We’re sure you already know that all whisky isn’t the same. The intricate differences that exist from bottle to bottle give each type of whisky its own unique personality and flavour. In this guide, we will be outlining the key differences between scotch and bourbon, helping you fully appreciate the story behind your next dram.

Geography

The most obvious difference between scotch and bourbon is where they come from. Scotch, as you might have guessed, is made in Scotland. For example, Kilchoman Single Malt Whisky is a scotch whisky because it is made at our distillery on the Isle of Islay, Scotland. While this may appear obvious, it’s actually against the law to sell whisky that has not been produced in Scotland as scotch.

The origin of where bourbon takes its name from is more of a mystery. The most common answer is that bourbon takes its name from the county of Bourbon in Kentucky, where bourbon was first produced. Although, some believe its etymology can be traced back to the French bourbon dynasty.

During the late 18th century, Bourbon Louis XVI was the French king and the American War of Independence was in full swing. At the end of the war, Kentucky decided to name Bourbon county after the French king in gratitude of France’s allegiance to America against the British. A similar story exists for Bourbon Street in New Orleans, which was named after Louis XVI’s son, Bourbon Duke of Orleans. Therefore, it is hard to pinpoint where exactly the whiskey took its name from. One thing we do know for sure is that bourbon must be made in America to classify as bourbon.

Spelling

Have you ever wondered what the difference between the spelling “whisky” and “whiskey” means? Here’s why. Scotland and Ireland were the first countries to produce whisky. In fact, the word whisky comes from the Irish Gaelic ‘uisce beatha’ and the Scottish Gaelic equivalent ‘uisge-beatha’; both of which literally translate as ‘water of life’. During the 19th century, Irish distilleries decided that they didn’t want their whiskey to be associated with that of the Scots.  At the time, Scottish whisky was not of the high quality it is today, and the Irish wanted to advertise that their whiskey was different. Therefore, they decided to change their spelling to include an additional ‘e’ to make it clear that their whiskey was Irish. Ireland and America use ‘whiskey’, while England, Scotland, Japan and India will use the Scottish spelling.  As a result, scotch is “whisky” and bourbon is “whiskey”.

The Rules

The production of scotch and bourbon comes along with a set of strict rules that whisky distilleries must abide by. As we mentioned earlier, scotch cannot be legally classified as scotch if it is not made in Scotland. Scotch must also be distilled at an ABV of no more 94.8% and, once bottled, must have a minimum ABV of 40%. Scotch has to be matured for at least three years and can be matured in oak barrels that have been previously used to store other alcohol like sherry and, of course, bourbon. At Kilchoman distillery we use two main types of casks. We use bourbon barrels that we source from Buffalo Trace in Kentucky and we use oloroso sherry casks which are sourced from Miguel Martin in Spain.

Bourbon must be produced in its origin of the United States, be distilled at no more than 80% ABV and bottled at 40%. Unlike scotch, bourbon must be matured in new oak barrels and should be left to mature for a minimum of two years. Bourbon ages differently to scotch because of the contrasting climates of each whisky’s respective distillery location. Bourbon is mainly produced in Kentucky, where the summer’s hot temperatures speed up the amount of time the whiskey takes to mature. This means that the whisky passes in and out of the wood barrel as the temperature changes. Larger differences in temperature mean more movement of the spirit in the cask.

Ingredients

Both scotch and bourbon are made using yeast, water and a fermented grain mash. However the specific grains that go into this mash differ between the two. Scotch whiskies are normally made from a mixture of malted barley, other cereals and, occasionally, caramel colouring (none of that at Kilchoman though!). If you want to know more about the ingredients we use here at Kilchoman, check out our blog on the ingredients that go into a Kilchoman single malt. By contrast, bourbon is made from a grain mixture that is required to be at least 51% corn with the remainder consisting of rye and barley. While this corn percentage is the minimum requirement, most distilleries will use a mixture that is between 70-90% corn.

How you drink it

As scotch and bourbon are different drinks, they are often drunk in different ways. For starters, across the pond in America ‘on the rocks’ is a fairly common term, but not something you would often hear in the bars on Islay. By adding ice, you reduce the temperature of the Scotch and risk losing the flavours that it has to offer. On the other hand, ice has been known to actually enhance the taste of some bourbons. We would recommend drinking your dram of Kilchoman neat or with a splash of water and although typically not used for making cocktails, the team at Gleneagles Hotel have created some amazing Kilchoman based cocktails!

Taste

This is arguably the most important difference of all, as it is the flavour of whisky that takes so long to perfect.  What sets scotch whisky apart is the range of tastes and aromas that vary hugely from distillery to distillery and region to region, as we pointed out in our article on the regions of Scottish whisky. While a scotch from Speyside is known for its nutty and fruity tang, a triple distilled malt from the Lowlands may offer notes of grass, cinnamon and ginger. Kilchoman is made on the island of Islay, so with our whisky you can expect layers of smoky aromas and rich peat flavours.

