The ultimate beginner's guide to SCOTCH WHISKY
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 19 พ.ค. 2024
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Today's video is a beginner's guide to Scotch! This style of whisky is considered by many to be the best in the world. Prices reflect that, making purchasing an unfamiliar bottle intimidating. Let's cover some basics to make this spirit a bit more approachable! We’ll discuss some rules, the different types of scotch, the regions where they’re made, and some general characteristics of the whiskies. I'll even share some recommendations for those looking to try something! Cheers!
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TIME STAMPS
Intro: 0:00
Whisky vs Whiskey: 0:53
5 Rules: 1:37
5 Types: 2:51
5 Regions: 5:33
Other Recommendations: 13:27
Sign Off: 15:04
THE BOTTLES ON THE TABLE
The Famous Grouse Blended Scotch
Monkey Shoulder Blended Malt
Glennfidich 12 Year Single Malt
Edradour 10 Year Highland Single Malt
Aberfeldy 12 Year Single Malt
Talisker 10 Year Single Malt
Auchentoshan 12 Year Single Malt
Springbank 10 Year Campbeltown Single Malt
Laphroaig 10 Year Islay Single Malt
Laphroaig 18 Year Islay Single Malt
Bunnahabhain 12 Year Islay Single Malt
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Image Attributions:
Glenffidich Distillery(RLH)1979, Richard Harvey, CC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/..., via Wikimedia Commons
River Spey from the old bridge by Jim Barton, CC BY-SA 2.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/..., via Wikimedia Commons
Campbeltown, Gerd Eichmann, CC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/..., via Wikimedia Commons
Islay View by Adam Ward, CC BY-SA 2.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/..., via Wikimedia Commons
Peat - Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, Giorgio Galeotti, CC BY 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/..., via Wikimedia Commons
Ardbeg Distillery, Heikki Immonen, CC BY 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/..., via Wikimedia Commons
Favorite bottles we should all try?
Bourbon or rye :). Get your hands on a bottle of Peerless Single Barrel cask strength rye. Amazing distillery I got to visit last month with amazing bourbon and rye.
For scotch beginners…. Give them anything Speyside! Give them a peated Highland and they’ll never trust you enough to try another one.
Balvenie. All day long.
A good intro to peat is Islay Mist 8. Or Bowmore.
Lagavulin 16
Oh boy, Scotch for Beginners. Get ready for fighting in the comment section among the non-beginners! Taking some chances on this one, Anders. Some might say it’s… whisky business.
I, this stranger on the internet, approve of this message. Puns and all.
Never piss on someone's sacred cow!!! I'll never poo poo anyone's choice of whisky they prefer. I'm a bourbon/rye guy, but am open to anything and a good friend who's a Scotch guy has introduced me to some interesting stuff. Not in love with it, but it's a fun diversion on occasion.
Came for this comment, and I am not disappointed. Hats off, sir.
That's the spirit!
@@brianpagetI see you workin
Honestly, as someone who loves Scotch, there isn't much to add except for maybe some info on the barrels used for aging. Unlike American bourbon that, by law, must be aged in NEW oak barrels, Scotch is often aged in USED barrels that were previously used to age bourbon, or sherry, or port, or rum, etc., and this imparts a ton of flavor to the Scotch.
So, along with "peat-monster" scotches that have their own following, there are also "sherry-bombs" that others tend to enjoy. But the peatiness and sherriness are not necessarily mutually exclusive, i.e. Ardbeg Uigeadail (my personal favorite Scotch)
I was going to make this same point but you beat me to it. Use of bourbon barrels vs sherry barrels is a big part of the variation in Scotch.
Some years ago I bought a bottle of Glenmorangie which was aged in barrels that had previously held bourbon. Attached to the neck of the bottle was a small booklet explaining the production process. In here they explained that bourbon barrels were great to use, as "the bourbon seasons the wood and absorb undesirable flavors".
...Which really is the most elegant way I have ever seen of saying that bourbon is shait, we make the good stuff :D
@@Arglbarglify Lol, I don't disagree. I like bourbon in cocktails, but otherwise... it's just so boring to me.
