The Bottle Facts

This is the second part of a series that talks about the different words you see on a whisky label and figuring out which ones matter and which ones to avoid. This series is not for the whisky "experts" or the self proclaimed "connoisseurs". This post is for the beginners and hopes to give them a basic understanding of words on labels so they can make better purchase decisions as they explore the world of whisky. If you are not a beginner, then I suggest you stop reading here. Age statement  When I started my journey into whisky, a lot of people told me that older whiskies are better and to always look for the age statement on the bottle when making my purchase decision. These people insisted that older whiskies are better and told me to trust them because they are whisky connoisseurs. I took their advice, went to the liquor store only to realize that age statements on bottles are not that common any more. Yes, there are still age stated whiskies but more whisk...

You see them everywhere but do you know what they mean? You know they are expensive but do you know why? I am talking about Single Malts. Single Malts are usually in the moderately expensive to super expensive range. Lots of whisky enthusiasts argue that Single Malts are the best and the label Single Malt is a sign of quality. This, they say, is why they command a higher price than blends. In this post, I will explore what Single Malt is and why it is expensive. I will also answer a very important question; is it a sure sign of quality?  Is it just Marketing? Or does it mean something?  The first question any reasonable newbies will ask is whether or not the label Single Malt Scotch means something or if it is just marketing? I will get this question out of the way first and say no it is not just marketing. A distillery cannot just slap the label Single Malt Scotch if they do not meet the legal requirements to have such designation. The fortunate thing about Scotch is ...

Starting to explore whisky today is hard. Not because there are so few good ones out there but because there is just so many options available. Starting with the varieties of Whisky alone makes things confusion since there are so many available; Scotch, Irish, Japanese, Canadian, Rye, Bourbon, Single Malt, Single Grain, Blended Malt, Belnded Scotch etc. What makes each one unique? What does it mean when the label says Bourbon, or Rye, or Single Malt? These questions are important to answer as it will help you in your whisky journey and make an informed decision on whether or not the whisky is worth its price. Do you buy a $100 bottle of Blended Scotch whisky over a $100 bottle of Single Malt Scotch whisky? Do I like the malt flavour profile or the grains? In this post I will talk about Scotch and its different varieties. What makes a whisky a Scotch whisky? What are the different categories of Scotch Whisky and what makes each one unique? The information contained in thi...