There are a number of brands of Scotch that differ according to the cost, availability and even taste. The following article contains information on the best scotch brands.
Did you know your favorite alcoholic drink whiskey was called ‘usquebaugh’ in Gaelic that meant ‘water of life’. This name soon came to be known as ‘usky’ that is today known as ‘whiskey’ in English. Whiskey is commonly called Scotch Whisky or Scotch around the world.
The term ‘Scotch’ is protected internationally by Scotland and a whiskey to be labeled as Scotch has to be produced in Scotland. One cannot produce Scotch whisky in England, Wales, Ireland or anywhere else other than Scotland. Scotch whisky is a popular drink that replaced brandy as the preferred drink at one point of time in history.
Types of Scotch Whisky
Before we move on to the brands list, let us see the types of Scotch whisky. The Scotch whisky is divided into two major categories, single and blended. The single Scotch whisky means the product is from a single distiller and blended is a product that contains whiskeys from two or more distilleries. The single Scotch whisky is of two types: single malt Scotch and the single grain Scotch.
Single Malt Scotch
The single malt scotch is a whiskey that is produced from only water and malted barley at a single distillery in pot stills by batch distillation process.
Single Grain Scotch
This is a Scotch whisky that is distilled at a single distillery with water, malted barley as well as other whole grains of malted or unmalted cereals. The term ‘single’ in this context does not mean a single type of grain, but ‘single distillery’.
All types of blended Scotch are produced from single Scotch. There are three types of blends that include:
Blended malt Scotch whisky
This is a blend of two or more single malt Scotch whiskies produced in different distilleries.
Blended grain Scotch whisky
The blend of two or more single grain Scotch whiskies from different distilleries is blended grain Scotch whisky.
Blended Scotch whisky
A blend of one ore more single malt Scotch whiskies with one or more single grain Scotch whiskies is called blended Scotch whisky.
Best Brands of Scotch List
The following list contains names of the best Scotch brands along with the names of the companies that own them. The brands have been divided according to Scotch Whisky Blends and Scotch Whisky Malt.
| Scotch – Blends | Scotch Whisky – Malt |
| Beam Global Spirits & Wine | |
| • Famous Grouse • Cutty Sark |
• The Macallan • Highland Park • Glenturret • Tamdhu |
| Ben Nevis | |
| All the Scotch brands of this companyare under brand Ben Nevis name. | |
| Burn Stewart | |
| • Scottish Leader • Black Bottle |
• Tobermory • Deanston • Ledaig • Bunnahabhain |
| Dewars | |
| Dewars | Aberfeldy |
| Diageo | |
| • Bell’s • Black & White • Haig • J&B • Johnnie Walker • Spey Royal • Vat 69 • White Horse • Buchanan’s • Dimple (Pinch) • Old Parr • Windsor Premier |
• Cragganmore • Dalwhinnie • Glenkinchie • Lagavulin • Oban • Talisker • Benrinnes • Blair Athol • Dailuaine • Dufftown • Glendullan • Glenlossie • Inchgower • Linkwood • Mannochmore • Mortlach • Pittyvaich • Rosebank • Auchroisk • Strathmill • Glen Spey • Teaninich • Glen Ord • Glen Elgin • Clynelish • Caol lla • Cardhu |
| Glenmorangie | |
| •Glenmorangie • Glen Moray • Ardbeg |
|
| Morrison Bowmore | |
| Rob Roy | • Bowmore • Auchentoshan • Glen Garioch • MccLelland’s |
| Pernod Ricard | |
| • Chivas Regal • Clan Campbell • Passport • Royal Salute • Something Special • 100 Pipers • Ballantine´s • Imperial • Long John |
• Aberlour • The Glenlivet • Strathisla • Longmorn • Glendronach • Scapa • Stewarts Cream of Barley • Tormore |
| Tomatin | |
| All the brands sold by this company are under the names Tomatin, Antiquary and Talisman. | |
| Whyte & Mackay | |
| Whyte & Mackay | • Isle of Jura • Dalmore • Tamnavulin • Fettercairn |
| William Grant | |
| •Grants • Clan MacGregor |
• Glenfiddich • Balvennie |
Best Brands of Blended Scotch
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These are a few popular brands that are relished worldwide. The Highland Park 18-year-old Scotch has been named the best Scotch in the world for many years. I hope this article on the brands of Scotch has helped answer some of your liquor questions related to whiskey brands.
