Whisky 101
A practical guide to choosing and enjoying whisky. Learn to compare the main styles, decode label jargon, find a flavour profile you'll love, and taste like an enthusiast, no prior knowledge required.
What whisky is
At its simplest, whisky is made from grain that's been fermented, distilled, and aged in wood. The grain provides the base spirit, distillation concentrates and shapes it, and the cask does much of the heavy lifting when it comes to flavour.
This guide focuses on the practical side: comparing styles, reading labels, and finding what you'll enjoy. For the full production story, see our How Whisky Is Made guide.
"Grain gives the base. Stills shape the spirit. Casks do the heavy lifting."
Want to know how whisky is made?
The short version: grain is malted, mashed, fermented, distilled, and aged in oak casks. Each step shapes the final flavour. For the full breakdown, including fun facts and detailed explanations, check out our dedicated production guide.
Scotch vs Irish vs Bourbon
A quick comparison to help you understand the big differences. Every category has exceptions, think of this as a helpful starting point, not a rulebook.
Scotch (Single Malt)
🏴 Scotland
Made from
100% malted barley
Stills
Pot still (batch)
Casks
Often ex-bourbon & sherry casks (reused casks are common)
Typical flavour
Wide range: light & fruity to rich & smoky (peat varies).
Try it if you like
Fruit, honey, gentle spice, or smoke/peat if you want intensity.
Must be made & matured in Scotland, aged in oak for 3+ years.
Irish Whiskey
🇮🇪 Ireland
Made from
Often blends of malt + grain; unique 'single pot still' uses malted + unmalted barley
Stills
Pot still and/or column still (varies by style)
Casks
Ex-bourbon common; sherry and other finishes also popular
Typical flavour
Often approachable: orchard fruit, vanilla, cereal; can be creamy/spicy in pot still styles.
Try it if you like
Smooth, easy sipping with fruit/vanilla and less smoke.
Must be made & aged on the island of Ireland for 3+ years in wood.
Bourbon
🇺🇸 USA
Made from
At least 51% corn (plus rye/wheat/barley)
Stills
Often column still + pot still doubler (varies)
Casks
New charred oak barrels (key flavour driver)
Typical flavour
Sweet vanilla, caramel, toffee, baking spice; richer oak influence.
Try it if you like
Dessert-like sweetness and bold oak-driven flavour.
Made in the USA. New charred oak is mandatory; 'straight' has extra rules.
Whisky regions (Scotland)
Regions are a helpful shorthand, but distillery choices and cask selection often matter more than geography. These are typical notes, not guarantees. Cask type and distillery style often explain more of the flavour than region alone.
Islay
Often smoky and peaty with coastal/maritime influence. Some of the most intensely flavoured Scotches.
Speyside
Home to the most distilleries. Often fruity and honeyed, with sherry casks common.
Highlands
The largest and most diverse region. Can range from heather and honey to coastal character.
Lowlands
Often lighter and more floral. A gentler style that's approachable for newcomers.
Campbeltown
Small but distinctive region. Often maritime and oily with unique funky notes.
How to read the label
What those terms actually mean
Age Statement
"12 Years Old" means the youngest whisky in the bottle is 12 years old. Older components may be present, but the age always refers to the youngest.
Cask Types
Ex-bourbon casks give vanilla, coconut, and sweet spice. Sherry casks add dried fruit, nuts, and rich sweetness. Wine/port casks bring berries and tannic notes. Virgin oak delivers bold spice and tannin.
Single Cask vs Batch
Single cask means the whisky comes from one specific barrel, more variation, unique character. Batch releases blend multiple casks for a more consistent profile.
Cask Strength / Barrel Proof
Bottled at the strength it comes out of the cask (typically 50-65% ABV). Bigger flavour, and you can add water to taste.
Chill Filtration
A process that helps prevent haze when whisky is chilled or diluted. "Non-chill filtered" can preserve more oils (which some people feel adds texture), but preference is personal and varies by bottling.
Natural Colour
When stated, means no caramel colouring (often listed as E150a) was added, the colour comes from the cask. Colour alone isn’t a reliable guide to flavour intensity.
Peated / Smoky
Indicates the malt was dried over peat smoke. Intensity varies widely, from subtle background smoke to intense campfire character.