Yep. And some newer scotches use ex-French wine barrels. Bordeaux red wine and Sauternes tend to be the ones I see the most commonly.
I was gifted a bottle of Laphroaig and hated it. But because I'd been raised in a "people are starving in China" household, I mentally wasn't allowed to throw it away. So, I began sipping it and sipping it and sipping it. By the time I was at the end of the bottle, I loved it and bought another one. And then another after that, and then and Ardbeg, and so on. Coupled with the fact that my godmother gave me a taste of Scotch and Seven Up when I was barely old enough to drink, I've developed into a full-blown whiskey/whisky addict. Scotch, Bourbon, and Irish are my favorites. Since I live in the US, I toured distilleries in Kentucky twice and spent more money than I ever should collecting and drinking different whiskies.
Amen to this😅
My introduction to Whisky was kind of similar. I had tried Jack Daniels and Jameson and didn't much care for it. Then during an 18 months military deployment in country where alcohol is illegal, my friend "smuggled" me in a bottle of Lagavulin 16 for my birthday. I didn't want to seem ungrateful, and it was the only alcohol I'd be able to drink for a year and a half, so I started sipping it. By the end of the bottle I loved it so much, I've been wishing for a bottle for every one of my birthday's since! Now I'm also into the other Islays, particularly Caol Ila and Laphroig.
Anders is knowledgeable and charismatic. He shows an understanding of art and craftsmanship without being pretentious. My wife and I love your channel, keep it up brother!
Right on!
I've been using Scotch more and more as a flavor enhancer in cocktails. A .25 oz works surprisingly well to bring a smokey element to a tiki drink.
You should try Plantation Stiggin’s Fancy Smokey Formula. It’s a rum that is infused with real pineapples and then aged in ex-peated Irish whiskey barrels to give it a sweet, creamy, smokey vanilla with rich tropical fruit undertones. Unfortunately it was a limited release so it’s not always easy to find.
As a whisky lover from Scotland, I just wanted to say how great a video this is. Fantastic intro to Scottish Whisky and full of really good advice and accurate information (which is sadly not always the case!)
Love your channel, Anders.
You know what mate! As a Scotsman and a whisky enthusiast, this didn’t actually hurt my feelings at all, a really respectful summary of things and pretty much on the money throughout. You should try to get into more Campbelltown’s for sure, the springbanks are great but longrow, Kilkerran, hazburn etc are all utterly superb.
If you ever wanna chat whisky, get some suggestions or need any info, feel free to give me a shout!
Keep up the good work!
My wife and I both agreed that this was a super helpful video. We finally understand what bottles are talking about when they say "Single Malt". Thanks so much, Anders! We love learning on your channel.
I knew almost all of this, as I love scotch. But still great to watch and here someone else's perspective. I tend to drink scotch neat, but I would love to see a follow-up episode with some scotch cocktail recommendations that are lesser known.
One I make myself from time to time, a Rob Roy with Glenmorangie 14 year. The port cask finish goes so well with the vermouth to make the cocktail REALLY wine forward, and it's very cool!
As an avid whisky collector, I'm happy my favorite mixologist did a video on it. For an in depth understanding, I highly recommend First Phil Whisky another must watch channel. Thanks Anders for always providing accessable content.
Fun, concise, and informative, as always! Much appreciated, Anders! ☺️
While I was in the Navy, back in the early 2000's, I was fortunate to visit Scotland on many occasions. On one visit, we took the train from Glasgow to Edinburgh where we explored the Castle, and just outside the castle - the Scotch Whisky museum. For anyone who enjoys whisk(e)y, this is a must do pilgrimage. Cheers.
Great episode!! I'd love to see a beginners guide to Bourbon as well. We tend to drink more Scotch than Bourbon here in Europe so knowledge is generally low.
I once had a stout aged in laphroaig barrels and it was freaking amazing. That peat flavor was mellowed a bit but was still present. It really added to the flavor.
