- To qualify as a scotch the spirit must be made from malted barley, with many scotches using nothing more than barley, water and yeast.
- It can include whole grains of other cereals as well as caramel colouring but no fermentation additives or short-cuts are permitted.
- The spirit must also be aged in oak casks for no less than three years and must have an ABV (alcohol by volume) at less than 94.8%.
- Finally, it can’t be called Scotch unless it was made 100% in Scotland, from Scotland.
