Welcome to the World of Scotch Whisky!

When it comes to conventional spirits, we normally think of the 'big 6'; that is whisky, gin, tequila, vodka, rum and brandy. But rarely has a spirit been so popular, so commoditized, and yet so diverse in terms of style, quality, tasting profile, and purpose, to an extent where a bottle of whisky can cost you either 10 bucks or a million dollars. Such is Scotch Whisky, a quality spirit crafted in Scotland with a unique heritage going back more than 500 years.

A roller-coaster ride since the dawn of ti'...well since a long long time

Like all cyclical products, there are so-called boom and bust periods which ought to be viewed as a natural progression through the passage of time. We had the boom era in 1800s as whisky demand and distillery construction peaked, followed by a sharp decline in no small part triggered by the domino effect of the infamous 'Pattison Crash' in 1898. Fast forward almost a century, we saw the single malt boom in Italy in the 1970s where significant stock were specifically bottled for the Italian market. Whereas the mid-1980s was coined the 'Whisky Loch' as the industry suffered a great deal from excessive stock and falling demand - leading to the closure of several legendary distilleries whose bottles are fetching sky-high prices in auctions today.

Scotch Whisky Today 

Scotch whisky really took off once again in the last 15 years or so, at unprecedented energy, enthusiasm and world demand. We see scotch whisky prioritized in front row shelves at the airport duty free shops, stacked in bar and pub counters, partnering with mega TV shows, and inspiring countless distillers from the 'new world' to pioneer this liquid gold initiative for their countries.
Be it Irish Whiskey, Bourbon, Rye, or Japan, Taiwan, Indian single malts.. the list goes on, consumers today reap the benefits of this cross pollination of ideas and know-how, with each national culture uniquely blended in.

The end result is that we now enjoy an ever more so increasing variety of options in the whisky category. We are in a happy era where whisky making is a global affair, as one may find it difficult to focus on one category of whisky long enough before eagerly jumping to the next. And while more players are entering the arena, the scotch whisky scene remains exciting, vibrant and has so much offer!

Why Scotch Whisky is probably worth exploring

1. A really high calibre in the experience of smell and taste

There can be so much finesse and subtlety in how scotch whisky presents itself to the drinker, if you are willing to meet them halfway. A wide range of tasting notes across the nose, palate and finish, a good whisky has different facets, dimensions, layers, weight, character in how it delivers itself. This translates to an almost unmatched and unique experience in smell and taste.

2. Wide range of options and counting

New or once-silent distilleries springing up every year (just look at the lowland region, it's an absolute renaissance!) And with this comes new ideas and perspectives on what whisky is, what provenance means, and the much welcomed experimentation with different barley varieties, yeast strains, fermentation periods, distillation techniques and cask combinations to discover new expressions or to re-create the yesteryear 'old school' profile that hardcore aficionados rave about and swear by. 

Distilleries aside, we also see more independent bottlers popping up; offering "variety amongst variety" as we like to call it, a wider spectrum of age-statement releases that most certainly debunks the myth that 'older mean better', as well as an increased focus in other sub-categories such as blends, blended malt, single grain and blended grain!

3. A healthier option

Scotch Whisky, like all distilled spirit, gets its flavours via natural chemical compounds that are derived through distillation. Comprising of nearly entirely enthanol and water, whisky has no sugar compared to alcoholic beverages that are brewed or fermented, and is a lot more calorie friendly as well. This is a plus point that aligns with drinking healthier, which we certainly do not mind!

4. A time-capsule

To make good whisky takes time, and to have spent years if not decades sleeping in barrels before being bottled humbly reminds the introspective drinker on the concept, meaning and availability of time. For some, a bottle of whisky distilled/bottled in a certain year commemorates an event that has happened, and it is a way to capture that memory meaningfully, a consumable memory that can be shared with loved ones. For others, aged whisky simply paints a more contemplative mood about time, patience and appreciation. It makes you start thinking about what's in your glass, if you give it a chance instead of simply knocking it back.

Old Moon Spirits carefully curates what we believe are quality spirits, and work towards increasing the range of offerings overtime without compromising on what the business stands for. Start exploring our selection or come by for a fitting session!

Here's a quick cheat sheet to get acquainted with Scotch Whisky!