Thanks so much for always being so easy and interesting to listen to. As a newish bartender in a craft cocktail lounge, your videos continue to teach and entertain at the same time. Appreciate it so much.
I'm glad you mentioned Talisker from Isle of Skye
I find the "lore" surrounding Scotch whisky almost as confusing as that surrounding French wine...this vid actually makes the basics almost understandable!
… and the graphics - the map and the explanations of the different classifications - were really nice. kudos on those, too.
I LOVED THIS , ANDERS you cleared my mind of the confusion of single and blend very quickly. Thanks mate
Really well done. I got into Scotch before any other liquor or cocktails, so it always holds a place in my heart
Well laid out detailed descriptions on Scotch. I enjoy all the regions of Scotch depending on my mood.
Thanks!
absolutely one of my wifes and I favorite videos. Perfect amount of information without bogging it down with things that do no help us understand Scotch. We do like Scotch just did not understand enough to make informed decisions and now we feel we can make better decisions on our purchases.
My introduction to Scotch was actually through mezcal. I was taking a class on tequila and mezcal, and the presenter described mezcal as something people who love Islay Scotch would also love. I already knew that I enjoyed mezcal so I went and bought a bottle of Ardbeg 10. I honestly do enjoy mezcal more, but my journey through Scotch is very enjoyable. I also recommend for people to try a Texas whisky from Balcones called Lineage. It's heavily influenced by Scotch but is also uniquely Texan.
One of the best cocktails I ever had was built on the Negroni spec with Ardbeg 10, Vida mezcal and Amaro Zucca. Father’s Davirite Chair.
Oh this is exciting! I'm thinking this could be a series for the intro to bourbon, rye, Irish, etc. Then sherry, cognanc, and so many more types of lovely bottles we could learn more about. Love it you guys!
I love these kind of overview videos you make! The rum and gin ones gave me a lot more understanding of their respective manufacture and am likely going to pick up a few of your recommendations :D
Blended whiskies are becoming more of an appreciated art form in recent years. Barrell Craft Spirits here in the US is blending bourbon and rye and making some amazing stuff, and Compass Box is upping the blending game for Scotch! Some of Compass Box’s lower end products are gonna be in the $40-60 range and are a good entry point for someone looking to get into Scotch with something approachable! Fantastic video, cheers!
Great vid as always - 2 quick notes on the rules, 1 - only Single Malts have to be bottled in Scotland but all have to be made there of course, 2 - age statement of the youngest applies to all categories not just not just "blended" but it is easy to get confused between the category "blended" and the act of "blending" multiple casks from the same distillery for a Single Malt.
Coming in to second and boost this. It's very easy to assume the spirit in the bottle is 10 years old, but when a spirit is marketed the age statement refers to the youngest whisky in the bottle for the purposes of making a good (or consistent) product. Ralphy has a few great videos on the subject of the entire production cycle of a bottle for when you really want some granular facts about how whisky comes to be.
A good example of the ‘blending casks’ for a single malt, I think, is also the Laphroaig Select (which made me a very confused girl when I saw it said blended and single malt on the same bottle!) oh, and also to point out, some whiskies like the Glenfarclas 105 refer to ‘proof’ as the UK definition (we class it as 1.75x the ABV, not 2x for some strange reason)
@@jodiesandiford6503 the strange reason is that at 100 (UK) proof, gunpowder doused in the alcohol would still ignite; this led many rums to be bottled at "Navy strength" aka 100 proof (UK) aka 57% ABV and is also partially responsible for the relatively high prevalence of whiskies bottled at 43% (~75 UK proof) ABV. Bottling whiskies at 46% ABV is not solely popular due to being 80 (UK) proof but also because that is the lowest ABV at which chill-filtration is not necessary to prevent esters and other oils and fats from precipitating out of the solution in micelles of sediment (which looks unappealing and "cloudy" and may convince a consumer that the product has spoiled somehow) when the bottle or its contents are chilled.
