A desire for variety and a search for excellence has driven the growth in the last decade of markets for fine wines, beers, and all sorts of spirits, right down to vodka. We see a clear example in the case of Scotch whisky, a category in which the growth of demand for single-malts in a wide range of sometimes extreme styles has been rapid. As in wine, the best malts are always the well-balanced ones, no matter what their textural or aromatic peculiarities. Just as there are excellent examples of the various styles of Champagne or Burgundy, so there are of heathery Highlands, peaty Islays, and round Lowlands.
Different ages bring different characteristics as well.
If you're in the former camp, consider yourself lucky. Aging whisky for 20 or 30 years isn't a cheap process. We try to keep our comments to a minimum in sections like this in areas in which consumers tend to do their homework. We can happily suggest brushing up on your Scotch background with research, since there are a number of good and entertaining guidebooks in the market now. Also, you might want to check out a good Scotch web site that has information on many of the distilleries represented in our selection as well as on the various regions and the history of Scotch whisky.