One Bourbon. One Scotch. Three Major Differences

With having that deep, amber color to them, Bourbon and Scotch look similar on the surface but they are quite different in three major ways. Their first difference is subtle but is a major way of determining which you are sipping on. Bourbon Whiskey spelling is for American made bourbon and Whisky spelling distinguishes a Scottish produced whiskey. Flavor profiles for each are also distinct. A Bourbon has more a sweet and vanilla profile with an oaky finish. Scotch, however, can be much smokier with use of Peat, an earthy substance of sod that is burned during the malting process of production. Even the aging process affects the smoothness of each. Bourbon is typically aged for 2 years in a charred, new oak barrel. This helps to create a little bit more of spice to the whiskey. To be considered a Scotch Whisky, this liquor must be aged for at least three years. Contrasting from its American counterpart, the whisky is placed in used barrels as Scottish distilleries like to reuse their barrels for as long as they can, producing a smoother finished product.