We should really start using the term batched or batching more when speaking on the “blending” process of multiple barrels for a batch of a single malt product
@@kingkrow420 I'd say "batch" refers more to the distillation phase, which usually has a clear starting and finishing time (although distillation is a whole chapter by itself so I can't be very sure 😅) anyway something I relate more to the meaning of "batch", and that is happening by definition years before the final blending and bottling. Maybe the french term for champagnes and wines "cuvee" (meaning the particular selection and assembly of different wines for a line of production) would describe it well.... but I'm afraid the french would be sensitive to borrowing the word 😂
The best beginners guide to scotch I’ve seen and I’ve been doing scotch for a couple decades
I’m an Islay person
Ardbeg Corryvrecken or Uigeadail, Bruichladdich Octomore 14.3, and Port Charlotte are my favorite spirits full stop.
My favorite cocktail is the Penicillin, lemon honey ginger and smoke. I don't follow the rules of single malt only recipe always, I personally love JW Black + Laphroaig 10 when I mix a Penicillin.
I leave the float out and it's great with just JW Black!
@@Jeff_Auger Well JW Black does have just enough smoke. I just like it extra smokey and gingery
I love the penicillin! I follow Anders' recipe for it (monkey shoulder + Laphroaig 10) and it's defo one of my fav drinks!
I’ve never had a better Penicillin than the original recipe:
Compass Box Ayala and Lagavulin 16
@@Indigo_1138 I'd give it a try if I could find Laphroaig, or any smoky scotch, in mini form. A bottle of Laphroaig 10 costs the equivalent of 80 US$ in Brazil!! I won't spend that just to try it haha
Always enjoy your videos. Very interesting and informative. Your delivery and your presentation are exceptional. Thank you for sharing your gift and knowledge.
Idk how, but every time I think "I wish I knew more about X", you make a video about it. Thank you so much for making such excellent and informative content. I've learned a ton from you over the years and always look forward to your next video!
You have such a wealth of knowledge geez. Honestly I’d love to hear even more details about scotch.. even a long form podcast about it. Idk if it would be popular but I love to learn about this stuff
My wife and I introduced ourselves to Scotch on a trip to Edinburgh several years ago. We started with lighter highland singles and blends often diluted with a bit of water, but we are now devoted Islay fans. Just picked up a bottle of Ardbeg 10 year today....KA-BAM! Huge smoke with a little background sweetness, just the thing to get us through the coldest part of a Toronto winter. Cheers!
I appreciate the effort to make this video. Thanks!
i'm only 2 or 3 years into whisk(e)y, and this video gave me so much valuable info, thanksssssss!!!
Nice video!
We toured both Edradour and Talisker in 2019, both were great but Edradour was very, very special! Pitlochry is a lovely village and I highly recommend it. Skye is amazing, as is Mull. Magical place!
Scotsmen here, fantastic video.
Very fortunate to find Springbank! Good on you! Best distillery in Scotland!
Another great wee beginners guide to a spirit. If you and Oz are ever in Glasgow then try the Pot Still, Bon Accord or Ben Nevis bars. All full of great whisky and knowledgable staff.
Appreciate the tip. Cheers
Great job! You both put together a great and informational one. Very helpful as I personally have been shy to Scotch due to the peer and not knowing the differences. The vid definitely will help when shopping or at the bar.
Awesome Anders!!! Much appreciated, I learned something new and I’ve been a scotch fan for… well a long time.
Monkey shoulder is my go-to scotch. It was the 2nd bottle of scotch I bought for my home bar, and I haven't been without it ever since. Its a good flavor neat or mixed, and its pretty affordable as well.
Excellent video. Very interesting and informative. Looking forward to seeing more!
As a big Scotch head, this was a super well done intro to the style! Great job!
Great video! I'm a bit of a novice as to whisky, thank you for sharing your insight!
Maybe my favorite video of yours. I love the subtle (and often not so subtle) distinctions among various Scotches. For the longest time I thought mixing a cocktail with Scotch was sacrilegious. I have revised my thinking since watching your channel.