Bourbons can also have a hint of smoke but are characterised primarily by their often sweet flavour. This sweetness comes from the new charred-oak barrels that they are matured in. The wood sugars from the barrel slowly ooze into the whiskey while it matures, giving the bourbon its signature caramel flavour. Of course, not all bourbons taste the same, and this sweetness can come in the form of an array of interesting flavours such as vanilla, butterscotch or honey.

Hopefully we have been able to clear up some misconceptions surrounding scotch whisky and bourbon whiskey. The next time you hear someone say “all whisky is the same”, make sure to prove them wrong with your new found knowledge. Scotch and bourbon have their own unique characteristics, and it is important to appreciate them. While there is no definite answer to which of the two whiskies is the better drink, we certainly know which one we prefer!

To learn more about what we do at Kilchoman and our range of Islay Single Malt Scotch Whiskies, click here for the free sign-up to become a Club Member and keep up to date with all our distillery news and information about our news releases!

Islay’s distilleries each have their own unique history, vibrant layers woven deep into the fabric of the Island. If you’re lucky enough to ever find yourself stood on the golden sand of Machir bay on a rare sunny day, you might even detect the warm scent of peat smoke rolling over the sand dunes from Kilchoman’s Kiln. Follow that scent and you’ll walk past golden fields of barley, right up to the gates of the distillery itself. Unlike other whisky distilleries on Islay, that grain is the one that ends up in the bottle – forming our 100% Islay single malt whisky. In fact, every step of its production, from barley to bottle, takes place on-site. It’s the way whisky was meant to be made, and if you’d be so kind as to join us on the Kilchoman distillery tour, we’ll show you just how.

The Meet

After arriving at Kilchoman, you’ll get a chance to meet fellow tour goers and have a look around our visitors centre. Adorned with traditional low beams and mementos of life on Islay, it’s the perfect space to mingle and absorb some of our history before the main event begins.

The tour starts with an induction by one of our tour guides. With encyclopedic knowledge of the distillery’s inner workings, they’ll guide you through the history of Kilchoman; from the ambitious vision of founder Anthony Wills to the bottles of whisky being produced today and hear what the future holds for Kilchoman. As the smallest distillery on the island there’s a family feel to affairs, questions are encouraged, and anyone is welcome to photograph throughout the tour. In fact, there’s a good chance you might bump into Anthony himself, or his wife Kathy, or any of their three sons checking the production – all of whom have been known to happily stop for a chat. Like we said, it’s a family affair.

The Malt

Stop one of the tour is the malting floor. Here four tons of barley are soaked for 48 hours before being spread evenly across the malt floor. This step begins the germination process, where natural enzymes begin to break down the starches in the grain. As the grains are turned and raked by the production team, the sweet nutty aroma of the sugars are released into the surrounding air. Visitors are welcome to pick-up and feel the barley for themselves, noticing how it runs between the fingers and varies from grain to grain. It’s hard to imagine that whisky could ever be produced from these tiny seeds but soon the picture starts to come together.

The Kiln

Islay is famous for its peat, with its distilleries using the natural sources for centuries to produce peated single malts renowned the world over. The kiln at Kilchoman is no different, sitting our barley three metres above a gentle smoldering peat fire for 8 hours allowing the rich smoke to pass through the barley, before we then start to dry the barley – stopping germination at just the right point. The smoke from this fire is one part of what gives Kilchoman its unique, complex taste, quite literally absorbing the flavours of Islay.

The Mill

While looking around you’ll be able to see that all the equipment has been custom-made to produce the exact flavours desired by our stillmen. Every piece but the Mill that is. Used to expose the sugars from within the tough outer husk of the barley grains, the Porteus mill we use has been running consistently for eighty years, predating the distillery and all of those that work within it.

Over the continuous rumble you’ll be told the bittersweet story behind the mill, the constantly beating heart of the distillery. You’ll also be able to see how the barley ends up as grist, a mix of husk, grit and fine flour. You can actually use the grist to produce traditional scottish cakes, but more about those later.

The Mash

Our Still House is also home to our Mash Tun you’ll be able to witness the process used to extract the sugars from the grist, 1.2 tones to be precise, is put in to our small but perfectly formed mash tun. Here the sugars dissolve into hot water creating a naturally sweet, nectar-like water known as ‘wort’. You will also be told why there are bent spoons over the sprinklers… Some people describe drinking wort like eating raw cake batter, some quite enjoy a sample but we prefer it as whisky. Of course, you can judge for yourself and you’re more than welcome to try some, comparing it to the wash created in the next step. Speaking of…

The Fermenting

As you enter our Tun Room you will see our 6 wash backs. These contain cooled down wort and just the right amount of yeast to break down the sugars within, producing the all important alcohol and carbon dioxide. This might sound familiar to some. We call it ‘wash’ but others will know it better as beer, a strong one admittedly (8%), that you can sample fresh from the production line.

