Scotch Whisky 101 Primer for Beginners - Gentleman's Gazette
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- čas přidán 29. 08. 2024
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The first mention of scotch can be dated back to June first, 1495 to the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland. Thereafter, whisky begins to circulate throughout the country and by 1644 it was now. Of course, there are some smart distillers who sold it illegally and it became only more popular after that. By 1780, there were only eight legal distilleries in Scotland who had to compete against bootlegging operations. The popularity of whisky swelled again in 1831 when a column still took off. Now distilleries were able to mass produce this spirit at a much lower cost with a better quality, however, it was until 1880 that Scotch would become a global phenomenon. Up until then, wine and brandy had the top spots of drinks in the world. Interestingly, a very small microscopic insect killed a lot of the grapes and so there was a huge demand for a new beverage. The phylloxera bug brought the wine and brandy production almost to an immediate halt and scotch would pick up where they left off. Today, scotch is enjoyed by many gentlemen around the world.
Unfortunately, the terms are often mixed up and so we'll try to provide some clarity. Probably the most popular scotch term is single malt. That means, it is a whisky from a single Scottish distillery that is based on barley and water. It contains no other cereals, must be distilled and bottled in Scotland. Next up is a category of single grain Scotch whisky which usually you can't find easily on liquor store shelves in the US. Just like the single malt, the single grain whisky starts out with barley and water but then other things are added to the mash which would start the fermentation and eventually end up in alcohol. Just like a single malt, it has to be bottled in Scotland to be named scotch. So single grain Scotch whisky is what you find for the most part in blended whiskeys out there.
So what does the term blended Scotch mean? Basically, you need at least one single malt scotch that is then paired with at least one single grain Scotch. You may have come across the term blended malt scotch which is rather uncommon and previously was also referred to as “vatted malt” or a “pure malt”. If you get a blended malt Scotch you take at least two single malt scotches from different distilleries and blend them together. So blended grain Scotch is very similar it just means that you have at least two or more single grain Scotch instead of them blended together.
So what needs to be in a Scotch in order to be able to call it Scotch?
Again, it must be produced, bottled, and distilled in Scotland. Must be based on barley and water and must be aged in casks. Yes whole grains and other cereal can be added to the malted barley mash in order to produce different flavor varieties. It also has to be processed entirely at a distillery, it has to be fermented with enzymes and yeast, and the alcoholic strength can't be more than 94.8% or 190 proof. That is matured in a warehouse in Scotland and it can't be larger than 700 litres that's about 185 US gallons. In order to call it scotch, it has to stay there for at least three full years. If you call it scotch you must retain color aroma and flavor of the raw ingredients. It must not contain any other substances other than water to wear it down to bring to a certain proof level and e-150a which is caramel coloring. Last but not the least, you can't water it down too much and must retain at least 40 percent or 80 proof for it to be called scotch.
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Watching this while drinking a nice, full glass of water.
lol
I'm doing the same but i would prefer scotch after watching this video. Thank you Gentleman's Gazette.
Gotta stay hydrated!
Jeremiah Byrne your profile picture it- MY ARCH NEMESIS the pyro!
@S Tra yes, it should be something like: "im laughing *gentlemanly* out loud". Or " l gentlemanly ol" for short
I've watched a couple videos on this subject and this was by far the best I've seen. You can really see the effort that goes into these. Keep up the great work Sven!
@RolexReplicaReview A) you spelled "whisky" wrong. B) That's a matter of opinion. However, in terms of the craft of making whisky, that's simply not true. I would argue that the truest craft distillery in the world still lies in Scotland. And when every step is done properly, nobody can say they do it better than that.
Was gonna say, he covered a lot of detail that most channels leave out and didn't make any mistakes, Sven is clearly a gentleman who knows whisky.
Which scotch is determined by your tastes, and how you are drinking it. Both malts and blends have their place, and each has things it excel at. I break Scotch drinking into three categories: savoring, casual drinking, and cocktails. Good and better malts are for savoring. This is focusing on the whisky in moderation and contemplation. Neat, rocks, or a splash of water are the only ways to really appreciate a fine malt. On the other hand, if I'm having a drink after work with friends or coworkers, I lean more towards a highball, so a good blend like Johnny Walker or Teacher's in a highball glass with some ice ans soda is in order. Cocktails with Scotch, say a Rob Roy or a Rusty Nail call for a blend. The one cocktail I'll use a malt for is a Hot Toddy, and the best hot toddy I've had used a peaty Speyside malt. The smokiness worked really well with the bitters, heat, and sugar in the drink.
