Coco Rocha’s Guide To Drinking Scotch

When you picture the typical scotch drinker, you’d think of a middle-aged man with a scruffy moustache, a glass in one hand and possibly a cigar in the other. But notions have changed just like the years, and a new player in the drinking game is the young, urban, sassy woman, who enjoys her scotch (preferably on the rocks) and would settle for nothing but the best. Coco Rocha, the vivacious Canadian supermodel, designer and global brand ambassador of USL-Diageo’s #LoveScotch campaign makes a fine case for the contemporary drinker. If you’re a newbie on the scene, her beginner’s guide will help you drink the talk at your next social occasion…

The basics…
“All scotch is whisky, but not all whisky is Scotch. The difference between whiskey and scotch is not just geographical, but also differs in spelling and ingredients.” (Whisky from Scotland is made from barley, while bourbon is whiskey made in U.S.A is distilled from corn.)

5 ways to be the perfect scotch drinker…
1. Use good glassware. If you’re drinking it neat, then make sure you have the right glass to really let the flavour sing.
2. Enjoy the aroma. (For me, it’s half the fun.)
3. A dash of water, in the form of ice or liquid, can really help release the flavour.
4. Sip the scotch and let it linger before swallowing it.
5. Play around with different ingredients when sipping whisky. Apricots and orange peel can really complement the aroma.

Recommendations…
“I’d recommend you buy a few small bottles just to taste the differences. You never really know what you’re going to gravitate towards.”

On the rocks…
“I’m a big fan of Johnnie Walker Black and Haig Club.”