American single malt can sometimes be difficult to describe, taste-wise, even if the rules are clear—made in the U.S., like bourbon and rye, but from a mashbill of malted barley, like scotch and other single malts from around the globe. With no regulations regarding the type of barrel used, some distillers turn to charred new oak, making a whiskey more in line with bourbon and rye, while others rely on used oak, in the style of most scotch producers.