This is all personal, as it really is a matter of taste. Oh, and single malts have not always been considered the top of the Scotch Whisky family. It wasn't until the 80's that people started holding single malts in such high regard. Top end blends were considered the top, and were vastly more popular before single malts rose to prominence.
Glenmorangie is a beautiful scotch which no drinks cabinet, bar or decanter should be without. ♥️
I learned more about Scotch by watching this video than I have in 15 years associated with the Department of Defense.
I really appreciate the amount of research put into your presentation, and resources you make available to your subscribers.
I love the concern this man's voice holds for fellow gentlemen. Makes me both admire him and laugh out loud.
These videos get better and better. You sir, are a national treasure. Thank you friend.
Had a peek at your list and certainly agree with a lot of our choices. Dalmore and Balvenie are among my favourites of the mainstream distilleries for sure.
Dalmore and Balvenie are both great spirits with high potential Distillery character, however Dalmore is doing nothing with it in ther core range. Unless it's the 25yo (way over priced at 700 Euro/Pounds for a contemporary bottling) they are more or less subpar. Imagine, 700 Euros is already Dead Distillery Rare Malts Selection level. I bought Convalmore Rare Malts for 500 last year. Why would i buy an over engineered contemporary Dalmore which has been Finished btw, when i can get RM or even extremely old Glen Grants at auction for that money.
And you're wrong there, not even the most experienced Whisky tasters like Serge Valentin, Charlie Mclean or Dave Broom claim to notice Caramel. Butter scotch notes are often present in Whiskies even if they are natural colour. Especially in a Whisky that comes from a rather medium dark refill Sherry cask. Had it very often in Springbank (they never add colour).
Maybe i tasted it somewhere along the way, but nobody can say for certain that he/she can taste the colouring. According to the industry, the colouring is supposed to be tasteless, and the amount they use is rather a colour consistency adjustment. They won't turn a Whisky from a refill Bourbon cask (pale gold) into looking like dark Sherry matured monster. I'm against it too, but Cask selection and ABV is a much more important issue. Especially with Dalmore.
Balvenie is a great go to elegant Speysider, and at least the Single Barrel versions offer craft presented value for money ( the 15s going up to 100 Euros though). But Balvenie has the same problem when it comes to their old Whiskies (25+), in that they are just over priced for what they are.
Peated whisky is a GIFT, it’s my favourite kind
Paul G In german „Gift“ means poison
Peat flavour in whisky doesn't come from the peat in the bogs affecting the taste of the water; in peated whiskies, the grain is smoked over a peat fire before being malted. I think you know that, but the video is a little vague in that one spot.
Close, but you have it backwards, and he does slightly mention it. A peaty malt is peaty because peat smoke was used to dry the malted barley, stopping the germination and preserving the grain.
I never knew that. I always thought it was the water that gave it that distinctive taste and smell. Thank you.
@@joeltham1979 Peat in the water can play a role, as per my other comment.
Yes, "peated" whiskies get that character from the peat smoke used in the drying process, However, even unpeated malts can have phenol content and (generally subtle) peat character from the water. All the whiskies I have tasted from Bruichladdich's unpeated range betray the presence of peat, which can only be from the water. In fact, Bunnahabhain makes a point of boasting that it is the only distillery on the isle of Islay to use pure spring water with no peat influence. Probably the best example is Tobermory, which is on the isle of Mull and produces "unpeated" whiskies (no peat fire used for drying) using very peaty water. Taste it and see.
John Smith. Sorry, No it can't. It's a total myth !
Cask, previous contents of cask, Peat PPM barley levels, Distillation style, fermentation time, yeast and barley type all play a part in the flavour (in that order). The only thing you need to worry about with the water is the pH levels which will effect the fermentation of the mash with the yeast.
Very informative, thank you. Scotland is a great country 🏴
Very concise overview of Scotch. Thanks!
I love the casual effect of that green knit tie with an otherwise bold business-y look!
My heritage is primarily Scottish, my surname is Scottish, and boy do I love Scotch.
We got introduced to the Lagavulin 16y on a recent cruise and we absolutely loved it!
Just to clear it up for people.
People in Scotland are "Scottish", I've seen plenty of people on the internet call us "Scotch" like "ah, those Scotch people who just moved in down the street", Scotch is a whisky, Scottish is an ethnicity.
