Contrary To Popular Belief, Not All Scotch Whiskies Are Smoky

There is a long-standing reputation that all Scotch whisky is smoky — the kind of flavor that hits you before the glass is even near your mouth — but that's not quite the truth. The smoky flavor occurs when whisky makers use peat smoke to dry malted barley which is the standard practice in some regions, though it's not consistent across all whiskies in Scotland.

And as someone who is Scottish, I am often amused to hear how widespread the smoky assumption has become. In reality, there's a wide spectrum of Scotch whisky out there and many of my personal favorites, like Glenfiddich 12, are not peated at all. This means there is no smokiness to them. In fact they are almost fruity, which makes them an ideal drink if you're a total beginner to Scotch. If your only experience of Scotch has been from peated bottles, you're really only experiencing one specific type of the drink. That might explain why so many people try it once, find it overwhelming, and never return to it.

To really understand where this confusion around Scotch comes, we first have to understand how it is different from other whiskeys in general. For example, Irish whiskey differs from Scotch whisky in that despite both being made from malted barley, Irish whiskey is often triple-distilled and very rarely uses peat, which is why it is generally regarded as lighter than Scottish versions. Scotch, on the other hand, is usually distilled twice which gives it a more full-bodied flavor. And then the occasional use of peat smoke solidified its reputation as being quite a smoky, heavy drink. However, that description really comes down to the region and distillery the Scotch is coming from.

Once you understand this you can also develop a deeper understanding of how to properly drink Scotch to enjoy it. If you have picked up a peated bottle, then you should definitely opt to open it up with a splash of water, as this mellows out those overwhelming smoky notes. Personally, I prefer a lighter Scotch, but the smoky ones certainly have their place, too, especially in the colder months.