What Does it Take to Be “Scotch”?

What Does it Take to Be “Scotch”?

“A good gulp of whisky at bedtime – it’s not very scientific but it helps.”

Alexander Fleming

Scotch whisky (note the Scots English spelling of whiskey) is strictly controlled by British law, The Scotch Whisky Order (1990) and the Scotch Whisky Act (1988).

To be called Scotch, the whisky must:

• Be distilled at a Scottish distillery using water and malted barley using only whole grains, which must be turned into a mash, and then subsequently only using yeast for fermentation;
• Be distilled to less than 98.4% alcoholic strength which ensures the raw materials used in production contribute to the flavor;
• Be matured in oak casks for 3 years and one day in Scotland;
• Contain no additives other than water and caramel for coloring; and
• Not be bottled at less than 40% alcoholic strength.

If it doesn’t meet this stringent set of requirements it is not entitled to be called Scotch, but then in Scotland it is not referred to as such – it is simply called “Whisky”.