What Scotch am I looking for?

So before we go any further, I have a confession to make...

In no way shape or form, am I an expert in the subject matter found in this Blog.   I say this because I am just a geek... a Geek with a passion for Whisk(e)y.  I do have other hobby's but apparently I have not chosen to Blog about those.......yet.

What am I looking for?
So, before we get there, let me back track just a little.

At the end of September 2016, I believe it was on a Wednesday sometime in the early evening, I was putting up hurricane shutters and I had just gotten back from the grocery store to by non perishable food items which I still have!!  Miami was partially in the "Cone of Death" as Hurricane Mathew was considering land fall.   Foreshadowing that I would be trapped in the house for a few days my thought process immediately shifted from do I have enough food to do I have enough whisky?!!!

In good fashion, I found myself in the isles of my local "Spirits Depot" and to my amazement they were still open.  Apparently I was not the only one in need of whisk(e)y. Now before we go any further, being the "Graingeek"  I feel I have a fairly good understand of the different categories or maybe we should say styles of Scotch Whisky.  Having said that, I can usually narrow down what I am looking for.
I knew I was looking for Scotch (Whisky from Scotland)  and I though I could make a quick decision based upon that, Well  not today! Believe it or not, I left empty handed,  WHY!!!

WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? 

That day I realized that I needed a better plan. Going to the liquor store with out a plan is like going to the grocery store with out a list.  

Consider this when isle surfing...

• Consider your budget! How much do you want to spend?  Scotch whiskies can range in price dramatically regardless of style and you don't want to spend your hard earned money on something that's "Just Ok"  

• Consider style! Scotch whisky can be broken down into what I call "Category Management" 

For example: 

Grain Whisky  
this style of whisky is a made up of a multiple collection of grains: 

Wheat, Corn, Rye and Barley

Grain Whisky has been produced in Scotland for over 300 years and it is the primary ingredient in most if not all "Blended Scotch Whiskies.  (We will get to those, keep reading)

Grain whisky comes in two forms: 
- Single Grain (from one distillery) and or 
- Blended Grain (from multiple distilleries)
Grain whiskies are typically floral with a sweet finish and un-peated

The Port Dundas is a 12 year old Single grain whisky from Scotland

            

Single Malt Whisky

100% malted barley from one distillery. 

One would consider Single Malt Whisky to be the  flagship in style when it comes to Whisky from Scotland but blended whisky is more common and wide spread. 

               

                The flavor profile on a Single Malt is dictated by the region in which it resides.  

          The below regions are stylistically in order of 
            light - medium - intense 

• Lowlands and Highlands - These areas are usually light and floral with very little peat (smoke) if any at all.  Bright dried fruit such as raisin, fig, apricot and robust malt are dominate.  

• Speyside -  The peat is more noticeable in this region.  With rich spice on the finish, more intense malt and dried stone fruit such as peach and nectarine rounding out the palate.  

• Coastal Highlands - These distilleries are located on the coastal areas of the Highland region. Geographically, the Highlands is the largest of all the regions. The Peat (smoke) become more intense in these areas with rich robust medical notes  and heavy malt.

• Islay - Smoke, Smoke and more Smoke.  These whiskies have a rich, full mouth filled with  distinctive wet or dry smoke depending on how much peat has been used.  These whiskies are intense with rich deep smoke and deep black fruit.

The 10 year Old Glenmorangie
from the  Highlands is unpeated with notes of dried stone fruit and toasty malt

Blended Scotch Whisky
a blend of both grain and single malt whisky from multiple distilleries, usually at a 70% grain to 30% single malt ratio. Blended Scotch makes up about 90% of all Scotch Whiskies sold around the world.  "Master Blenders" are challenged with taking grain and malted whiskies from multiple distilleries across multiple regions and creating something unique like each instrument would contribute to a symphony.

John Walker was a tea blender in the 1800's.  Using that knowledge as a platform, he was able to produce some of the worlds most popular whisky blends 

Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
a blend of only Single Malt from multiple distilleries.  This blend is usually no more than 3 to 5 whiskies mingled together.  No grain, so that nice maleness is predominate.   

Monkey Shoulder is a blend of 3 Single Malts (No Grain Whisky)

Johnnie Walker Green is a blend of 4 Single Malts (No Grain Whisky) Only one in the Johnnie Walker line-up

• Consider what you already have! Knowing what you already have in you home collection regarding style can help narrow down what you are looking for.  This will help eliminate purchasing what you already have or realizing what you just bought was something you had tasted before and did not like.  

• Make notes This is crucial!  Make tasting notes of your collection.  Consider: 

1. Style - Was it a Single or Blended Grain, Single Malt, Blended Whisky or Blended Malt?
2. What was the flavor profile - Light and floral, medium bodied with spice or heavy and intense?
3. Price point - Start with a price range, $25.00  - $45.00 and so on.... 
4. Don''t get too hung up on age statements for now.  Just because its older does not mean you will like it!  

After reading this and perhaps doing a little research and shopping, other questions regarding;

1. Barrel or cask aging - single barrel or double matured
2. Age statements blends vs single malts
3. Distillation methods such as copper pot vs column still
4. Scotch Whisky production peated vs unpeated

Moving forward, I will continue to cover these topics as well but for now I would like hear your feed back regarding the content of this Blog.  Was it helpful, and what other topics regarding whisky would you like to cover?

Thanks for reading!