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Unlike the differences between spellings of whisky (with Scots spelling it whisky and the Irish spelling it whiskey due to alternate translations of the word from the Scottish and Irish Gaelic), the differences between scotch and bourbon are much more tangible. Despite both being made from the same ingredients and aged in wooden barrels, scotch and bourbon are two very distinct products. In fact, many devoted drinkers of either one of these drinks may very well refuse to drink the other! In this article, we take a look at what makes these two malted beverages dissimilar to help you decide which on may be for you.

The basic differences between Scotch Whisky and Bourbon

Scotch is (surprise surprise) made in Scotland, with popular brands including Chivas Regal and Laphroaig, while 95% of bourbon, such as Jack Daniels, is made in Kentucky, with the remaining 5% distilled elsewhere in the United States. One of the more obvious differences that leads to a flavour dissimilarity in Scotch whisky and bourbon is how ingredients are used. Scotch single malt whisky must always be made with 100% malted barley, whereas grain whisky is usually made with a mixture of malted and unmalted barley and wheat. Bourbon, on the other hand, must be made with a mash bill of at least 51% corn (maize), with the remainder being made up with varying amounts of rye, wheat and barley. In Bourbon, more corn leads to a sweeter taste while more rye leads to a spicier flavour profile. As bourbon distillers are only allowed to age their spirit in new oak casks by law, this also has an effect on the final flavour. Scotch distillers, on the other hand, have considerable freedom with how they cask their whisky, and the wine, port and rum barrels can have very interesting impacts on the final flavours of the whisky.

The respective flavour profiles

Although Scotch whisky and bourbon can’t be tied to specific flavour styles, there are still some flavours you can often assume either to have. The flavour of Scotch whisky will often depend entirely on where it’s made – for example, Speyside single malts are often light and grassy, while Islay single malts are often very peaty (offering a heavy, smoked flavour). There are many other factors that influence the final style, though, such as the type of cask used, the level of peat used and length that the whisky is aged for (which is why an 18-year-old Scotch whisky will taste different to a brand-new whisky). Flavours that these can impart on the final product include floral, rich and spicy, or even salty sea-notes. Bourbons are for the most part sweeter than scotch due to their inclusion of rye (hence the term rye whiskey), and can be made even sweeter depending on the amount of corn added. Flavour notes can include toffee, cinnamon and vanilla.

Which whisky is for you?

While neither can be conclusively be consider the better beverage, both styles are suited to different palates. Even in the case of Scotch whisky, drinkers can favour very different styles depending entirely on where the whisky was produced. For those curious, both bourbon and Scotch whisky have entry-level styles that will help open you better understand what makes a good whisky. The only way to figure out what the best whisky is for you is to go out and try them!