Starting a journey in single malts can sometimes be a little intimidating. The range of flavors offered by a single distillery is already broad enough for a beginner, and with so many choices, you could spend time tasting the same styles wondering if the Scotch category is for you.

A way to avoid frequent disappointment is to research the flavors disclosed on the label and the distillery style. You may use a tool like Dave Broom’s flavor map (click here) to understand where your taste buds are taking you. With the help of the flavor map, you will discover your tasting preferences and make a more assertive purchase.

When tasting a dram, you may ask yourself these questions:

• Do I prefer light whiskies over rich ones?
• Do I prefer delicate whiskies over smoky ones? or
• Do I like a certain degree of all these flavors but nothing too extreme?

A good practice is to find your whisky on the flavor map and see where it plots in the flavor quadrants.

The following whiskies are single malts that every person new to the category should try. I provide a range for levels of smoke (1 = gentle smoke to 5 = very smoky) for each of the three expressions below to help you determine your tolerance level for this dimension so often found in Scotch Whisky.

Dalwhinnie 15 Year Old

Dalwhinnie is a distillery in Central Highlands. Its name in Gaelic means “meeting place”. It is the second-highest distillery in Scotland, which served as an ideal place for illicit distilling and smuggling in the early 1800s with some of the lowest temperatures in the U.K.

The distillery’s original name was Strathspey when it opened in 1897, and one that provides distinctive clean honey and grassy flavor profile.

The malt is part of Diageo’s Classic Malts range that includes famous names such as Lagavulin, Oban, Cragganmore, Glenkinchie, and Talisker. Most of the production of Dalwhinnie goes into the Black & White blend, with only 10% of the new make spirit sold as a single malt.

Key Feature(s):

• Dalwhinnie’s signature flavor is one with a honey arrival imparted by ex-bourbon casks, a clean cereal-malty palate and a touch of gentle smoke with light peat. A gateway malt for those who do not want an overwhelming single malt with smoke and peat.
• Flavor Map Quadrant: Lower Left (Light and Delicate)
• Smoke level = 1.
• Target Audience: Scotch Blends drinkers should easily transition to the Dalwhinnie style for its approachability and gentle smoke.

Awards: 2013 San Francisco World Spirits Gold Winner.

Highland Park 12 Year Old Viking Honour

Highland Park is the northernmost distillery in Scotland. It was founded in 1798 in the coastal town of Kirkwall, in the remote Orkney Islands, not too far from Norway. The distillery has a Viking heritage, proudly displayed in the bottle design of all of its malts.

Key Feature(s):

• The malt is known for being one the best all-rounder Scotch Single Malts, balancing flavors of honey, sea salt, peat, smoke, and raisins (coming from ex-sherry casks) into one experience without any individual flavor dominating.
• The distillery claims to have a unique style of peat (woodless, heathery) because no trees grow on the islands due to the 100 Mph winds blowing from the Arctic Sea.
• Flavor Map Quadrant: Upper Right (Smoky and Rich)
• Smoke level = 2.
• Target Audience: A more complex malt than Dalwhinnie 15, but still very approachable for those who like whisky with sherry influence and a touch of smoke.

Awards: Gold- Distillers’ Single Malts 12 years and under – 2020 International Spirits Challenge.

Talisker Storm

Talisker distillery rests on the shores of Loch Harport in the Isley of Skye. The distillery incorporates the spirit of a rocky, volcanic, and stormy island in all of its single malts. Talisker Storm is no exception.

Key Feature(s)

• The barley of Talisker is lightly peated to approximately 18 parts per million. The signature flavor of the distillery is an intense flavor profile of pepper, smoke, salt, peat, phenols, and caramel.
• Flavor Map Quadrant: Upper Right but smokier than Highland Park 12.
• Smoke and spice are vibrant due to the malt’s young age. Smoke level = 4.
• Target Audience: Talisker Storm is not as balanced as other whiskies. Nonetheless, it is smoky and rich. This style will appeal to an audience that likes a challenge.

As you try more expressions, your palate will break the alcohol wall, flavors will be easier to identify, and you will become familiar with distilleries’ styles. At some point in the learning experience, you may want to go back to the malts you first tried and draw your conclusions.

Interested in single malts? Here’s my Top 3 Scotch single malts for bourbon aficionados (click here).

The journey is on
The journey is fun
explore, do not wait
do not be afraid

Slainte my friends!!