It's only a minor detail that I am sure most American bourbon drinkers either are not aware of, or would take little notice of if they knew. But in the recent couple of years it has become very important to my palate: bourbon may, by law, not contain any artificial ingredients. No colouring. No E150, no paxarette or such. It must be 100 % natural ingredients. No such law exists in regards to Scotch.
Why?

  For as long as I can remember as a drinker and worshipper of Scotch whisky, I've defended blends. They have the potential to be greater than a vast number of mediocre single malts. Being composed of many whiskies by unearthly skilled men and women who can procure a just about any flavour profile they desire, they should not be tampered with in any other way as they – and nature – intended.

  In the last year or so, I've had a number of blends. The Famous Grouse, Ballantines, Teacher's, The Talisman, Black Bottle and more. Each and every time, I've sensed a burdened down, dulling sense of toffee. A lurking suspicion that the whisky holds something that the blender did not intend: something bit watered down, something added to disguise the full gorgeous flavour of what is supposed to be in the glass to obey the laws of the mass market. Perhaps after some 15 minutes contact with air, when the whisky has opened sufficiently, the true character of comes crawling out of its E150-infested tomb.

  And of course, back in the day blends were primarily created because single malts were considered too demanding, and the consumers of the day wanted something smoother, easier to drink.

  I realise I am shooting myself in the foot, as I have always given a stiff finger to the single malt-snobs of the world who dismiss blends without exception. I am still very fond of blends, but have become increasingly critical as my palate has evolved and I have come back to the old hero-whiskies that got me into exploring this wonderful amber-coloured world, only to be devastatingly disappointed. That being said, in the best of all worlds – clearly not ours – adding caramel to such skilfully crafted works of art as blended Scotch whisky would be as forcefully punished and protested as publishing a caricature cartoon of the prophet Mohammed in your local newspaper.

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On 08 March 2006, Gunnar Thormodsaeter added the next comment:

Is it really that simple, or could it be that the E-150 can sometimes play a positive role too? Perhaps especially with blends? Check out a very interesting article on the subject at www.maltmaniacs.com/mm17.html#17-01