Beyond Jack Daniel’s and Johnnie Walker – 10 best whisky brands for bourbon and Scotch that will make you look like a boss
Bored of high street bourbon and supermarket Scotch? Look sharp and drink smart with STYLE’s picks of left-field and lesser-known whisky brands from across the US, Japan, Ireland and, of course, Scotland
Many people still associate whisky (or whiskey for Americans) with men in old films, who usually drink the liquor straight up. Today's top whisky experts, however, are a far cry from that stereotype, and are working to make whisky drinking less intimidating and more accessible for beginners.
“I would love to tell you there are hard, fast rules, but there aren't any more. There's no 'all Scotch tastes like this' any more,” says whiskey expert Heather Greene. “If I had to make one big generalisation – and it's risky to say this – as to what differentiates American whiskey, it's that since American whiskey must be aged in new oak wood casks, it has a bigger, vibrant and robust wood flavour that's slightly maple and sweet.”
In contrast, Scotch, Irish and Japanese whiskies are typically aged in old oak casks (often those first used by American whiskey makers), which Greene said can make them “more seasoned, subtle, and mellowed out. Think of it as the second or third dunk of a tea bag, whereas American whiskey is like the first dunk.”