Bare Bones Guide to Scotch - Part 2

Logan B.

Welcome to part 2 of Bare Bones Guide to Scotch. If you haven't seen part 1 yet, read this first.

Which leads us then to blended whiskeys. Blended Scotch is a mash up of different whiskeys, sometimes from different distillers that are blended, like some wines to achieve a certain peak level of taste. A lot of blended scotches have years after their names, but instead of saying how old they are the numbers merely show the youngest scotch in the blend.

Johnny Walker is probably the best known of the blended scotches and for good reason - it's awesome. It's versatile and because it's a blend there is not so much of the quasi-esoteric aspect surrounding it as you would find with the single malts. One of the truly greats is JW Black Label which is a 12yr blend that mixes well with ice or even a splash of soda. Or you can go big and get a JW Anniversary, a blended scotch that contains whiskeys at least 150 years old, oh and it sells for $400 a shot.

If spending that kind of money on a drink makes your knees shake then there's always good old reliable Dewars, the work horse of the blended scotch world. It's kind of like the Keaunu Reeves of scotch. You've heard of it, you've tried it but you never really understood the appeal and you know that whatever you mix it with will end up being ok, not spectacular but not horrible either.

There you have it - a bare bones guide to scotches. Try to remember with single malts never add anything other than a cube or two of ice or a dash of water. Blends are more of the frat boys of the scotch scene and are open to more interpretation. In the end, drink up, be merry and tip well.

Want more? Become an expert on all types of alcohol and cocktails, your friends will love you:

Holiday Drinking Guide
Flaming Shots
New Takes on Old Classics - Favorite Cocktails Remixed
Sippin' on Gin and Juice - The MetroWize Guide to Gin
Banzai! The Complete Guide to Sake
From Burly to Girly: A Complete Guide to Beer
Party Shots: The Best Blackout Money Can Buy
Swallow the Worm: Tequila's Reviewed
Guide to Good Vodka
The Top 10 Best Energy Drink Cocktails
The Top 10 Best Drinks You've Never Ordered