What is Scotch (and its Regions)

Whisky education from Whisk(e)y Advent 2025 (2025-12-02). Summary below; full write-up with sources and images: calendar/2025-12-02.qmd.

Scotch is distilled in Scotland from water, malted barley and yeast, matured >=3 years in oak. Single malt = malt from one distillery in pot stills. Regions signal style by tradition: peat-poor Speyside trends smooth and fruity; peaty regions like Islay trend earthy and smoky.