A Deep Dive into Scotch Whisky: Lessons Learned on My Whisky Journey

    Once upon a time, at an airport lounge far, far away, I was pouring myself a Johnny Walker Black (JWB) at a self-help bar when I sensed someone standing at my shoulder. I looked to see another passenger waiting behind me. I offered to pour him a drink too.
    “I only drink single malts,” he condescendingly remarked before walking away.
    JWB is a blended scotch, of which the youngest whisky is 12 years old.
    Duly chastised, I wondered if a single malt whisky is truly better than a blended whisky. And so began my journey to explore the complex world of whisky.
    I have been drinking scotch for over five decades. I started with Johnny Walker Red and Vat 69, slowly graduating to Chivas Regal and JWB in the late 70s. The 12-year-old Cardhu was the first single malt whisky expression that we tasted in India.
    Over the years, my collection of scotch whiskies grew. Both blended and single malts. We built a nice display bar in our home to house my collection.
    Once, I had a number of my colleagues from around the country over for a meal. One of them stood in front of my collection and asked, “S. K., do you have a drinking problem?”
    I panicked! The last thing I needed was for word to go back to our corporation that I had a drinking problem!
    I quickly answered, “If I did, all the bottles would be empty,” and dodged that bullet!
    After retirement, I decided to learn more about the whiskies. Whisky vs. whiskey. Single malt vs. blended. Peaty vs. non-peaty. Young vs. aged. Even Irish vs. Scotch.
    Although I had been collecting whiskies, my knowledge about its manufacturing process was non-existent.
    It was at the Auchentoshan distillery near Glasgow that I first learned that Scotch only has three basic ingredients: barley, water and yeast. The variety comes from the types of barley, water, cask, age and blending.
    I visited distilleries in Scotland, Ireland and in Kentucky to educate my palate – and my nose – on the differences. It was intriguing to discover that many small distilleries have an individual who is referred to as the “nose,” while at larger distilleries, they often have a “nose panel.”
    The “washbacks” in which the fermentation occurs are 12 feet wide and 20 feet deep. Active fermentation looks like the ideal setting for James Bond to toss a villain in.
    The scotch whisky world has exploded. Besides Scotland, Ireland and the United States, whisky distilleries have sprouted in Japan, India, Taiwan, Australia and other countries.
    However, like champagne and bourbon, there are rules to labeling a scotch whisky.
    Only whisky matured in oak barrels in Scotland for at least three years can be called scotch. The rest of the world can only label it as single malt or blended whisky or whiskey.
    Last year, after an extensive road trip to Scotland’s five scotch-producing regions, I documented my learnings. I shared these with my friends and got coaxed into giving a Scotch Appreciation Class, which is now available through the Orinda Parks and Recreation.
    My conclusion is not all single malt whiskies are better than all blended whiskies. Life is too short to pass up enjoying any good whisky, including JWB.
    “Slainte Mhath!” (Scottish and Irish Gaelic phrase for good health or cheers).
    Scotch Whisky Appreciation Class offered on Sept. 11 and Oct. 9 from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. To register go to orindaparksandrec.org.