Scotch Whisky 101: Part Three of a Series on Scotch Whisky

The Different Types of Scotch Whisky

Now that we have learned the history of scotch and how it's made, we'll discuss a little on the various types of Scotch whisky out there and where they come from. A lot of people find this part complicated, but if you take your time, you'll be able to decipher the various forms pretty easily.
There are three main types of Scotch whisky; blended, single grain, and single malt. We'll go through each of the types below.

Blended
Blended scotch is created from many different malt and grain whiskies. Usually blends have a ratio of 80% grain to 20% malt, and can include up to 20 different malts in each blend. Blended scotch whiskies are the most popular type of scotch because they tend to be consistent and smoother than other types of whisky. Being able to blend the malts also allows the blenders to play with how the finished product will taste and even change the taste, depending on the market the scotch is to be sold to.
Blended scotches are usually used for mixing or served on the rocks, although some can be enjoyed neat. These are pretty good scotches for a beginner to try. They are usually on the lighter side and won't be as likely to turn you off to the idea of scotch altogether, like the other types. Not that the other types aren't great, but these are a little easier to take down for a newbie.

Examples of blended scotch whiskies include: Most Johnnie Walker labels, Chivas Regal, and Dewar's White Label.

Single Grain
Single grain scotch is made from a single distillery and made from unmalted barley, corn, or wheat, water, and barley. There are only seven grain distilleries operating in Scotland right now. Most grain whisky is used for blends and not for sale to the general public. This is why they are hard to find. Interestingly, the production process for grain whisky is continuous, unlike in typical malt distilleries. This allows those seven distilleries to make a lot of single grain scotch and handle the required volume. If you ever get a hold of one of these bottles, I'd suggest drinking it neat with a small amount of distilled water.

Examples include: Cameron Bridge, Girvan, and Invergordon.

Single Malt
Last but not least, single malts. This part of the article will be a lot longer than the other parts because there is a lot more to explain. When people think of real scotch, they think of the single malt. It's the granddaddy of them all. Hopefully, someday soon, you'll be educated enough to learn to drink and enjoy one of the world's most refined drinks.
Single malts are called that because they are malt whiskies from a single distillery. They can't contain any whiskies from anywhere else. Single malts also have to be distilled in copper pot stills. These malts can only use malted barley. They can't have any other grains for fermentable products. This kind of whisky is produced all over Scotland and each area tends to have a unique flavor. Below, we'll look at the major regions and what their tasting attributes tend to be.

Islay
The island of Islay is the southernmost of the Inner Hebridean Scottish Isles, which are located off the west coast of Scotland. Most of the distilleries on Islay have a smoky character that comes from peat, which is both in the water, and in the high peating levels of the barley. Some have small notes of iodine (not as gross as it sounds), seaweed, and salt.

Examples include: Laphroaig, Lagavulin, and Ardbeg.

There are other distilleries on the northern part of the island which make lighter to medium strong whiskies as well, and these include Bunnahabhain, Bruichladdich, and Bowmore.

Lowlands
The Lowlands area of Scotland is, as it sounds, located within the southernmost part of Scotland. This region's scotches tend to be very light in both color and body, as they have little or no peat in them. They produce fresh, light, fragrant, and floral flavorings, sometimes with a touch of cereal.

Examples include: Glenkinchie, Daftmill, and Bladnoch.

Speyside
Speyside whiskies are distilled in Strathspey, the area around the River Spey in Moray, Badenoch, and Strathspey, in northeastern Scotland. They are usually very sweet whiskies with little to no peat character. Speysides tend to be highly perfumed and smell of flowers and fruits. A lot of them are matured in sherry-wood and can range from light to full-bodied. The two most famous scotches in the world are distilled here. They are the first two given in the examples below.

Examples include: The Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, and Glen Grant.

Campbeltown
Campbeltown is located on the Kintyre peninsula in Scotland. This is the southernmost tip of the west coast. It was once a major producer of whisky, partially because it was a place where scotch was illicitly made when it was illegal to distill it. It used to be considered the whisky capital of the world, but due to a decline in its distilleries, it has lost that title. Campbeltowns are traditionally full-flavored and full-bodied. They are famous for their depth and slight salty finish.

The three remaining distilleries are: Springbank, Glengyle, and Glen Scotia.

Highlands
The Highlands area of Scotland covers the majority of the Scottish countryside. There are four main regions within the Highlands itself.

Northern
The malts from the northern region tend to be light bodied and delicate. They also tend to have complex aromas. Some have a dry finish, while others finish with a salty taste. The peat factor can either be full or nonexistent.

Examples include: Glenmorangie (which happens to be my favorite as well as the most drank Scotch in Scotland), Highland Park, and Lapsang.

Central
Whiskies from the central region are generally light and sweet, but not as sweet as Speysides. They tend to be very fragrant, both emitting aromas of flowers and fruits while having dry finishes.

Examples include: Edradour, Aberfeldy, and Tullibardine.

Eastern
The scotches from the regions north of Aberdeen are medium-bodied with a high malt flavor. They are also sweet and smooth with a slight peat flavor and have a dry finish. South of Aberdeen, the whisky has a toffee and citruis taste. They have a small amount of smoke to them, and again finish dry.

