My husband loves Scotch. He’s probably what you’d call a Scotch fanatic, but Scotch has an acquired taste. It’s not for everybody.

Scotch whiskey cannot be called Scotch unless it is made in Scotland. There are four different types of Scotch.

• Single Malt– Made from malted barley, double-distilled in a pot still
• Vatted Malt– A blend of malts from one or more distilleries
• Blended– A blend of malt and grain whiskeys
• Single grain– From one distillery and made from unmalted barley, wheat, or corn and then distilled in a continuous still
I did get the chance to go to Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, when I was around 12 years old on a school trip. But, unfortunately, I was too young to visit the Scotch distilleries. It’s definitely something I would like to scratch off my bucket list in the near future.

Some Scotches may have the flavor of smoke and peat, and others may have lighter, softer flavors.

Scotches share regional characteristics in flavor. Below is a breakdown of the different regions and flavor profiles.
• Highland: Eighty percent of all Scotch distilleries are located in the famous sub-region of Speyside, which produces Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, Gen Grant, and many other famous Scotches. The Scotches from the Highlands are light and refined, slightly smoky, with a touch of spice.

• Islands: Also grouped with Highland whiskies and usually taken as a sub-region, famous for Highland Park and Talisker. These tend to have more of the peat, salt, and seaweed flavors.
• Campbeltown: The smallest region and closest to Northern Ireland with only three distilleries; the most famous is Springbank. These whiskies have a light peatiness and saltiness. This region is also closest to the sea.
• Islay: This island stands alone and is the most important Scottish island for whisky production. The famous distilleries are Bowmore, Laphroaig, and Lagavulin, producing a strong peat and smoky aroma.
• Lowland: Lighter and softer in character, producing only a couple of straight malts, Auchentoshan and Glenkinchie, while the rest is used for blending.
Whether you’re planning a trip to the Scottish distilleries or just want to try a sip of the many Scotch brands available here at Nino’s, I hope you found this helpful.

Simone