There is a whole world of whisky out there, which is something to be happy about, but it can also be scary, especially if you are new to the category. What’s going on? How to begin? How to start?
To help you get started, we’ve put together a guide with information about some of the most important styles of whisky from around the world, who is likely to like them, and product suggestions for each style.
- Bourbon- like a lot of American whiskies, tends to be a lot younger than similar Scotches. This is usually because of high humidity and a large angel’s share. That doesn’t mean they’re worse, though; they just grow up faster. When it comes to bourbon, what you want is a lot of sweetness, flavor (especially vanilla), and smoothness.
- American: Right now, there are so many different kinds of whiskey made in the United States. If you look at mass-produced bourbon, you’ll find that it’s usually pretty sweet. However, if you look at craft American whiskey, you’ll find some amazing spicy, rich, and punchy whiskeys.
- In the last couple of years, sales of Irish-Irish whiskey have grown by more than 10%. When Jameson was the only Irish whiskey on the market, you could find it in every bar on the planet. Now, Irish whiskey makers have streamlined their lines and added new flavors.
- Canadian: It’s not too different from bourbon, but craft distilleries that are popping up all over the country are trying to make it its own thing. They don’t have to follow as many rules when making spirits as producers in Scotland do. Because of this, they can make spirits with very different styles, tastes, and aromas.
- Islay: Islay has a reputation for making only big, peaty, and strong whiskies, but that isn’t always the case. There are real beasts like Laphroaig and Ardbeg, but there’s also Bunnahabhain, which is mostly unpeated, Kilchoman, which is peated in different ways, and Bowmore, which is only lightly peated.
- Speyside- is a classic Scotch whisky that a lot of people like. Almost everyone has a favourite Speyside. There are a lot of Speyside fans who don’t like the more peaty styles. Speyside whiskies tend to have flavors that are very rich, fruity, and luxurious.
- Lowlands: The Lowlands don’t get nearly as much attention as they deserve. There are some really nice whiskies made here, which are smoother than many others. It’s similar to Irish whiskey, but it has a little bit more to it, maybe just a little more depth.
- A single malt scotch whisky is a mix of whiskies from just one distillery. A blended Scotch, on the other hand, has whiskies from more than one distillery (including grain whiskies). It’s all about putting together profiles to make styles that look the same.