Scotch
Scotch at T.J.'s Fine Wine and Liquor in Brandon, Mississippi: what it is, how to choose it, and the brands on our shelf.
Blended and single malt, smoky and not.
How to choose
Answer the smoke question first. Peated scotch tastes like a campfire. People either love it or want nothing to do with it, and there is no middle ground worth pretending about.
Blended scotch is not lesser. It is smoother and more consistent, and it makes a better highball.
Single malt is one distillery. Speyside is fruity and soft, Highland is fuller, Islay is where the smoke lives.
Add a few drops of water. It opens the glass up. It is not cheating.
Brands on our shelf
All brands we carryRead first
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If you like bourbon, here is how to move across to Scotch without buying something you will not finish.
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What separates one bourbon from the next, and how to pick a first bottle without guessing.
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Whiskey gifts that look the part
How to pick a bottle that looks considered, without knowing what the person already drinks.
Common questions
- What makes a whisky Scotch?
- Scotch whisky must be made and matured in Scotland under detailed production rules. It is distilled from grain, aged in oak casks for at least three years and bottled at no less than 40 percent alcohol by volume.
- What is the difference between single malt and blended Scotch?
- Single malt Scotch comes from one distillery and is made from malted barley in pot stills. Blended Scotch combines one or more single malts with grain whiskies, creating a different balance and consistency.
- Is all Scotch smoky?
- No. Smoke comes mainly from peat used during part of the malting process, and its intensity varies widely. Many Scotch whiskies show little or no smoke, so region alone should not be treated as a guarantee of flavor.
- Does T.J.'s Fine Wine and Liquor carry scotch?
- Yes. T.J.'s Fine Wine and Liquor carries scotch at 237 Orleans Way, Suite B, Brandon, Mississippi. Browse the brand names on this page, then call (769) 348-0006 to confirm a specific bottle before you drive in.
