How to Read a Whisky Label for Beginners 

Just have to throw this out here. This is the 4th video of yours I've watched, and I am so impressed by how you explain everything so clearly and precisely. I am simply awed by your production quality, your easy-to-understand definitions about whisky, and your relaxed and conversational tone. Really enjoying what I've seen so far. Thank you, sir. Keep up the good work!

These are not videos, but rather lessons. I learned so much like on no other channel. Wonderful work.

You could have also mentioned the Braille on your Arran label 🏷 - a nice touch 😃😃🥃

French, German and other Old World wine bottles are FAR more complicated than whisky bottles due to the various classifications and generally (excluding Alsace) they don't tell you what grapes are in the wine - you have to know that based on the region and classification. But that is wine sommeliers are so important in the trade for the consumer. But New World wines (USA, NZ, Australia, Chile, Argentina etc.) are far easier to read and are much more like reading whisky labels as long as you know the difference between a Single Malt and a Blended Scotch.

Welcome back. I just re-subscribed after noticing more new videos. Thanks again for all of your help and knowledge!

Welcome back my friend! Hope you're doing well 😃💪🏻

I've never had a drop of whiskey before (of what I've tried, I'm a wine guy) and this appeared in my recommended. I'm not regretting clicking the video though, it's quite interesting Edit: only "whiskeys" I've had now are fireball, and southern comfort, which according to a few friends of mine aren't real whiskey Edit #2: I tried some Glenlivet 12 year. And I absolutely loved it, I think I may have found another possible alcohol to have on occasion

I have been binge watching your videos and soaking up the Whisk(e)y knowledge. Just learning about Scotch and embracing the amazing tastes. Cheers!

Good to see you back! Great video as always!

Great stuff! I am enjoying watching your videos.

Great to see you back with a new vid. Excellent content as always. Keep up the good work 👍🏻

Great vídeo as per usual!! You also scratched what "ins't written on the lable".. If doesn't say "natural colour" - assume it has e150 or if it doesn't say "un-chilled filtered" - assume it was.. I think that may needed a video of it's own "how to read between the lines of the whisky lable". Cheers!

Amazing video mate! Extraordinary!❤

Great to have you back!!

Welcome back Phil. Missed your vids. This one is absolutely awesome. Thanks for making it ^_^

Excellent Phil 👍 always wait for your new videos ...cheers

You're the best Connoisseur Phil..Salud

you are best of the best.... thanks for these information appreciate

Looking forward for more videos totally loved it

Lots of great info in this video. Thanks!

Yesss! We want moreee!

Great video learnt things I didn’t know and helps with the choices you make.

Excellent summary. Thank you 🙏

This such a good video! Thank you for making this !

Keep up the great work mate!!

I've recently been trying out some whiskey for the first time (I've tried some other random times before and it was not a good experience - so far this has been a good one). I paused a little bit at the "spelling of the word whiskey/whisky" and want to share a weird historical tidbit about a very novel way to spell whiskey. I am very interested in naval history. To that end, during World War II, the US Navy completed building of the last 4 American battleships. These were the Iowa Class battleships USS Iowa (BB-61), USS New Jersey (BB-62), USS Missouri (BB-63), and USS Wisconsin (BB-64). There were supposed to be 2 more ships in the class, and quite a lot of work was done to build them, but stopped during the war because the Navy realized we didn't really need more battleships. I forget what the 5th hull was going to be named, but the 6th, uncompleted ship was already given the name USS Kentucky (BB-66). Kentucky was never completed, but the hull was finished when work was paused, and because so much material and work went into building the hull, the Navy kept the hull for years trying to decide what to do with it. They considered finish it as a different type of ship, but nothing was ever done until one day the battleship Wisconsin struck a pier and had it's bow very badly damaged. The Navy looked at how to best repair the damaged bow of the Wisconsin and determined that the best thing to do was the completely cut off the damaged area and scrap that bit. Then they took the hull of the incompleted battleship Kentucky and cut off part of it's bow and used that to replace the damage to Wisconsin. Ever since then, Battleship Wisconsin carried the nickname Wis-ky, because she was part Wisconsin, and part Kentucky. Sorry I'm done now. Yes I know. I like boats too much. I'll let myself out now.