Bouncin' Betty If we’re splitting hairs I believe it’s a nationality, not an ethnicity.
Also, if you have ancestry to that part of the world you may be known as Scot-Irish.
Bouncin Betty. Sorry there are numerous references in Scottish literature to the use of "scotch" in reference to the people. I'm one of them.
I love how you are so refined without being pretentious
Thanks for the video.
I love Scotch from all the regions. What I drink depends on my mood at the time. I tend to drink the heavily peated ones in the evening, especially in the fall or winter.
I greatly appreciate this video due to the fact that I have taken on the personal challenge of setting up a wet bar in my home I must admit I not a whisky drinker myself so I have been gathering knowledge on the different brands as well as types of glasses to serve various drinks in so thank you so much for taking the time to share a really informative video!
I must be a gentleman already. I have all the whisky to support my claim. Cheers!
I just bought a Green Label. I am gonna enjoy it after this video.
Super helpful! I'm a big bourbon fan and it's time to branch out to Scotch!
What Bourbon Brands do you recommend?
Great video, really is a video I have waited for. By far my favorite drink! I really am proud to be Scottish!
Yet another informative and approachable guide, why I love GG. Can we expect a video on Brandy/ Cognac sometime in the future? Thanks for the excellent content Raphael!
Thank you,
Bourbon has always been our family drink like most Americans.
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
If I'm not mistaken a single malt (or blended malt for that matter) contains malted barley more precisely, while grain whiskey or blended whiskey contains unmalted grains (barley or some other type, like corn or wheat)
Grain whisky *may* (and generally does) contain unmalted grains *in addition to* malted barley.
"Blended whisky" is an ambiguous term in respect to Scotch, as almost all bottlings--including single malts--are blends. Blended Scotch whisky is a legal category that indicates the presence of both malt and grain whisky, whereas blended malt Scotch whisky contains only single malts.
Great video. So many whiskies to enjoy!
Another interesting fact is that the casks are often casks used previously for other alcoholic drinks even elsewhere.
Watching this, sipping on some gold label. Cheers, and Happy New Year! 🥃
A way to describe peat would be an earthy smoke kind of flavor. I would consider iodine to be rather unique and characteristic of Lagavulin.
Thank you for sharing this, I really learned a lot! I'm in the import/export business, and I love learning how certain drinks are made and come from.
This guy is a Human Enciclopedia 👏
The photo of the bog cart. The guys hat fits his head well. Prominent head it is.
Black label always have a special place in my heart
If I'm properly tasting I go for the glencairn glass but if I'm just enjoying it and not bothering about its notes I have a couple of glasses from iiimy and the White&mackay distillery that I normally use
Thank you for a great video on Scotch, that really helped me get to know the points I should think about. As there is a trend in Germany to drink more and more gin, I would kindly ask you, if you can do a video on gin as well. Greetings from Freiburg!
Sehr geehrter Herr Schneider,
vielen Dank für Ihr hervorragendes Video über Scotch, dass endlich einmal im Gegensatz zu vielen anderen Videos die wichtigen Punkte auf der Suche nach dem passenden Scotch beleuchtet.
Da es derzeit zumindest in gewissen Kreisen in Deutschland die Tendenz gibt, statt anderen Spirituosen zum Gin zu greifen, möchte ich Sie höflich fragen, ob es vielleicht möglich wäre, dass Sie ein ähnliches Video auch über Gin aufnehmen. Unter Umständen könnte darin ja auch der eine oder andere Gin aus Deutschland vorkommen.
Viele Grüße aus Freiburg im Breisgau!
Known for pure, soft water sources >> shows pictures of the sea. No no no :P
Can you do an episode on what hair products you use and what styles would be appropriate
Anyone else who "o.O" when he flexes a 34 year old scotch. Amasing video!
Glencarin is so worth it.
I like a good scotch (and cognac isn't bad but that is another story)...best I've had was Glenfiddich 21YO...it is costly but absolutely worth it
Sharp suit brother! That thick peak lapel looks great! Especially with the tie!
Loved the video. Great intro to whisky. Excellent extra info.
