for seafood and olive oil. The United Kingdom for fish and chips. You get the idea. However, lots of folks also partake in the occasional (or more, we aren’t judging) adult beverage, often found alongside those popular food items: France, Spain, and Italy have their wines, Russia it’s vodka, and the UK it’s beer. Sadly, the Scots aren’t exactly known for their cuisine (though we’ve never been disappointed on our adventures), but drink? Now we’re talking. Heck, the drink is named after the country (or is it the other way around?)!

Also referred to as the water of life, Scotch has a storied history and has, in many ways, shaped the present-day culture and geography of Scotland. All that’s terribly interesting, right? Sure. See Tasha for more on this. What’s even more interesting? Glad you asked: the dram itself. So, let’s talk about Scotch.

First, let’s set some parameters. There are plenty of perfectly fine whiskeys produced around the world, from Japan to the US. We aren’t talking about those whiskeys. We’re talking about Scotch whisky (mind you, there’s no ‘e’ in the Scottish version of the word), which, by law can contain only three ingredients (water, yeast, and grain [usually, but not always exclusively malted barley]), must be aged for a minimum of 3 years, and – and this is one of the important distinctions – must be distilled and matured in Scotland. There are other rules (like a minimum ABV of 40%), but these are the big ones.

Moving past the rules, broadly speaking there are two main types of Scotch: blended and single malt. Now hold on: yes, there are others, but most of the time if you’re looking for a recommendation, this is among the first questions you’ll be asked. As the name suggests, single malt scotch comes from a single batch. This is often what you’re thinking about when you talk about Scotch: it’s distilled in one batch and stored in a cask until the master distiller is satisfied with its character. From thence, it’s put in a bottle, sealed, and sold off to regular folks to enjoy. Blended versions, on the other hand, are produced when the distiller blends a variety of single malts together. Legend says these blended versions originated because of the variations in single malts, which can sometimes be unpredictable (one reason why good single malts are often considerably more expensive than their blended cousins), and if they aren’t as palatable as one might prefer, that’s a liability for the distillery. As a hedge, take multiple single malts, blend them together, and now you have a more consistent product to sell to the masses. Neat, right?

Jason tends to prefer the single malts over the blended varieties. Nothing against blended kinds, but there’s something about the single malts that’s hard to beat. When talking about single malt Scotch, there are 5 different regions in Scotland, each having very different characteristics than the others due to the climate, ingredients, and distilling process. In the South, there are the Lowland malts, known for being soft and smooth. Head north and you’ll enter Highland malt territory, which is also the largest region by size. Highland malts are kind of all over the place, mostly because there are so many places in this region, each having a different flavor its spirit is known for. Keep going north and East and you’ll find Speyside malt territory, with whiskys known for being clean and having fruity notes. Off the West coast of Scotland, you’ll find the remaining two regions: Islay, known for fiery and heavily-peated whiskeys (more on this below), and Campbeltown, similarly known for robust, full-bodied Scotches.

When looking for a recommendation, you’re also likely to be asked whether you prefer peated or non-peated whisky. Remember before when we said one of the three legally allowed ingredients in whisky production is the grain? Most commonly, that grain is malted barley (but sometimes other stuff is added, too). By ‘malted’ we mean they get it wet, let the barley sprout, and then dry it before using it to distill whisky. When they dry – or roast – the malted barley, they can do so with or without peat. What’s peat, you ask? Great question. Imagine the picturesque scenery of a bog. Nice, eh? Kidding, kind of. Peat is essentially compressed vegetation that’s fallen to the ground and remained there, in the wet climate, for a while. Folks go out and cut the peat (literally, with a shovel-type tool) and then lay it out to dry in the sun. That peat is then shipped out to barley roasters to use. Other folks burn it in their fireplace, which smells amazing. Sorry, I digress… Back to the roasting process. When they roast the malted barley, if the Scotch is to be peated, they burn the peat to create smoke, which gives the barley a darker color and, yes, a smokey smell. Both characteristics are transferred to the whisky during the maturation process. Longer roasting translates to darker barley (see the picture of Glenmorangie Signet, below – that’s barley in the small glass and coffee on the right, for a comparison) which can impart a coffee-like flavor to the Scotch. If the whisky is to be cleaner (read: not peated), the peat is left out, so the barley has a lighter color and a cleaner, crisper flavor it passes to the drink (like the Glenfiddich, further below). Which one’s better? Yes.

Once you know those two preferences: single malt v. blended and peated v. non-peated, it’s hard to go wrong. We don’t have much experience with blended whisky, but the world of single malts is one we definitely encourage you to explore. Jason likes all kinds but often leans toward the darker, full-bodied, heavily peated Scotches in the cooler parts of the year, and the lighter, brighter, non-peated varieties when the temperatures heat up. Not always, but usually.

To be sure, there are tons of other characteristics you can pick from when selecting your preferred whisky. Cask strength, distiller’s editions, experimental releases, different cask types like sherry and rum, winter editions, and so on. Each of these will add different characteristics to an already great whisky. Not surprisingly, they also tend to increase the price. Also, consider the age of the Scotch: it’s common to find options that have been aged for 8-15 years and all at reasonable prices (expect to spend $60-$80 for a good, ‘entry level’ single malt). But as the whisky gets older, its price increases, sometimes greatly.

Just to make this a little more complicated, how you enjoy the whisky can also change its character. Jason prefers to drink his Scotch just the way it comes, with no additions or alterations. At the bar, this is referred to as taking your whisky either ‘straight’ or ‘neat’. Find the flavor a little too intense? No worries, try adding a drop or two of water. And by ‘a drop or two,’ I really do mean a drop or two. No need to dilute it further until you try it. Still too strong? Add a few more drops of water. Seriously: at most distilleries in Scotland, the tasting rooms and bars will have a glass of water with a dropper in it so you can add a drop or two at a time. Totally changes the aromas and flavor of the whisky.

Oh, and if you’re looking for something to add to a mixer, this isn’t that. There are other whiskeys you can find for that purpose. After all, if you’re going to spend this kind of time and money on a good single malt (or blended) Scotch whisky, adding other stuff to something that has been perfected over centuries of tradition seems…wrong.

In the end, the important thing is to try new things and see what you like. Kinda like traveling.

What’s your favorite whisky (or whiskey) or other adult beverage? Let us know!

The post Let’s talk about (love) Scotch first appeared on The DeBode Way.