Scotch Whiskey

Whiskey has been made in Scotland since th late 1500's. It is distilled from barley wich is allowed to germinate, or malt. The grain is dried in kiln over a peat smoke, which will added to the whiskey. There are three basic types od Scotch whiskey: malt, grain and blended.

Malt Scotch whiskey is full bodied, full flavored, 10 to 12 years old, with a distinctive, smokey, peaty taste. The majority are called "single malts", straight, unblended whiskeys from a single distillery. Most single malts come from the Highlands of Scotland, although fine malt Scotch is also produced on the islands of Islay, Skye and in Campbelton in the Lowlands.

Grain Scotch whiskey is a light bodied scotch whiskey distilled in a continuous still from cereal grains and produced almost entirely in the Lowlands of Scotland. While occasionally marketed straight, this whiskey is most frequently used in the blending of other Scotch whiskeys.

Blended Scotch whiskeys are the majority. They are combinations of grain and malt whiskeys blended to a unique and secret recipe. The difference between various blended Scotches comes from the proportion and quality of the products used.

Whiskey has been produced in Scotland for hundreds of years. The Gaelic "usquebaugh", meaning "Water of Life", phonetically became "usky" and then "whisky" in English


According to the Scotch Whiskey Association, no one knows exactly when the art of distilling was first practised in Scotland; it is known that the Ancient Celts practised distilling, and that the liquid they produced.  known in ancient Gaelic as uisge beatha ("water of life") — evolved into Scotch Whisky. By the 11th century distillation first occurred in Scotland in the early Christian monastic sites.