Irish Whiskey Vs Scotch: What's The Difference?

Next time you're at a bar, peruse the long line of liquor bottles and you'll find many of them are some sort of whiskey. It's an incredibly broad category and two of these are Irish whiskey and Scotch whisky (without the "E"). In the Irish whiskey category there are some essential brands for beginners like Jameson or Bushmills. For Scotch whisky, there are blended whiskies like Johnnie Walker and The Famous Grouse, and single malts like Macallan, Dalmore, and Glenfiddich. And that's just scratching the surface of both these products.

Before we jump into the differences between Irish whiskey and Scotch, we need to have an understanding of their similarities. Both are made from distilled grains and are aged in wooden barrels for at least three years and bottled at around 40% alcohol by volume. But within these confines you'll find a world of difference in taste, fermentation methods, and how they're matured, in addition to what is perhaps the key distinguishing factor: Irish whiskey is distilled in Ireland while Scotch whisky is distilled in Scotland. 

Irish whiskey has to be produced on the island of Ireland (the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland) to be legally designated as such. To start, the grains distillers use in its production can vary. These include malted barley (malt Irish whiskey), a combination of malted and unmalted barley (pot still Irish whiskey), or barley and other grains like corn or wheat (Irish grain whiskey). While a lot of well-known Irish whiskey is distilled using a column still (sometimes with the addition of a smaller pot still) and is often blended, there is also Irish whiskey produced solely using pot stills and others made from single malts. Most Irish whiskey is triple distilled.

Distillers aren't legally bound to age their product in oak barrels, but most do. However, they are legally bound to age the whiskey for at least three years. The flavor of a lot of Irish whiskey tends to be light and smooth, with distinct fruit and spice notes, but the category offers a wide range of flavor profiles. It can be enjoyed on its own or in a variety of cocktails. Culinary legend James Beard used to spike his iced coffee with Irish whiskey, which is something you probably wouldn't do with Scotch. So, let's get to the next category.

Scotch, which is also called Scotch whisky, or simply whisky, has to be made in Scotland from malted barley, water, and yeast. With that said, distillers are free to add other whole grains and cereals into the mix depending on the type of Scotch. While the malted barley is sometimes kilned using peat, imparting a smokiness to the final product, it isn't necessary to Scotch production. Like Irish whiskey, there are a range of designations, from single malt, which must be made from malted barley at a single distillery using a pot still, to single grain, which is made from malted barley and other grains, also at a single distillery. Blended Scotch often uses a combination of pot stills and column stills to produce its whisky. Most Scotch is typically distilled twice.

Scottish distillers have to age their product for at least three years in oak barrels. Scotch offers a wide range of flavor profiles, from floral to smoky, and in general isn't as widely used to make cocktails as Irish whiskey is. That isn't to say there aren't some classic Scotch-based cocktails, like the rusty nail, the Rat Pack's go-to drink, made with Scotch and Drambuie. Despite the fact that Irish whiskey and Scotch whisky are made in close proximity to each other, these few differences often mean they're worlds apart.