Special releases and "Reserve" bottlings
Cutting through the marketing speak
Special Release / Limited Edition
Usually a one-off or annual release featuring different casks, higher strength, or a specific theme. Often more experimental or premium.
Reserve / Select / Special Reserve
Typically a brand expression name, not a universal category. Each distillery uses these terms differently, it's marketing, not regulation.
Batch Number / Cask Info
When labels include batch numbers, cask types, bottling dates, or cask counts, it usually signals higher transparency and attention to detail.
💡 Tip: If you see "Reserve" or similar terms, treat them as expression/series names, not universal quality indicators. Look for specific cask info or batch numbers for more meaningful details.
Find your style in 60 seconds
A simple path to discovering what you'll enjoy
Do you like smoke?
Yes
Try lightly peated whiskies first, then explore Islay styles for more intensity
No
Go for unpeated Speyside or Highland malts, or many Irish blends
Do you like sweet/dessert-like flavours?
Yes
Look for sherry cask or ex-bourbon matured whiskies, bourbon, or Irish whiskey
No
Try drier, spicier styles, coastal malts, higher rye content, or less sherried expressions
Light and easy or bold and intense?
Light
40-43% ABV, unpeated, ex-bourbon cask, Irish blends, Lowland malts
Bold
46%+, cask strength, peated, virgin oak, heavy sherry cask influence
How to taste whisky
Without overthinking it
Look
Observe the colour (it can hint at cask influence, but some whiskies use caramel colouring) and the legs/tears (sometimes linked to texture, but not a reliable ABV or quality indicator).
Smell
Take short sniffs with your mouth slightly open. Don't stick your nose deep in the glass, gentle whiffs from the rim work better.
Taste
Take a small sip and let it coat your tongue. Hold it for a moment, then breathe out gently through your nose to release more aromatics.
Add Water
A few drops of water can open up aromas, especially at higher ABVs. There's no shame in this, distillers do it too.
Note
Pay attention to sweetness, fruit, spice, smoke, dryness, and mouthfeel. There are no wrong answers.
Quick glossary of tasting words
Serving and storage
Simple tips for enjoying your whisky
Glassware
A tulip or copita glass concentrates aromas at the rim. A tumbler is perfectly fine for casual drinking.
Ice
Ice is fine if you enjoy it. Just know that chilling dulls some aromas and flavours. Try it both ways and decide what you prefer.
Storage
Store bottles upright (high alcohol can degrade corks) in a cool, dark place. Once opened, flavour can slowly change over months or years, more headspace means faster change.
Whisky FAQ
Common questions answered
What does 'single malt' really mean?
Single = one distillery. Malt = 100% malted barley. It doesn't mean single cask or single batch, just that all the whisky came from one place.
What does cask strength mean?
Bottled at the strength it comes out of the barrel, without adding water to reduce ABV. Typically 50-65% ABV. More intense flavour; add water to your taste.
What does 'non-chill filtered' mean?
Chill filtration helps prevent haze when whisky is chilled or diluted. "Non-chill filtered" can keep more natural oils (which some people feel adds texture), but preference is personal and varies by bottling.
What is a whisky 'finish'?
A secondary maturation period in a different cask type. For example, a whisky aged in bourbon casks might get a 'sherry finish', extra months in sherry casks for added complexity.
What does 'NAS' mean?
No Age Statement. The bottle doesn't carry an age. This isn't necessarily bad, it gives distillers flexibility to use various ages for the best flavour, but age remains undisclosed.
Why does whisky taste different between bottles?
Many factors: cask variation, batch differences, storage conditions, or even slight oxidation once opened. Single cask bottlings vary the most; blended batches are more consistent.
Whisky glossary
Key terms at a glance
Single Malt
Whisky from one distillery, made entirely from malted barley
Blended
A mix of whiskies from different distilleries, often combining malt and grain
Grain Whisky
Whisky made from grains other than (or in addition to) malted barley, often in column stills
Cask Strength
Bottled at barrel strength without water dilution
Finish
Secondary maturation in a different cask type
Chill Filtration
Process of removing oils to prevent haziness; removal can affect texture
Natural Colour
No caramel colouring added; colour comes from cask only
NAS
No Age Statement, age not disclosed on the label
Mash Bill
The grain recipe used, especially relevant for American whiskey (e.g., 75% corn, 15% rye, 10% barley)
Related guides
Ready to explore?
Now that you know the basics, discover whiskies that match your taste and start building your collection.