5 Things To Look For In A Bottle Of Whisky

When it comes to choosing a fine bottle of whisky, a lot goes into it. From choosing between bourbon whiskey and peaty scotch to determining the ageing preferences, certain things contribute to the overall whisky experience.

Unfortunately, the plethora of options also causes a lot of confusion, especially among those who have just started to explore the world of whisky. Today, we are hopefully trying to answer that question by sharing our thoughts on what qualities make up the best whisky so that you can find some of the best available spirits that you can savor in your precious moments.

Is there information about maturation?

The majority of Scotch whiskies are aged in barrels that were used to mature something else. The best Scotch whiskies are aged in casks that previously held bourbon, sherry or wines, and a bottle may indicate the source for each barrel that was used.

American oak tends to create a lighter and creamier profile. Sherry casks present fruitier and more tannic flavors. Fino and Oloroso are both sherry barrels, which will probably mean a fruitier taste in your whisky.

What style of whisky is it?

The distinction between whisky types is not something that is made up. The variety of whiskies available today includes Rye, Scotch, Tennessee, Canadian and Bourbon. Moreover, different types of whiskies have different characteristics that separate them from one another.

When it comes to whisky, details like the type of barley used to make the mash bill and how it is distilled are more important than where in the world it was distilled. Bourbon is corn whisky aged in charred new oak barrels and colored and flavored by the barrel. Rye that is not described as ‘straight’ or ‘straight rye’ will be somewhat spicy.

Are there tasting notes?

A lot of Scotch whisky bottles come with tasting notes that describe the contents in detail and serve as a good guide for what you are getting yourself into. The more detail on the tasting notes, the better in our opinion.

It is a good idea to read tasting notes before buying a bottle. Smoky whiskies will usually include the words ‘peat’ or ‘smoke’ in their descriptions. The whisky might be heavier and meatier and leads to descriptors like peat, smoke, meat, fish and bonfire.

What Color Is The Whisky?

Whisky color does not reveal how old it is, but it reveals a lot about the type of wood used to age it, which in turn indicates its flavor. If the whisky is bright yellow, it suggests that it had been stored in a well-used cask.

You may taste some light wood flavors such as apple, citrus or tropical fruit. Lighter amber colors of whisky indicate a newer cask, with deeper vanilla and caramel flavors. A whisky with red color indicates some wine casks were used to age it.

Is there an age statement?

If whisky is labelled as 'No Age Statement', that means that the liquid was distilled any time before it entered the bottle, which is usually between three to nine years. There are numerous superb young whiskies with no age statement on the bottle, but you may also find that some of them are unremarkable and overpriced. If you are not confident about the quality of the whisky in front of you, we would suggest getting something that is 10 years or older.

Final Words

When choosing a bottle of whisky, there are some important things to consider as stated above. In our opinion, the best whisky for you is the one that best captures what you enjoy about whisky. We hope this article helps you on your journey of exploration and discovery of the world's greatest spirit.