# how much scotch in butterscotch?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-scotch-in-butterscotch/107595>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 6, 2002, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-scotch-in-butterscotch/107595 "2002-05-06T19:00:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![drhess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/94ad74/32.png) [@drhess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drhess)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2002, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-scotch-in-butterscotch/107595/1 "2002-05-06T19:00:26Z")

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The question says it all.

Really: where does the name butterscotch come from and what, besides those candies I love, uses this flavor? 😃

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**Author:** ![Why\_A\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@Why\_A\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Why_A_Duck)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2002, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-scotch-in-butterscotch/107595/2 "2002-05-06T19:05:05Z")

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I don’t believe there is any scotch in butterscotch.

The flavor profile you love comes from sugar (which lends a caramel-esque taste), butter, cream, and usually vanilla.

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**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2002, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-scotch-in-butterscotch/107595/3 "2002-05-06T19:14:07Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by drhess \*  
> \*\*Really: where does the name butterscotch come from and what, besides those candies I love, uses this flavor? 😃 \*\*

Butterscotch was originally a sort of confection made by spreading the ingredients (basically butter and sugar) in a pan and baking it. The resulting mass was then _scotched_, or scored with a knife, so that pieces could be broken off. There is also butterscotch sauce for ice cream.

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**Author:** ![femtosecond](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f08c70/32.png) [@femtosecond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/femtosecond)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2002, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-scotch-in-butterscotch/107595/4 "2002-05-06T19:47:10Z")

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Here’s a related thread: [What’s the difference between butterscotch and caramel?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=81863)

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**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2002, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-scotch-in-butterscotch/107595/5 "2002-05-06T21:30:02Z")

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May I flip the question around? How much butterscotch is there in Scotch?

One of the reasons I love a good Scotch whisky is for the lovely “butterscotch” aftertaste. Where does that taste come from? I kinda doubt that anyone would add sugar, butter, etc. to a fine whisky. Is it just a coincidence that the sugars (and other substances) formed during the production of Scotch whisky taste like confectionary butterscotch?

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**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2002, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-scotch-in-butterscotch/107595/6 "2002-05-06T21:58:46Z")

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Scotch is made from roasted barley malts; I think it’s reasonable to assume that this caramelizes a little of the sugar in the malts, which carries through into the whisky. I don’t think it’s a “butterscotch” taste so much as a caramel taste.