Examples include: Ardmore, Glendronoach, and Glencadam.

Western
These whiskies tend to be peaty, but not as peaty as those produced in Islay. On the palate, they have a sweet start and a dry peppery finish. I would consider these as kind of an Islay light. Don't discount them though. They can be very nice on the palate.

Examples include: Oban, Ben Nevis, and Lava of the Cuillins.

As a note, single malt scotches tend to be enjoyed neat. No rocks, no mixers. Some people will add a little water in them, as they believe the water will bring out the aromas in the scotch.
Wow! That was a long article! I'm glad you stuck with me through it all! I know there was a lot of information there, but believe me, it'll help you out in the long run. Like wine, scotch can be enjoyed without any knowledge, but it really helps to have a little.

The next and final article will deal with how you drink scotch. I know you want to just skip to that part, but aren't you proud that you haven't? I hope you enjoyed, and remember comments are definitely cool!

Scotch Whisky 101: Part Two of a Series on Scotch Whisky

In the first article, we learned a little about the history of one of the world's most famous drinks. If you missed the article and would like to read it, click here. In this article, we will learn about how scotch is made.

First off, what is scotch? Scotch is a type of whisky. Merriam Webster tells us that whisky is defined as, "a liquor distilled from fermented wort (as that obtained from rye, corn, or barley mash)." By the way, you may notice that some people refer to scotch and other items as whisky, while others are referred to as whiskeys. The spelling variation between whisky and whiskey is based on where it was distilled. If it is distilled in Ireland or the United States, it's spelled whiskey. If it's distilled in Scotland, Wales, Canada, Japan and most other countries, it's spelled whisky. So, that tells us that scotch is basically just whiskey distilled in Scotland. While that is absolutely true, there's so much more to it. Now, onto how it's made.

Scotch Stills at Glenfiddich

Scotch whisky is mainly made up from essentially two components, barley and water. Scotland is a great place to grow barley because of its cool rainy summers. Most distilleries buy barley from farmers instead of growing their own. As weird as it sounds, all they care about is good barley with a high sugar content. That will come into play later.

Water, on the other hand, is much more important. Most distillers only use water from whatever region they distill in. Water may be the most important ingredient when it comes to the taste of scotch. Different areas have different soil content, plant life, and animal life that produce vast differences in how the water tastes. This allows a greater variety of scotch for our tasting pleasure.

Scotch, like most whiskey has a very specific process that it undergoes to become the drink we love. Interestingly, like with most classic alcoholic beverages, technology has barely changed how it's done.

It begins when barley grains spread evenly throughout the floor of a specific place in the distillery, sometimes called a malting house. They are then steeped in hot water until they sprout. This process, also known as mashing, takes place anywhere from one to three weeks. The barley is turned and stirred around, so overheating doesn't occur.

After the germination process is complete, the barley goes into a large kiln for drying. This stops the germination of the barley. Peat is sometimes added to the fire, which will give the finished scotch a smoky taste.

The barley is then ground into a course flour and put into a mash tun. Water is then added, and stirred in. This converts the starches in the barley into sugar. The sugary mixture is called wort.

The wort is cooled, and then pumped into another container where yeast is added. Yeast eats the sugar and produces alcohol as well as some other things that help with the taste. This process takes around two days and the end product is a very rough alcoholic "wash" with an alcoholic content of around six to eight percent.

Next, the wash is pumped into a still. Basically, a still brings the wash to a temperature just below water's boiling point. The alcohol and other things in the wash are evaporated and go into a long pipe with cool water running on the outside of it. This cools the evaporated wash back into liquid form. For most scotch, this is done twice. The second time, they use a smaller still, and the beginning and end of the mixture is cut out, because if they didn't, it would turn the finished product sour.

Once distilled, the wash is transferred into casks for maturation. The type of barrel used, as well as what it may have been used with before, add flavor and complexity to the drink. Scotch is rarely matured in new barrels. In fact, most of the time, they buy barrels from other whiskey distilleries, or wine barrels of some sort.

For the whisky to be truly considered scotch, it must mature for at least 3 years in Scotland. Most scotch is matured for at least 5-8 years. Single malts are usually done around 12, although, scotch can be matured for as much as 25 to 50 years before being sold. By the way, once bottled, scotch will not age any further. So, if you get a bottle, drink it!

The next article will talk about the different kinds of scotch.

Scotch Whisky 101: Part One of a Series on Scotch Whisky

Drinking scotch is easy, right? You just pour some into a glass and drink, the end. While that may be true, you probably won't get much enjoyment out of it. This series of articles will give you everything you need to enjoy one of the world's oldest, most refined, and popular drinks.

First off, a little lesson on scotch itself. I know, you don't really care where it came from, but its rich history will help you enjoy the taste even more. Believe me.

The SWA or Scotch Whisky Association tells us that "aqua vitae" the Latin phrase for "water of life," was first mentioned in writing in a Scottish tax document from 1494 by a friar named John Cor, who claimed eight bolls of malt to make aqua vitae. This would make about 1,500 bottles, showing that the distillery was already established.