Not only are Kilchoman wash backs smaller than the other distilleries on Islay, they also keep the wash inside for around a day longer than most other distilleries, 82 hours in total. This extra time is what gives Kilchoman its light, fruity and slightly dryer wash which once distilled produces our unique floral and sweet spirit.

The Distillation

If the mill is the heart of distillery then the two pot stills we use are its hands, taking the wash and carefully moulding it into the pure Kilchoman spirit. You’ll be able to examine both the wash still, used to produce 1000 litres of 19% ‘low wines’, and the spirit still, which refines this further into 300 litres of pure spirit.

Each distillation lasts around three and a half hours, during which the production team makes sure only the ‘heart’ of the spirit ends up being sealed into our selected casks. The science of pot stills is incredibly intricate, and our spirit still has been hand-crafted to make the most of it. Our stills are the smallest on Islay and amongst the smallest throughout the whole of Scotland. This, alongside an elegant copper neck and reflux bulb, helps to achieve the distinct character Anthony Wills set out to achieve almost 13 years ago.

The Maturation

For the keen whisky enthusiast on the premium tour, you’ll be welcomed into the warehouse – where the spirit spends years interacting with the oak casks that give the whisky its depth of flavour. No cask is the same as the last and our expert team are on hand to share their secrets, as well as a dram or two.

The Bottling

We are one of only two distilleries to bottle our whisky on Islay and at the distillery. In the Bottling Hall you’ll find our hard-working team, taking care to bottle and seal each bottle, before finally adding the kilchoman coin. Over recent years the bottling hall has been expanded to keep up with the increasing demand for our range of Single Malts. Although all our single cask releases are still hand labelled and numbered.

The Taste

What’s a whisky tour without a taste? During the tasting session you’ll be able to compare notes with other members and your guide, raising a dram unlike any other. For those unlucky enough to be designated drivers (or who just don’t fancy it) you also have the option of taking your samples home as a miniature, perfect for sampling later.

For those on the premium tour there’s a longer tasting session of five drams in total. Between each sample the palette is cleansed with a homemade grist biscuit (told you they’d return) and a discussion of the flavours that form each sample. Every member of every tour is also welcome to keep a branded Kilchoman tasting glass as a souvenir, lovingly boxed for safe transit – though why you’d want to leave is another matter.

The Finish

Smooth and with a warm afterglow, but enough about the whisky. After your tour has come to a close you’re welcome to come have a chat with anyone here at the distillery, learning about all that makes Islay so much more than the whisky we make. You can also have a look around the Kilchoman shop, everything from whiskies to traditional Scottish tweeds – designed by Kathy Wills. It’s a family affair and we’d love it if you joined.

After one of the best summers for decades, the days are shortening and the wind and rain have returned.  The barley farmers on the mainland have long since packed away their combines, here on Islay it’s a slightly different story. The late sowing of our barley, 6-8 weeks behind farmers on the mainland means we’ve missed the better weather for harvest and we’re now battling the autumnal weather to get the barley off the fields.

Single Variety

This year we planted a total of 97.5 acres.  After trialing a new barley variety called Laureate last year, we decided to sow 77.5 acres of Concerto, a variety that we know from experience does well on Islay, and 20 acres of Octavia, a variety that we had not grown before.

It would appear that the Concerto has faired slightly better than Octavia. The Concerto ear (the barley head which holds the grains) is notably bigger, the grains bolder and there are more grains per ear, on average 28 against 22 for Octavia. This will likely mean that the Concerto barley will provide a higher yield (tonnes per acre) than the Octavia but only time will tell.

Barley varieties aside, this year we are doing things a little differently. Once harvested, in the past, all our barley (no-matter what variety) has been harvested and dried together before being malted and distilled jointly.  This year the Concerto and Octavia varieties will be harvested and dried separately, before being individually malted, distilled and matured eventually becoming…

…Islay’s only Single Variety, Single Farm, Scotch Whisky…

From left to right, Concerto and Octavia

Single Farm

Whisky enthusiasts have often speculated about the extent to which barley varieties influence the character of single malt and with recent improvements to our malt house, we will be able to give some answers.

The thing that will make this interesting is that this will be the first opportunity to isolate barley variety and how it alone impacts the character of the whisky.  Other comparisons of varieties and their impact on single malt have been open to variances in growing, malting, distilling and maturation.  As we have control over each aspect of production on a Single Farm, from grain to glass, everything  apart from barley variety, will be identical; from growing the barley in neighboring fields, malting on the same malt floor, distilling in the same stills and maturing in the same casks in a single warehouse.

All being well, we should finish harvesting by the end of the week and come January we will begin malting and distilling the first batches of Concerto  and Octavia barley, at which point we will update you on the initial findings.

Anthony Wills, Kilchoman Founder and MD “We’re excited to see how this project turns out.  We fully expect there to be a difference between the varieties however the extent and particular character created by the different varieties will be very interesting to see.  I look forward to tasting the spirit early next year.”