Whisky and Scotch Whisky
‘Whisky’ is a broad term whose legal meaning depends on the country and category. ‘Scotch Whisky’ is a protected production and geographical description. Under the Scottish regulations it is made and matured in Scotland, aged for at least three years in qualifying oak casks and bottled at a minimum of 40% ABV. A bottling made elsewhere cannot become Scotch through its style or branding.
Single malt is not single cask
For Scotch, ‘single malt’ means whisky produced at one distillery using only water and malted barley and batch distillation in pot stills. It does not mean one individual barrel. ‘Single cask’ describes a different bottling choice; neither expression is a universal guarantee of quality or flavour.
Single grain and blended
‘Single grain Scotch Whisky’ refers to qualifying spirit from one distillery; it need not be made from only one cereal. ‘Blended Scotch Whisky’ combines one or more single malt Scotch whiskies with one or more single grain Scotch whiskies. The terms describe how products are composed, not a hierarchy of craftsmanship.
Bourbon has its own rules
Under US federal standards, bourbon whisky is produced from a mash containing at least 51% corn and must meet requirements including distillation strength and storage in new charred oak. ‘Straight bourbon’ adds an ageing requirement of at least two years. US categories must not be treated as synonyms for Scotch categories.
A label is a starting point
Look for the exact category, producer or bottler, alcoholic strength, age statement where present, and evidence for any cask or production story. A flavour impression, a label adjective and a legally defined designation are different kinds of information. When a term is unfamiliar, identify the jurisdiction before deciding what it proves.
Further reading
Original WHISKAVIA introduction; not a producer dossier or live travel listing.