Scotch was mainly made my monks, but as many of the monasteries were taken down, the monks made scotch whiskey as a means to make money. Originally, whisky was prescribed as a sort of tonic used to help relieve palsy, smallpox, and colic.

Scotch became quickly became popular throughout Scotland which led to large taxation by the Scottish and English Parliaments. The heavy taxes cause distillers to go underground and make the whiskey illegally which became standard from 150 years. The Scottish loved their whisky so much that even ministers in the church would allow it to be stored in special compartments under the pulpit. Scotch was often smuggled around in coffins as well.

In 1823 an act was passed that would allow whisky to once again be produced in a way that benefited both the government and the distillers. Legal scotch whisky once again found its way around the Scottish countryside.

Scotch became popular in France, when in the 1880's the phylloxera beetle destroyed the French vineyards cause wine and brandy production to come to a screeching halt. By the time the vineyards recovered, Scotch was the preferred drink in France.

Since then, Scotch whisky has become one of the world's most popular drinks and is enjoyed, in one way shape or form, in more then 200 countries around the world and generating an income of over $6 billion in exports annually.

The next article will deal on how scotch is made! Stay tuned and feel free to comment!

How to Put Together a Perfect Shaving Kit

We all travel and while woman take up a bag or two for their toiletries, we can't afford to take up that much space. After all, we are men and we shouldn't need that much space. So, what should we take with us when we travel? Here's a general list of what we should have on us for any vacation or weekend getaway.

This would look classy in your suitcase

The Bag

Shaving kits start with the bag. You can easily pick up a cheap bag from the big box stores, and it'll work just fine, but if you want to class it up a little bit, you may want to go with leather. It's sturdy, looks good, and ages pretty well.


The Contents

The contents of your bag can vary from person to person or from trip to trip, but this is a good place to start. Remember, there are travel size versions of most of these things, so you'll be able to fit them all in your bag pretty easily.

1: Toothbrush/paste
2: Bar of soap
3: Shampoo/Conditioner Combo
4: Stick of deodorant
5: Fingernail Clippers
6: Razor/shaving cream
7: Mouthwash/mints
8: Aspirin/pain medication
9: Pocketknife
10: Some cash

If you have room, you can add more things such as moisturizer, cologne, ect.  Even though almost all hotels will provide you with some sort of soap and shampoo, you always want to be prepared. Remember, you never know, you may end up with a broken down car in the middle of nowhere.

We would advise you to put together your shaving kit ahead of time and only replace things as needed. That way, you'll always have it on you in case you need to leave in a hurry. Some people actually keep a kit in their car, which can be helpful for those unexpected overnight stays.

The Essential Rules of Style: Part 3

Part three of the Essential Rules of Style:

7: Learn How to Do Basic Repairs

This is a cheap example from Amazon.com

No matter how well you treat your clothes, sometimes things happen. Hems will come undone, buttons will fall out, it's a fact of life. Let's face it, your mother won't always be around. Someday, you'll need to be able to sew the button back on. Most basic repair jobs are pretty easy to do and you can often look up how to do them fairly quickly online, so no excuses!

It's also a good idea to buy one of those mini clothes repair kits. They usually include some commonly used thread colors, some buttons, and a few sewing needles. You aren't knitting a scarf, so you won't need much more than that. Plus, it'll save you the $50 bucks that you'd spend on a tailor.

8: Own at Least One Good Pair of Shoes

These are basic and come in brown as well as black

Gym shoes are called gym shoes for a reason. When you are doing something athletic, they are fine. When you're going out, they look stupid. Go out and buy at least one good, nice, pair of dress shoes. I would even recommend to pairs; one black and one brown. That way, you'll be able to wear them with any outfit. A lot of women say that that one of the first things they notice on men are their shoes. Make your first impression a good one. Also, remember to match your shoes and you belt. Remember  it's the little things that matter.

9:  Keep Yourself Groomed

I assume that most of you shower, so that shouldn't be a problem. How often do you wash your hair though? How often do you shave? Shaggy, unkempt  dirty hair is gross. It can ruin the nicest suit in one second. I get that five o'clock shadows are cool, but there's a difference between stubble and laziness. When you're a teenager, you can get away with looking like a 70's porn star, but we are grownups now. If you want to be respected, look respectable. It's as simple as that. Cut your hair, shave your face, and only grow a beard when you can stand looking homeless for a few weeks. I recommend washing your hair at least three times a week. You don't need to do it every day, because the shampoo could actually hurt your hair.

By the way, if you like sporting facial hair, whether is stubble or full grown, throw a little conditioner on it. Trust me, it'll keep it nice and soft, which will keep your lady a lot happier.

10: Break the Rules

I know this sounds like a cop out  but rules really are meant to be broken. Some of those most stylish people in the world break rules all the time. However, they tend to only break one or two rules with an outfit. If you're going to think outside the box, be careful. You may go from being clever and playful to looking like a clown real quick. Break the rules, but do it with style.

That concludes our essential rules of style. If you follow these rules, you'll be well on your way to being a classic real man of style.