While there’s no reason you can’t enjoy both, there’s a good chance you’re either a single malt scotch or a bourbon drinker. Whiskey novices might not always be able to tell the difference between the two, but to true whiskey fans, these two branches of the whiskey family tree couldn’t be more different. In the simplest terms, bourbon is corn-based while single malt scotch is malted barley-based. The result is a widely divergent set of flavors and finishes.