Scotch whisky

Scotch whisky

Type	Distilled beverage
Country of origin	Scotland
Introduced	15th century
Alcohol by volume	40–94.8%
Colour	Pale gold to dark amber
Flavour	Smooth, sharp, (often) hint of vanilla
Ingredients	Malt, Water
Variants	Single malt, Single grain, Blended malt, Blended grain, Blended
Related products	Irish whiskey Welsh whisky English whisky

Scotch whisky (Scottish Gaelic: uisge-beatha na h-Alba; Scots: Scots whisky/whiskie, whusk(e)y, pronounced [ˈʍɪski],^[1] often simply called whisky or Scotch) is malt whisky or grain whisky (or a blend of the two), made in Scotland.

All Scotch whisky was originally made from malted barley. Commercial distilleries began introducing whisky made from wheat and rye in the late 18th century.^[2] As of 2022^[update], there were 141 whisky distilleries operating in Scotland,^[3] making Scotch whisky one of the most renowned geographical indications worldwide.^[4]

All Scotch whisky must be aged immediately after distillation in oak barrels for at least three years.^[5][6] Any age statement on a bottle of Scotch whisky, expressed in numerical form, must reflect the age of the youngest whisky used to create that product. A whisky with an age statement is known as guaranteed-age whisky. A whisky without an age statement is known as a no age statement (NAS) whisky, the only guarantee being that all whisky contained in that bottle is at least three years old. The minimum bottling strength according to existing regulations is 40% alcohol by volume.^[7]

Scotch whisky is divided into five distinct categories: single malt Scotch whisky, single grain Scotch whisky, blended malt Scotch whisky (formerly called "vatted malt" or "pure malt"), blended grain Scotch whisky, and blended Scotch whisky.^[5][6]

The first known written mention of Scotch whisky is in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland of 1494.^[8]

Many Scotch whisky drinkers refer to a unit for drinking as a dram.^[9]

As explained in its history, the word whisky derives its etymology from the Gaelic uisge beatha or usquebaugh, which means "water of life" (a calque via Medieval Latin aqua vitae; compare aquavit).^[10][11]