Made only in Scotland, this distinctive liquor uses barley for flavoring instead of the corn that's used for most American whiskies. The characteristic smoky flavor of Scotch comes from the fact that the sprouted malted barley is dried over peat fires. There are two main types of this liquor available — blended Scotches, which are a combination of 50 to 80 percent grain (unmalted) whisky and 20 to 50 percent malt whisky; and single-malt Scotches, which are made exclusively from malt, produced by a single distillery and have a richer smoky flavor. Though blended Scotch is generally preferred in the United States, single-malts are rapidly gaining favor. Traditionally, whiskies made in Scotland are spelled without the "e. " See also liquor; whiskey.