Which “Land” is Better?

November 8, 2021

Ireland! A magical place of leprechauns, St. Patrick, and Irish whiskey. Scotland! A magical place of kilts, The Loch Ness Monster, and Scottish whiskey! In essence, they’re the same thing, right? Here’s a tip. Don’t ever say that in either country. Sure, they’re similar in certain ways, like North and South Dakota are similar,  but they are oh so very different in notable ways, especially when it comes to their whiskey.

First off, their similarities are that they are brown and are made from fermented and then distilled grains. That’s about it. Scotch general comes in three forms – single malt, single grain, and blended, with blended being the most popular. Scotch is also distilled in six distinct regions. Irish whiskey doesn’t have regions and there are generally four types of Irish whiskey. Single malt, single pot still, single grain, and blended forms. The single pot still distillation used in Irish whiskey making is notable because it uses malted and raw barley. Most Irish Whiskey will also always be triple distilled, while most Scotch whiskey only goes through the process once.

In general, Scottish whiskey will always have that warm, smokey taste while Irish whiskey tends to be more smooth on the palate due to the triple distillation. And of course, I’m definitely not saying that one is better than the other. Centuries of tinkering, fine-tuning ever-changing recipes, and ideas are what make both so unique. But see for yourself. Swing by your favorite liquor store and grab a bottle of Jameson and a bottle of Glenfiddich. Then decide for yourself if you prefer leprechauns or the Loch Ness Monster.