Scotch vs. Irish vs. Bourbon Whiskey

With so many types of whiskey made around the world, it’s sometimes confusing what differentiates them. A blind taste-test would usually reveal the whiskey type to any whiskey connoisseur, or simply to anyone who’s had all three before.

The actual production of scotch, bourbon and Irish whiskey differ by components, casks and process. Even the spelling is different: it’s “whisky” in Scotland, Japan, Canada and Wales, but “whiskey” in Ireland and elsewhere (the U.S. uses both spellings). But when push comes to shove, its the taste that matters most.

I thought I’d pass along a short 4-minute video from Rebecca Dunphy’s guide to tasting whiskey. Not only does she define the taste differences, she also offers instruction on conducting the whiskey “sniff” test. In less than 4 minutes, she makes me appreciate all three whiskies a bit more.