How to Select Your First Bottle of Scotch

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Choosing scotch is an art as well as a statement of personal preference. This is because scotch is distilled in a number of ways and then is sold in both single-malts and blends. Confusingly, some scotches may also be labeled “Scotch whisky,” which can cause a novice to wonder if he’s buying scotch or whiskey (a different distilled spirit that is spelled with an “e”) — or both.

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Ultimately, once you delve into the world of selecting, tasting and enjoying scotch, you’ll have set for yourself a foundation on which you will continue to build your scotch education. Here are some key things to know when you begin the process by selecting your first bottle of scotch with confidence.

Scotch Regions

Whether you need help with buying Scotch or you choose to experiment on your own, your first lesson is that different scotches come from different regions. Scotch, as its name suggests, comes from Scotland. The country of Scotland is divided into six geographic regions, and each region has its own distinctive scotch.

• Highlands. The Highlands is the largest and best-known scotch-producing region in Scotland. As such, there is great taste variety among Highlands scotches.
• Lowlands. The Lowlands has three distilleries, which produce light-bodied single-malt scotch whiskies.
• Islay. Islay is a tiny region near the ocean that produces very distinctive malty, peaty, briny scotch.
• Campbeltown. As with the Lowlands, the smaller region of Campbeltown near Islay maintains three distilleries. Scotch produced here is similar to that produced in Islay due to the salty sea air.
• Speyside. Speyside rivals the Highlands for the greatest number of active distilleries. Sweet, rich, complex scotches come from this region.
• Islands. The Islands are close to both the Highlands and Islay. The scotches produced here are considered uniquely “transitional” and contain elements of both the Highlands eclectic offerings and the salty, malty scotches of Islay.

Scotch Blends

There are two basic types of scotch: single-malts and blends.

• Blends. Often those new to the world of scotch will start with blends, which provide a great foundation for tasting the various flavors and complexities of scotch. Also, most scotches exported by Scotland are blends, which can comprise up to 50 different kinds of scotch whiskies. Blends are easier to acquire (which also often makes them less expensive than single-malts, especially when bought abroad) and less challenging to the palate.
• Single-malts. Single-malt scotches are widely available throughout Scotland but are more difficult to come by abroad. With a single-malt scotch, you get the chance to delve into and savor particular elements of scotch. These elements are often subdued in their blended counterparts but sharply present in single-malts.

The Scotch Palate

Beyond acquiring knowledge of where and how scotch is distilled and the distinctive elements of the two basic types, you must also factor in your personal preferences, meaning your palate. Just as you may have preferences for certain foods or non-alcoholic beverages, so too will you likely discover you prefer scotches from certain regions, distilleries or blend types. Acquiring your personal palate is the most enjoyable part of learning about scotch because it is here where you put all your hard-won knowledge to work.

Selecting Your First Bottle of Scotch

Before you select your first bottle of scotch, you might want to attend a tasting. At a scotch tasting you can further develop your palate as well as flex your knowledge muscles by tasting several different scotches from different regions. A single tasting session can narrow down your choice spectrum considerably as you notice whether you enjoy a lighter or full-bodied, smokier or fruitier scotch. From here, you can identify the region or regions that produce the flavors you enjoy most and the distilleries that produce those types of scotches. You then have the basic information you need to shop online or locally to select scotches you enjoy. It can also be fun to share your basic palate preferences with scotch experts and see what they recommend for you to try.

With this knowledge you can begin right away to taste and experience scotch as you select your very first bottle with confidence.

About the Author: Chad Corsaw grew up in a scotch-loving family. On his 21^st birthday his dad gave him a rare single-malt scotch that they opened to celebrate. Today he is a sommelier who specializes in scotches.

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