The typo Easter eggs were humourous :) Which region is "Spreyside"? lol
you have a typo on screen at 11:00 or so, where you say 190 but the screen says 109
Great info from a few years ago, thank you 🙂👍
Over seven years i have gained quite some experience with Whisky, ranging from entry level bottlings to Dead Distilleries, Rare Malts versions, old style bottlings from the 70s and 80s and 40yo+ Whiskies. So, you can say i have been nerding it quite excessively and i can tell you this: Do not start collecting Whisky unless you seriously enjoy it and want to gain experience. Don't do it because you think it will enhance your Gentleman levels. That would be pretentious and you will only be lying to yourself and you would be wasting your money. I have been pleasantly surprised of 50 euro whiskies and have been dissapointed of 300-400 Euro Whiskies. Always start small and see if you like it first.
Hi Sven Raphael! Please give us your advice on what gifts you recommend for us to give to other gentleman.
My teacher in bartending school said: After distillation, it's not up to 94.8% ABV. In your video is 98.4%. If it over 96% it will fly away
Yes, Thien, this is an impossibly high proof, and should read 58.4%. Highest proof spirit I've encountered is Golden Grain or Everclear, which is a neutral grain spirit used for making highly alcoholic punch and the like, and as lamp fuel.
I partly understand why Americans call whisky Scotch but as a Scot, I've never referred to it as Scotch and haven't really ever heard any other Scot do so either. If you visit Scotland and try to order 'Scotch' in a bar/pub, it's possible you'll get either a look of annoyance or an eye roll. Just be prepared for that!
Hey Sven, I’m a high school student and traveling to Greece for the summer. I’m asking for your advice, what are some items I should wear/bring? And, is there anywhere in Greece that i should go to buy some gentlemanly items?
It’s a 10 day trip to Athens and the Greek Islands on a Cruise ship around the Aegean!
favorite speyside grenrothes,macallan
favorite islay lagavulin 16
Very nice and informative.
If you all want to learn more about Scotch and other Whiskies, consider subscribing to the WhiskeyVault channel. Daily videos, and a great community of fellow whisk(e)y lovers.
Can I get some appreciation for living in Scotland?
yeah, lol
My wife and I just spent 16 days in Scotland. Loved it. Great food and Highland Park is some fine whiskey!
why thank you
it is indeed unique
I'll give you some commiseration ;)
Hey,can you do same type of video for beer too😍
My favorite channel!
I've heard that one shouldn't swirl spirits, as they are high in alcohol and swirling makes it evaporate faster, so that when you take a sniff you'll just get alcohol instead of the fruity notes. Do you find this accurate? Or is it just snobbery? Very informative video, btw. :)
As much as that makes sense, the oxidation of alcohol (like wine) enhances its smelling and tasting notes, and I would assume that whiskey and other spirits take on the same effect. I guess there are pros and cons for everything and only a whiskey connoisseur would be able to weigh them up and give you a verdict. And as much as I enjoy this channel, I'd probably be looking to ask this on channels dedicated to whiskey.
True too an extent. The best way to 'open' up the whisk(e)y outside of adding water is to 'roll' the spirit in a suitable tasting glass. At the very simplest, it involves the slowest of swirls, just enough to coat the inside of the glass on all sides. It's easiest to do by moving the wrist around an invisible axis and trying to keep the spirit in the same place. This may also help determine the proper colour outside of generic amber or gold. Then you may proceed to nosing and tasting.
Richard Driskill, I'll agree to disagree with you. You are absolutely right in that water does work faster and more efficiently to open a dram, and like you said should be added to anything over 50abv if you aren't used to drinking strong spirits neat, but once the tasting glass is coated the alcohol will be able to evaporate more quickly. In my experience though, there are certain whiskies (usually bourbon for whatever reason) that get drowned far too easily if you add a quarter drop too much. The best way I've found to counter this is to pour two glasses and enjoy one while the other opens naturally, usually over the course of 15-30 minutes.
I wouldn’t fancy a whisky made from bog water! They still use fresh river water on the west coast. The peat flavour comes from the drying of the malt over peat (or turf here in Ireland) fires. It’s the smoke from these fires that gives it the smokiness. Laphroig is probably the extreme when it comes to peat flavour. I call it liquid turf!
Tobermory is a good example of an "unpeated" Scotch that nonetheless has peat elements from the water.
Can you do a guide on cigars
Yeeeaaahhhh Sven!!!! Now we’re talking!!! Good man
how is 98.4% = 109 proof??
Thank you for making this video!
Perhaps a video about what activities gentlemen should excel in. I'm thinking of activities like tennis, skiing, chess, sailing, etc.