Thanks Anders for a very informative video about Scotch, I really enjoyed it. Cheers/Salud!
I always use Monkey Shoulder for rusty nails! The first scotch I bought was Bowmore 12 and I've been hooked on scotch ever since!
Yeah, Bowmore is a great starting point. A bit of character and not too expensive.
do 1 oz monkey shoulder and 1oz Laphroaig !!!!!! thank me later
or just skip Laphroaig and use Smokey Monkey!@@monagave
Great beginners video. If you ever feel like doing a scotch 1.2, there are so many ways to go. I highly encourage it.
great summary....my favourite of all time is 16 yr old Lagavulin, a really subtle yet sumptuous whisky
Thank you so much for this intro. I’ve dabbled a bit with scotch, but this really helps. Monkey shoulder is a good scotch, and I mix it with Fever Tree Ginger Beer, making my own “Glasgow Mule”. I put in a big slice of lemon instead of lime. It’s delicious!
Love this series. I would love to see a guide to bourbon in a future video, or just American whiskeys in general to allow for ryes
Picked up the Aberfeldy. Great recommendation Anders!! 🎉
Wonderful intro to the basics!
I found Aberfeldy because of you, Anders, and it's become one of my go-to bottles!
Cheers to You From Down Under🇦🇺 no Scotsman has pull an intro to the GOOD Drop better than yourself!!
Well done
I personally have been into Scotch and Whisky for 40 years and never have I had it presented so well😊😊
And hi to the Windy City😊😊 Mate
Springbank's my favourite of that bunch. Great guide for the uninitiated!
Great video! I have always been fascinated by regional/cultural alcohol, more whisk(e)y videos. I finally bought a bottle of CioCiaro and made a 38 Special, with JW Black, from Petraski's 'Regarding Cocktails' book and look forward to getting into more mixed Scotch drinks with different Scotch.
I loved this video! Islay is my favorite, I love my smoke. Funny story I've always loved scotch but started out hating tequila. But then I ran into mezcal, and loved it because of the smoke. After that, I was actually able to start appreciating tequila as I started comparing them like you might scotch.
I love his content. I so wish he had YT Channels for everything I was into because I enjoy his enthusiasm and his knowledge. Keep up the great work, Sir...
Which whisk(e)y do you want? Yes! Looking forward to the following-on videos!
The pictures from your vacation were a very nice touch! 👍
"If it's your bottle, you should do whatever you want". Brb gonna go mix Sprite with my Macallan 40.
Loved this video. Great summary!!!
This was great! It would be an expensive proposition, but having an intro video for each region as part of a periodic series would be amazing. Maybe a brief history of the region, a starter recommendation or two followed by an option that would be a good step into more complex palates.
Cheers!
Big fan of Glengoyne, the distillery is just down the road from my grandparents so I've been several times. Also, interestingly, it's the only distillery in Scotland that distils its whisky in the Highlands but matures it in the Lowlands, because the distillery straddles the border.
Absolutely LOVE the Laphroig 10! Started with Jameson, then tried a Buchanan 10. They were good, but the Laphroig cemented my love of scotch. No mixing, neat only for me
Great breakdown. Good job, Anders!
Great video Anders. My go to blend is Johnny Walker Black or Johnny Walker 18 yr old. For single malt Glen Livett 15 yr old is great the same with McCallam 12 or 18 yr old. You mentioned Dalmore and it is lovely. I generally drink them neat but on a night out a little club soda or water make them stretch a little longer. Thanks again…Cheers
I was asked by a friend to buy a Laphroaig from the Delhi Airport DFS. After I gifted it to him he opened it and offered it to me. It blew me away. I just couldnt handle it..brought memories of my Mom applying tincture Iodine on wounds I'd get falling from my bike as a child! Wow! Its simply too strong. Not sure I'll try it again. Happy with, now what I know as Speyside whiskies, Glennfeddich and Glenlivet 😊
Great video, as usual! I absolutely agree with you on mixing with fine whiskies, do whatever you like with your bottle (especially in an old fashioned).
