Dr Bill Lumsden knows more than most when it comes to whisky. The spirit expert comes equipped with both an impressive knowledge of the drop, and an equally impressive title as the Director of Distilling and Whisky Creation for The Glenmorangie Company at LVMH. Part of his role is educating us mere mortals on the drink and how best to enjoy it, beginning with the below:

1. There are two key types of whisky
“There two main types of Scotch whisky – blended and single malt. A blended whisky is made by combining single malt whiskies and grain whiskies. Most blended Scotch whiskies contain around 60 percent single malt and 40 percent grain whisky.

“A single malt whisky, such as Glenmorangie’s whiskies, is made at one distillery with malted barley. They’re truly representative of a distillery’s style, whereas blends can be manufactured to create many different styles.”

2. Darker does not mean better
“I’d probably find the biggest misconception about whisky to be that people tend to assume the darker the whisky is in colour, the more expensive it is. This isn’t really true. Some whiskies are blended and will have more caramel put into it, which, would actually make it look darker than it naturally should be.”

3. There’s a whisky for everyone
“I think that whisky is a very personal drink for everyone. There are so many different flavours and types of whisky to choose from, think of it like a personal journey. You really just have to find what’s right for you. Some are sweeter, some spicier like Spios, or you could also venture into something more fruity… it’s all personal preference really.”

4. There’s no right way to drink whisky
“You know I’m pretty relaxed about how someone drinks their whisky, but there’s no question that if you want to find all the intricacies of flavour, the best way to drink a single malt Scotch is to drink it in a tulip shaped glass with a splash of water.

“You could even have it in a highball with some ice and soda. I’m also a big fan of whisky-based cocktails, not least because you can still taste the whisky. Sometimes, I’ll even shock my friends by enjoying my Glenmorangie Original in a tumbler with one or two rocks of ice, some ginger ale, and a squeeze of lime juice into it, and the flavours of the lime and ginger beautifully complement the natural flavour profile of the whisky.”

5. But there is a right way to start drinking whisky
“[Start with] a single malt either neat or on ice. Single malts are very smooth and not too overwhelming on the palette. Glenmorangie Original is great for first-time whisky drinkers. It’s got a smooth texture and vanilla character that makes it a good beginner whisky.”