Whisky wasn’t taxed it was the malt going into it, taxing the product over the ingredients caused the comeback of legal scotch
Great video. Confirmed Glenmorangie man here.
I love Scotch!
Great video Raphael. I have one suggestion for improvement regarding your site: I find that ads in the middle of articles are a bit annoying. Sometimes the site gets quite cluttered and you don't know if the article ended or not because of the ads in the middle. I would prefer if all the ads were on the side.
Most people consume content on mobile device, and there is no sidebar. After all, is is free content and so you will have to live with ads. At the end of the day it is expensive to produce quality content and the best way to support this is to buy our products. If that is not an option, clicking on our ads helps to keep the machinery going. Without in-text ads there would be less content.
Can I please request a video on Brandy? Thank you.
Cheers
There are two omissions from these definitions and the correct definitions are
single malt - the barley used to make a single malt scotch must be malted
casks - the casks used to hold any form of scotch must be made from oak
. . . . . and it's spelled Speyside not Spreyside
Glenmorangie's or Johnny Walker Blue or Royal Brackla or Oban. My Favs
Myles Yoshimoto Jura Origin or Highland Park (whichever's cheapest when I buy a bottle) for my standard tipple. And I've a bottle of Abelour A'bunadh for occasions.
Zweiter :D
ich fühle ich werde selbstischerer mit jedem Video vom euch DANKE!
25" bin ich ja erst :D
PURE
Ardbeg uigeadail scotch favorite
Scotch is fine but please make a Video about Cognac the greatest Blend of Eau de vie's possible (in my oppinion)!
Great video
This is way beyond a primer lol but it was incredibly informative
Great video!! Please do bourbon 😁
I enjoy Scotch whiskey using the Norlan glass that brings out the flavors and aroma. My choices for scotch are occasionally and blended space side. My normal choices are a nice single malt scotch preferably a peated islay or space side.
Peet is a fancy word for dirt.
That Ardbeg blended scotch on my shelf is starting to look kinda friendly xD too bad i gotta work tomorrow :/
You forgot to mention Campbeltown whisky is rough, rubbery, oily, but it can be the best thing in the world if you are into it.
Recommend the whiskey tribe channel or the whiskey vault channel
Ardbeg Uigeadail for the win
I'm a bourbon guy and I want to try scotch
My favorite use of Scotch is in a Penicillin.
How's the restoration of the portrait of Vigo the Carpathian going?
I doubt the majority of the barley in the world is produced in Scotland.
I came for answers to questions I didn’t know I had.
Never believe to maturation, how possible regulate process ? Where is the places, trees and time to make that much whisky
Just water for me. My dad’s favourite drink is whisky. However, I won’t buy it for him as a gift, as he abuses it and turns into a nasty bastard. So only gin for him.
Your graphics guy messed up the numbers on the screen: Must be 94.8% or 190 proof.
Actually, the majority of barley apparently comes from Russia, followed by France and Germany.
Just watching this after breakfast. Now I feel a bit like Churchill.
Single grain isn’t made with barley generally speaking. When you say single grain it refers to whisky that is made out of corn, rye, wheat, etc...
No, he is correct. All Scotch must be made with (malted) barley but grain whisky may also contain other whole cereals.
4:25 94.8 percent? 190 Proof? There's inconsistencies with what's shown on screen and what the guy's saying
What I said was correct
I'm glad you noticed as well the video written instructions say 98.4 and 109 yet his verbal instructions say 94.8 and 190.
I think it is a matter of pronounciation. I heared it right 109 proof. He says "a hundred and nine" but he says the "and" so subtle that you can mistake it for "a hundred ninty" .
@@EllinonEnosis You heard wrong, possibly because you read "109" as he was saying "190," and your brain tried to reconcile what you heard with what you read. But the on-screen text is incorrect. He said "a hundred and ninety proof." The American and British definitions of "proof" are somewhat different; in the UK, for example, 100 proof = 57.1%, while in the USA 100 proof = 50%. (The USA definition of "proof" is "twice the percentage by volume.") So 94.8% by volume would be 189.6 USA proof, and is rounded up to 190 proof. (BTW, pure alcohol would be 100% or 200 proof, but doesn't usually exist outside laboratories. That's because it would absorb moisture from the air and self-dilute down to around 194 proof.)
great
How do you guys whisky?
There is a few misconceptions here and there, not entirely wrong but a bit wrong. Have that in mind.
Was great till “Spreyside”...