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What is Scotch whisky? Well in the first place, Scotch is the most
tightly regulated spirit in the world. It's very very tightly defined;
we need to prevent other people making it outside of Scotland. It
has to be made in Scotland, from grains, not only malted barley but
other grains are allowable for making grain whisky. It has to be
matured in Scotland for atleast 3 years, in Oak Casks, in a
maturation warehouse located here. And for malt whisky, in the
new definition, it also has to be bottled in Scotland. The 3 year rule
is very very important, the sprit that comes off the still is not really
by definition Scotch Whisky, its Scotch spirit or clearic as its
called. It has to be mature for 3 years to be called Scotch. Where
the whisky, there's an age statement such as this Bowmore 18
years old, this Glenn Garioch 15 years old, that is the age of the
spirit, obviously 15 years, 18 years, if its a blended whisky, a
blended Scotch, that is the age of the youngest component, cos'
obviously a blended whisky is using grain and malt whiskies, and
many of them, that is the youngest component, so if like Johnny
Walker Black Label has a 12 year old age statement, that is the
youngest component, there might be some 25 year old whiskies in
there, doesn't matter, but the youngest cannot be younger than 12
years.