By David Stevens
The last time we saw Scotland, the heather was on the hill, the lassies not the laddies were wearing kilts and the whiskey was gently flowing like the River Afton. We were a guest of the Scotch Whisky Association, a London-based organization that spreads the gospel of usquebaugh (that's "water of life" for those of you who don't speak Gaelic) to whiskey fanciers worldwide. We tasted single malt scotches from the Highlands to the Lowlands (with a side trip to Campbeltown and The Islands) following the Whisky Trail, a meandering route that corkscrews through the Scottish countryside distillery to distillery.

We had one task: moving glasses filled with some of the world's finest whiskies to our mouth as often as possible. As editors of Playboy, we also felt obligated to ensure that our research was absolutely accurate -- so we did the Whisky Trail three times.

Climate plays an important role in how scotch tastes. The peat that's grown on Islay is saturated with sea salt, thus lending a taste of brine, seaweed and salt to many Islay whiskies. The Lowlands enjoy a milder climate, and those whiskies are more delicate. The best way to learn the difference is to sample fine scotch from all regions. We've selected the 10 bottles every guy should try, listed in alphabetical order. First sip them neat to appreciate the true essence of the spirit. Then, if you want, add just a tiny splash of the purest uncarbonated water available (no ice cubes, please) to expand the flavor -- and your knowledge of what's in the glass. Slàinte!