Trying your first scotch whisky can be a daunting experience. Here are three things to take into consideration when newly exploring the world of scotch.

Variety:

If you are looking for the real deal, the best place to start would be to try a single malt scotch. However, it does require a sophisticated palette, as scotch is an acquired taste. Single malt scotch is single malt whisky made in Scotland using a pot still distillation process at a single distillery, with malted barley as the only ingredient. As a result, single malt scotches are much earthier with strong smoky flavours, compared to that of a blended whisky, which can be made up from blends of up to 50 different kinds of grain and malt whisky.

Region:

Based on the region, the taste characteristics of single malt scotch tend to vary. There are four scotch regions in Scotland – Highland, Lowland, Speyside, and Islay. As a beginner, it may be best to try the Lowland Scotch variety as your gateway scotch. While they have all the powerful, complex flavours and aromas that are distinct to single-malt whisky, they are lighter and mellower Scotch whiskies, and may be friendlier to a more junior palette.

If you want to try a great Lowland Scotch whisky, try Glenkinchie. It is bright gold in colour, and has a sweet soft, start like crème anglaise, soon becoming flowery again.

The Islay distilleries boast the heaviest, strongest-flavoured, smokiest, and most challenging of the single malts. While there are milder versions, this shouldn’t be the first variety to sample. Give this type a try when you feel comfortable with the Lowland variety, and are feeling a little more adventurous.

Age:

Another factor to consider is age. The longer a scotch has aged for, the smoother it will taste, so try to select the oldest available scotch of the variety. Keep in mind that scotch does not continue to age once it’s been bottled. Not all bottles of scotch note how long they’ve been aged, but the good ones do.

Hopefully these tips make your first scotch experience a successful one! Let us know if we missed anything, and be sure to check out our Facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/dutyfreecanada