Awesome video!

Nice Video. I was feeling guilty about my 7 bottle collection being too big. I now see from your cabinet it's like bikes number required is number owned plus 1.

Thank you Phil, Cheers.

Good video Phil. Suppose for someone relatively new to whisk(e)y a label can be pretty head scratching. By the way love your into and background music, awesome, slàinte Phil.

Very informative ;)

Hey Phil, would love to see best cheap "whisky"s or "whiskey"s 😅

Excellent

What's the bottle of Bunnahabhain that's on the shelf over your right shoulder?

Thanks!

Nice video, i can now buy a good whisky 😉

Brill video Phil 👍 with the labels where do you fall on the whole natural colour debate? Do you think it is something that must be clearly stated if used like it is done in Germany or is it unnecessary transparency?

How many times a cask can be used for bourboun (1 guess) and how many times for whiskey. How many times for sherry? How many times for wine? Thanks.

nice.

Thanks

11:21 not served in scotland of course

Technically, Old Particular is not an Independent bottler, it is a brand name under the Douglas Laing Independent Bottler umbrella...

We in the US usually think in abv, or at least I do. The proof system is kind of antiquated at this point.

People KNOW the whiskey tastes better and that there is only debate with the marketing departments of some of the distilleries.

Jealous you have the Springbank

Interestingly enough, Makers Mark is a Kentucky bourbon that spells whisky without the “e”. They seem to be an outlier.

If a distillery could make 2 identical wiskeys, 1 chill filtered and colored and the second non chill filtered natural color. Then let tasters decide on the flavour

mmmmmmmm single malt scotch whisky mmmmmmmm

At 2:00 you define Scotch Blended Whisky as "they are not from a single distillery, the whisky comes from a whole bunch of different distilleries mixed together in a blend..." Phil, at least for Scotch Whisky, this is not correct!!! This is a common mistake based on faulty logic. If Single Malts are from a Single distillery then the definition of Blended Whisky must be a whisky from multiple distilleries? Right? WRONG! Now, please note that the following definition is exclusively referring to the definition of Scotch Whisky, made in Scotland and not American Whiskey. The word "Blended" refers exclusively to the mixing of two Scotch whisky types: Whisky made from Malted Barley distilled in a pot still, with whisky made from grain whisky, that is neutral alcohol distilled in a column still. To make it crystal clear, Glencadam distillery produce their own grain whisky in a column still made from un-malted mash. They also make malt whisky at the same exact distillery. After a minimum of 3 years maturation in Oak casks, the grain whisky is mixed, or blended with malt Whisky to make [Scotch] Blended Whisky. Now, if Glencadam would bottle their grain whisky (without mixing it with anything else) which they make at the single distillery then it would legally be called [Scotch] Single Grain Whisky. *Under Chapter 2 : "Definitions of categories of Scotch Whisky"* 2.5 Blended Scotch Whisky is defined under the SWR as a combination of one or more Single Malt Scotch Whiskies with one or more Single Grain Scotch Whiskies, which accords with traditional practice. 2.4 Single Grain Scotch Whisky means a Scotch Whisky distilled at a single distillery but which, in addition to water and malted barley, may also be produced from whole grains of other malted or unmalted cereals. Excluded from the definition of “Single Grain Scotch Whisky” is any spirit which qualifies as a Single Malt Scotch Whisky or as a Blended Scotch Whisky. The latter exclusion is to ensure that a Blended Scotch Whisky produced from Single Malt(s) and Single Grain(s) distilled at the same distillery does not also qualify as Single Grain Scotch Whisky. 2.6 Blended Malt Scotch Whisky means a blend of two or more Single Malt Scotch Whiskies from different distilleries, and 2.7 Blended Grain Scotch Whisky means a blend of two or more Single Grain Scotch Whiskies from different distilleries. Now, you might think that based on the official definition above, Glencadam might try and make an argument that if they ever blended just the grain Whisky which they make at the distillery, with the malt whisky they also make at the same distillery, then they could call it a [Scotch] "Single Blended Whisky" !!! However, I would guess that the SWA would not be too pleased as this would lead to even more confusion. However, you get my point.

Lazy video, rehashing stuff you've already covered.