How to Drink Scotch Better

Traditional Scottish ales are served somewhere around 55 degrees—much warmer than Americans tend to drink beer. Similarly, Scotch whisky is best enjoyed at room temp, Savage says.

This “allows for optimal taste,” he says. Chilling your Scotch causes the flavors to tighten up and “contract,” he explains.

But by drinking your Scotch un-chilled—or even wrapping your hands around the glass to warm it up a bit—the whisky’s aromas and flavors will “volatilize” so you can better appreciate them, he says.

After you’ve had a sip or two.

“Always try it neat first, then add water a little at a time,” Savage says. “When you add water, you lower the alcohol’s strength, which in turn expands the characters in the glass and changes your experience.”

Fruit and flower notes in particular seem to pop up when you add a little H2O—emphasis on little. To make sure you’re not overwatering your Scotch, grab a straw and add just a few drops in between sips.

In a perfect world, you’re drinking your Scotch from a tulip-shaped whisky nosing glass, Savage says.

The glass’s shape and size aren’t an accident. The wide bowl allows air to reach your Scotch and draw out its aroma, while the narrower opening concentrates those scents while still allowing room for your nose.

“If you don’t have a nosing glass, select one with a large bowl-like opening—such as a rocks glass—to ensure the aromas reach your nose,” Savage says.

Bourbon is big right now in the U.S. Even when it wasn’t, a lot of American men tended to drink barrels of bourbon before making their way into the higher prices and complex characteristics of Scotch.

How does single-malt Scotch compare to American bourbon?

“Bourbon whiskies provide a sweeter American Oak style, including major characters of vanilla and citrus fruits,” Savage says.

“Cereal and malt notes” are the big differentiators when comparing Scotch to bourbon, he says.

It’s tough to explain what these grains taste like in the glass. (Learning to truly appreciate Scotch is the work of a lifetime.) But the hallmark flavors may best be described as smoky, woody, earthy, and leathery.

Savage, like most distillers, is quick to say you should drink his stuff however you like it. But he adds that Scotch “shines as a standalone spirit.”

If you’re looking to add anything to your glass apart from water, he suggests lemon, sherry, or bitters. The appropriate mixer depends on the Scotch in your glass. But these can complement a whisky without covering it up, he says.

Asked for a specific example, he says, “The Macallan Double Cask works well with fino sherry, as it’s bone dry and very lean but brings a brightness and slight acidity that accentuates the brighter sweet fruit notes of The Macallan.”

There are six distinct whisky-producing regions in Scotland, each known for certain flavor profiles. They are: Highlands, Speyside, Lowlands, Islands, Islay, and Campbeltown.

Savage says every individual distillery within those regions produces its own distinct Scotch. But speaking broadly, an Islay whisky like Lagavulin may be more “smoky and peaty,” while a Highlands such as Aberfeldy tends to be lighter and fruitier.

Again, figuring out which region you enjoy most is going to require a lot of time and tasting—not to mention money. But that’s part of the fun.

Good single-malt Scotch takes a decade (or much longer) to mature, and is a carefully calibrated symphony of aromas and flavors. Unless you’re sharing a bottle with half a dozen friends, you’ll probably only be drinking it a glass or two at a time before shelving it and pulling out the cheaper stuff.

So how should you store it to maintain its quality? “Keep it out of direct sunlight in a cool dry area,” Savage says. Also, be sure its cap is tightly closed in order to maintain its integrity.

“It doesn’t continue to age once it’s been bottled,” he adds. (Unlike wine, it’s not going to change or evolve in its glass container.) But if you store your Scotch properly, you can keep enjoying it for a year or longer without much drop-off in flavor or intensity.