Auchentoshan American Oak Scotch Whisky Review

Auchentoshan, founded in 1823, is situated on the outskirts of Glasgow. Pronounced “ock-un-tosh-un” (helpfully spelled out for everyone on both the packaging and the website!), the name means “corner of the field”. The distillery proudly embraces its name with the playful declaration that it’s “challenging to say, easy to drink”.

Lowland whiskies are typically said to be fairly light and gentle, and usually unpeated. Given this, they’re often seen as a great place to start for those who are new to Scotch (although exceptions like the heavily peated single malt from Ailsa Bay challenge this generalisation).

While most Scotch is double-distilled, Auchentoshan triple-distils all its whisky. This extra distillation results in a lighter, cleaner spirit which is often compared to Irish whiskey (as Irish whiskey is famously associated with triple-distillation). Whether or not this counts as a plus will come down to personal preference. Apparently, triple-distillation was historically the norm for Lowland whiskies, but it seems as though only Auchentoshan is keeping up this tradition across its range. I’ve even heard Auchentoshan jokingly referred to as a “breakfast whisky” because of how smooth and easy-drinking it is.

Auchentoshan American Oak is a no-age-statement single malt that’s been aged exclusively in a combination of first and second-fill ex-bourbon barrels. It’s officially bottled at 40% ABV, which adds to the pre-existing reputation for approachability.