Nothing beats a nice bottle of whisky on the rocks, neat, or in your favourite cocktail. All over the world, whisky is appreciated for its smokiness, depth, and rich history.

With so many bottles lining up shelves and bars, there seems to be “too much” whisky on the market, making it tough to choose and develop a taste.

Luckily, many brands fall into one of five main categories, so get yourself a glass as we go over the five main types of whisky (and why you should probably try all of them at least once).

Single Malt Whisky

Single malt whisky is revered globally and is consistently ranked as one of the finest spirits money can buy. Most of the world’s single malt is produced in Scotland from malted barley, which goes through several stages.

The production process involves maturation in wooden casks that give single malt its distinct colour and flavour. Single malt whisky is made from a single distillery like the Glenfiddich Distillery, one of the major producers of single malt whisky.

Single Grain Whisky

Single grains are also produced using corn, rye, or wheat in one distillery. They are popular for their lightness and mild flavour, which contrast the intense smoky flavour of single malts.

Single grain whiskies pair perfectly with many popular cocktails, and in some cases, a bottle may have several grains, although mixed in one distillery. It’s cheaper and easier to make single grain whiskies, so you can always get several varieties from independent whisky bottlers.

Blended Malt and Grain

Nine out of ten bottles of whisky sold today are blended malt and grain whiskies. They are made from a mixture of one or several grain whiskies for volume and one or more single malts to create a unique taste.

Blended whiskies offer a product that exceeds in depth at a lower price than a single malt. Blenders such as Johnnie Walker have consistently produced some of the most popular whiskies in the world by blending single grains and malts from other distilleries.

Blended Malt

Blended malt whiskies are pure malt varieties with none of the grain and are sometimes known as “pure malts.” Blended malts vary in taste and other attributes due to different types of ageing that create the finest blends, which can get a little pricey. Blended scotch whiskies are made exclusively in Scotland, with each distillery offering distinct in-house recipes and flavours.

Bourbon Whiskey

Bourbon can be categorised as a blended whiskey; however, since it is native to America, it’s often classified in its own class. It’s matured in new barrels, so the cost of new barrels for each batch usually accounts for a significant part of the final price tag.

Also Read: 7 Best Tips for Beginners Drinking Whisky

Bourbon contains at least 51%, and some of the most iconic labels include Marker’s Mark, Bulleit, and Woodford Reserve.

Raise Your Glass to Greatness

Whisky is a versatile drink that traces its roots to some of the oldest distilleries in the world. Whisky lovers are spoilt for choice as some of the best names continue to produce and refine their formulas for that smooth, woody profile enjoyed worldwide.