If you’re not familiar with Scotch Ales as a beer style, they’re all about malt sweetness and smoke (at least in the US). This has lead to a common misconception that all ales brewed in Scotland fit this deScription, though a closer examination of brewing history shows that Scottish brewers have always brewed a range of styles, including IPA, as well as other lighter and more subtle styles. History is interesting, but some details will always be forgotten; as such, you’d be hard pressed to find a traditional American-style Scotch Ale that doesn’t use some portion of smoked malt.
Smuttynose Scotch Ale is still smoky, though we’ve substituted beechwood smoked malt for malt smoked with peat, the “traditional” American choice. The change results in a softer smoke character that we prefer.