WRONG! In all likelihood you're drinking a blend, since this is what almost all whiskies on the market are. But, what is a blend? What is a single-malt? What difference does it make? Oh naive son, follow me, I will lead you into the world of the knowing.

Whiskey (often spelled whisky) is a distilled drink made from water, cereals, and, like all good alcoholic beverages, yeast. The word is descended from the Gaelic term "usquebaugh," which translates into (you're going to love this) "water of life." I suppose those old Scots really knew they were onto something. The traditional history of Scotch whiskey claims that farmers in the Scottish Highlands used surplus barely crops to create an alcoholic beverage, and voila! Scotch whiskey.

Now, back to the bar scene. A single-malt Scotch Whiskey means that you are drinking a Scotch which comes from one distillery only. The vast majority of whiskies blend many different Scotch Whiskies into one drink, hence they are called blends. Now, just because a Scotch is a blend does not mean it is not of high quality. For instance, a de luxe blend is just that: a blend of high quality, older, and more expensive whiskies.

Blending whiskey is an art unto itself, using the exact proportion of different single-malted whiskey to create a unique taste. However, a blender does not do the distilling himself. The practice of blending came about in the 1800s, in order to create a new taste of whiskey in tropical climates where the inhabitants could not handle the strength of the single-malted whiskies.

Whether or not you should drink a single-malt or a blend is up to you, just be aware of the difference when selecting your whiskies.

As for other basic info, most Scotch Whiskies range from 43 to 63 percent alcohol by volume, which in layman's terms means it is no joke. Now you are starting to understand why you had such bad nights after swigging a handle of cheap whiskey.

Scotch can be used as a mixer in certain beverages. But alone, it is a solid and tasty drink. It is often served straight, with a little water to dilute the strength, or with ice. Debates have raged for many many years as to the superiority of drinking Scotch one way versus another, but let's be honest, whatever floats your boat is fine. Oh, and if you think that the more water you add, the less manly you are, well, you're right.

We strongly recommend reading the process for making whiskey, for it is only by understanding the process can you understand what differentiates one whiskey from another in taste and quality.