I love the Bunnahabhain 12, and I recommend the Kilchhoman Sanaig.
Cheers 🥃
Talisker is a an amazing option. The 10 years is excellent value for money, tastes amazing.
Their factory tour was also lovely
The Laphroaig Ciardeas White Port and Madera is amazing.
Thank you for your wonderful video, I actually learn a lot from this. I am following your channal from now on. 😀
This was so helpful! Thank you!
Enjoyed your energy and humor on this episode - well done! I recently put Ardbeg into a spray bottle and give a few sprays over other cocktails for that Smokey /peaty nose.
I bought a Springbank 18yr as an expensive wedding gift ($250), and it was hands-down the best scotch that I've had... The caveat is that I haven't had a lot of scotches, but of the ones I have had, it was amazing. And most whisk[e]ys/scotches I've had I prefer on the rocks, but this one seemed best neat
yep, I like trying Laphroaig select as the final choice for progressing thru whiskies in mixed drinks. my current favorite for drinking neat is Old Pulteney (so special occasions for this). cheers!
I love these guides. Would love to see you tackle tequila, and brandy/cognac as well
Another terrific video! I would love to see one on the world of fortified wines. Difference between vermouths, Lillet, Cochi Americano, etc.!
Good summary.
I think it helps to understand scotch using quadrant scale of ‘Smokey to delicate’ and ‘light to rich’.
Laphroig for example is light and Smokey. The lightness description might indicate to newbe that it is less harsh, but is actually harsher. This is because the lightness brings the smoke to front. A rich whisky will smooth off the roughness of smoke.
Honestly you only need 3/4 whiskeys, one at each end of quadrant. There are few standouts that offer amazing value and quality.
Anders true to form had 3 on show, and Bunahabben (can’t spell). Laphroig and Talisker. Mentioned lagavulin also, which for £20 more than others is an incredible whiskey
Great video my man!
First time seeing your channel, and what an intro it was. I love some kinds of scotch, but couldn't figure out why some within the same "category" were so different. It all makes sense now-- Highland is a bit of a wildcard, it would seem. Thank you for making this video; it was very helpful.
Glenfiddich 12-year-old is always at Costco for a reason, it is good sipping and popular. During the holidays they had a Sherry cask 12-year-old which imparted that sweetness of sherry to the blend. Fantastic stuff. 👍
I bought Monkey Shoulder on a whim because it came with a banana flask! Turned out to be a great scotch. I like sipping it neat on the rocks. Good recommendation!
laphroaig quarter cask is one of my faves when I can get it cheers🥃
I like Bunna 12 a lot, also Arran 10, Bruichladdich Classic Laddie, and Aberlour A'bunadh are all great.
Hi Anders, well done for a very objective, informative and illustrative presentation.
Fortunately, living where I do and having had in my career numerous trips and holidays in Scotland, I have tried, bought, used a considerable variety of the Scotch single Malts and blended malts.
You are right in recommending Monkey Shoulder for they do 2 versions, pleated and not peated. Famous Grouse is the best of the affordable blends.
I have a small stash of single malts but only rarely do I use any for cocktails.
Nick from York
excellent video, thanx for the detailed explanation Anders.
Cheers. Happy weekend
It is excellent that you were able to hit all of the key points about Scotch. I have conveyed this same information to close relatives but the points were spread out over time - so I'm saying you did an excellent job to convey all of the key information in one easy to absorb video.
I started in Scotch and other whisky in 2015 and I've spent a lot of time online, reading and watching whisky reviews, buying bottles, trying them, etc. (so starting at that time means I'm not a major expert).
Here's one point I might have stressed: I would have stressed that the viewer set aside highly 'Peaty' Scotch (like Ardbeg or Laphroig) and describe them as a separate 'animal' for folks who've had an introduction to scotch or other whisky, and I would make sure the viewer definitely does not start by sampling/tasting a highly peaty Scotch. I would warn "stay away from these highly peaty whisky" and only sample them after you have some experience.
