I never thought my love affair with vodka would come to an end.

Full disclosure: I’ve been drinking vodka since I was, ummm, of legal drinking age. But lately, something hasn’t felt right; the passion was gone. It’s not you, vodka. It’s me.

Without asking, friends would order double vodka waters for me at the bar and the husband would buy me a small bottle every Friday when he did the groceries. How had I become so dull and predictable?

I knew I needed to reinvent myself, and scotch seemed like the obvious choice. I would sip it seductively while pretending to be Christina Hendricks from Mad Men, and I would wear nothing but pencil skirts and billowy silk blouses. But first, this girl needed to do her research.

See, whiskey is not your starter spirit as it’s generally brewed to have as much flavour as possible. These flavours would be of peat or the barrel itself – not really the docile grist one uses for your average bar cocktail or spritzer.

Yet one begins to learn over time that the scotches are a world of their own. Strict brewing practices and ancient traditions place scotch among the highest quality liquors. It’s the difference between a Chanel and, well, something crappy that you find on sale at the mall that shrinks and warps after the first wash. Scotch is timeless, indulgent, and quite romantic; I was hooked!

Here are 4 scotches I highly recommend trying, part of the Last Great Malts of Scotland:

 

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Aberfeldy 12 Year (750 mL, $59.95)

Known for a unique fermentation technique that takes over 70 hours (which allows for more flavour), this scotch is medium bodied and syrupy. Expect light fruity notes (tangerines and nectarines) with a hint of fudge and cocoa powder.

Aultmore 12YO bottle with tube

 

Aultmore 12 Year (750 mL, $79.95)

One of only 12 malts to be ranked “Top Class” by Whisky Experts, it’s light and fruity with notes of apple, pear and vanilla.

 

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Craigellachie 13 Year (750 mL, $79.95)

This scotch comes from the ONLY distillery to use malted barley from a specific kiln in Glenesk, which uses oil fire to produce a specific level of sulphur that gives the spirit a distinct smoky character. A combination of bonfire smokiness and clove studded baked apples are what set this one apart.

 

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Dewar’s 12 Year (750 mL, $46.95)

A feast for your taste buds, Dewar’s scotch combines honey with homemade toffee, apples and fudge. It’s mellow and buttery with a bit of citrus and vanilla, melted caramel and traces of oak. YUM!

My parting notes – don’t rush it, lady friends. When it comes to scotch, you don’t want to chug it, or even sip it. In fact, you want to take the tiniest amount so that it evaporates in your mouth. The slower the pace of the tasting, the more flavours and notes you’ll pick up. Sip, sip and repeat!