I will also note that there are both official releases and private releases.

There are resources like Whiskybase that allow to dig deeper and see tasting notes and reviews, but at start I would recommend to just enjoy the dram you have in the glass. I also discourage going for cask strength whiskies as you start, as regardless of your previous experience with other types of alcohol, those releases are way harder to understand and, if picked on the lower end of the price spectrum, those 60%+ alcohol proof releases are often made just to be strong, not to be good. There are some expensive releases that are very well balanced for newer connoisseurs too, e.g.: The five releases I mentioned above are very well balanced and created to be understandable and enjoyable by as many people as possible i.e. You can always pick more expensive releases if you are ready to splurge, but don’t go too high early as you will encounter complex, less “polished” whiskies with bright distinctive features you might not be able to understand. If you try your first scotches, I highly recommend going with basic level international releases like: Depending on your place of residence, different drams will be available, but I’ll mostly focus on scotch whisky. Whether you are going to buy one in a shop or trying some aqua vitae in a bar, you need to pick what you want to try. Blended whiskies like Chivas, Johnnie Walker, Dewars may have different profile depending on the specific drams used in the production of that exact bottle. Highland or Speyside whiskies like Macallan, Balvenie, Singleton, Glenfiddich, Benriach have a softer, more vanilla-honey profile, but that highly depends on the release.

Islay whiskies like Caol Ila, Bowmore, Lagavullin, Laphroaig, Talisker have clear peated profile, sometimes with a distinct “sea” taste. Q: What are the main styles of scotch whisky?Ī: I would highlight the present of peat as the key factor. Scotch whiskies offer more variety, majorly influenced by factors such as peat and presence of chill filtering. Q: What is the key difference in taste between scotch and bourbon?Ī: In general, bourbon has a specific taste profile which is influenced by the presence of corn in the mash bill and has a more recognizable palate. However, there are multiple factors that influence the cost of a bottle, more on that can be found further in the guide. Generally, it is believed that malt whiskies develop better than grain ones, and typically grain ones do not get similarly expensive as they age. I.e., 40% releases have water added to them to reduce the alcoholic strength, and while this makes drinking and understanding whisky easier, it often damages the deeper nose (“aroma”), palate (“taste”) and finish (“aftertaste”) notes that stronger releases have.Ī: There is no correct answer to that. The commonly accepted minimum is 40%, as in case with many hard liquors, but many releases can easily reach up to 70%, which is especially true in case of “cask strength”. Whisky can also be of different % alcohol volume. Countries like Australia, Israel, France, Canada, India also make some great drams (which is, in short, a slang word for whisky) but those are, of course, less common and the “Big Four”. Besides Scotland and USA, other places produce some great whisky, most importantly Ireland and Japan, which, together with the above, constitute the “Big Four”. In case of bourbon, in the USA all bourbon whiskies 51% of mash bill (which is essentially the “cooking pot”) must be corn, and the other grains can be any mix of wheat, rye or barley. Blended whisky, which can consist of both grain and malt whiskies, or only grain ones, or only malt ones.If we are talking about Scotch whiskies, those are: What you need to know is three key whisky products exist. There is a lot of information on how the exact process works, but I shouldn’t tire you with the details after all, this guide is meant to be short and practical. Other alternatives are possible but rare. Water and yeast are added to help with the process. Simply put, whisky is made from grain, corn for American whisky, or in case of malts, barley. A *very* short introduction: what is whisky and how it differs from other hard liquor. As promised, I am presenting you this quick guide on how to pick and taste whisky, as well as answering common questions.

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