I could go on about the reasons for this. First an extreme example: my best friend described Scotch as this horrendous concoction that only some radical dude could tolerate or even like, and it's like eating a campfire. As a Scotch almost-expert I can tell what happened to my best friend. He had had no exposure to Scotch and some friend hit him with an Ardbeg saying something like "this is Scotch, and only real men can handle it." He takes a sip and knows that Scotch is garbage for some psycho macho-men, and later my friend tells me how horrible Scotch is.
So do not let beginners start with a highly peaty Scotch. Warn beginners away from it. It's not a 'strong' version of scotch... to a beginner it's booze plus ashtray, and who the heck likes the taste of an ashtray!
So with my friends I instead would say "Almost all Scotch that you will encounter is not peated." These are the ones you should try. Keep in mind there's no peat in them, and their flavor is quite interesting. If you encounter highly peated scotch, consider that a completely separate category and actually I recommend you avoid it. Don't assume that Scotch in general has that 'ashtray' or 'band-aid' or 'vegetal' taste. That is a really strange acquired taste, like smoking cigarettes and liking the taste of a cigarette. (When you first try a cigarette it tastes absolutely horrible. It is amazing that we end up having more than that one taste and it's amazing that we eventually become addicted to these things.) Peated Scotch is like smoking cigarettes.
Once a person has experience a number of different Scotch brands and if they say they like or appreciate the taste, *then* at that point it is worth trying a highly peated Scotch.
Some people have a strange affinity for that ashtray or band-aid taste. The affinity is hard to explain.
By many years of periodic exposure to peated Scotch I can now tolerate the taste and now I can even enjoy it a bit.
I think it's smarter to pitch Scotch this way.
Your thoughts?
Cheers!
Not quite scotch, but I've been getting into Japanese whiskies lately, which for sure take a page or two from Scotland, and this definitely was a good little educational overview (especially with the different types). All the same, this is really making me want to pay a visit to my uncle over there in Scotland!
Islay is by far my favorite region. I love that peaty smoke flavor. Never used it in a cocktail though. I did use some Johnny Walker to make a Godfather though...one of my favorite Scotch cocktails, and so simple too.
Thanks for the Intro to whisky. My own favourites are Laphroaig and Lagavulin. Not very original, but I'm a sucker for Islay.
Great timing on this as I'm just now getting into scotch, coming from bourbon. Started with Dewars and liked it enough to try another: JW Black. I like Dewars more so I've been mostly using the Black Label in Old Fashioneds and Penicillins. Scotch, as with most imported spirits, are very expensive here in Brazil so trying new bottles is like Russian Roulette.
Anders thanks for presenting this information in this manner, it will make explaining Scotch to my friends easy. At least to start with. It is a very important topic, absolutely. I would have liked to hear mention of Johnnie Walker, so much to be aware of with this brand.
Very good and so helpful as much of my experience with Scotch has been rough and overbearing. So I stuck with Irish. But some of the the multi distilled versions sound enticing.
Would love to see one of these on Irish whiskey. Thanks for the education!
Several years ago we were in San Francisco. There was a shop near the Chinatown Gate on Grant Avenue that sold all things Scottish. They had well over a hundred different Scotches for sale. On our first visit we bought a bottle of Edradour, because it came from the smallest distillery. It was a fine Scotch. At the time they actually listed the names of the people who worked at the distillery. The entire staff amounted to four people. I wonder if they've expanded.
Regarding the pronunciation of some of the names: The proprietor of the shop was Named Hector, and he had a very strong Scottish accent, so I considered him a good resource. I asked him how to pronounce some of the names that were of geographic origin, and he said, "Sometimes only the people who live there really know how to say it." So, who knows? Maybe you nailed them all! Anyway, thank you for the video.
we're headed to our local Irish pub tonight, in fact, so this is timely, because i tend to order scotch over irish whiskeys for some reason. (it's the peaty-ness, for sure. Ardbeg 'Wee Beastie" for life!). Thanks for all the work on this, you two -- tonight i'm gonna go in armed with more knowledge on where to branch out!