The Best Scotch To Try If You Like Bourbon

Bourbon is American's native spirit, but it is, after all, a type of whiskey with a tradition older than the New World. Scotch is also a type of whiskey, with origins that date back to the 15th century. Of course, Scotch and bourbon are two very different varieties of the spirit, both in terms of ingredients and aging practices. But, it isn't impossible to find overlaps in flavors. We consulted Robyn Smith, owner of This Blog's Neat, to determine the best Scotch to try if you like bourbon.

Bourbon has strict rules as to ingredient ratios and must be aged in oak barrels, which are responsible for their most common tasting note, vanilla. However, Smith says, "Just because [Scotch] is aged in ex-bourbon barrels doesn't mean it's going to taste like bourbon. Most of those classic vanilla, caramel, and oak notes have already been pulled out by the first fill."

If you're looking for those familiar bourbon tasting notes, Smith recommends, "Look for Scotches that have seen new oak." Though she says this "is actually pretty uncommon," they're not impossible to find either. "Something like Balvenie 'The Sweet Toast of American Oak' is a good example of a Scotch that leans more into that new oak profile," she says. Another way to find bourbon-leaning Scotches is to look for brands that fall under a certain cask category known as STR, which stands for "shaved, toasted, re-charred" because these casks impart what Smith deems "that fresh oak character" that defines bourbon.

While certain Scotch brands are budget-friendly and good for beginners, a bourbon-adjacent bottle of Scotch like Balvenie comes at a premium price. Still, the brand is certainly worth every penny as it lands among the top three in our ranking of 25 popular Scotch whiskies. 

Interestingly, bourbon may be relegated to a very specific U.S. region, but Scotch regions span the entire country of Scotland. However, when we asked about Scotch regions that share similarities with bourbon, Smith said, "It's less about region and more about cask influence." Nevertheless, there are ingredient overlaps with bourbon in certain Scotch regions. As Smith explains, "There are also distilleries, often in the Lowlands, producing grain whiskies from corn and other grains on column stills, which is structurally similar to how bourbon is made." 

Furthermore, bourbon lovers aren't the only demographic that can find familiar flavors in different types of Scotch. Smith says that certain Scotch regions offer tasting notes that parallel rye whiskey. According to Smith, "Some Lowland single malts, like those from Clynelish, can lean herbal and grassy, while sherry cask-aged Scotches, like Glenfarclas, can hit more of those baking spice and rich fruit notes that rye drinkers tend to like." Both of these rye-adjacent brands are even highly accessible to those with tight budgets.