Aging Scottish Ale homebrew? How long?

Typical times for me are 3 to 4 weeks in the primary, (bucket). If I can package after this, I do. 3 to 4 weeks includes the time it takes to dry hop, if necessary, in primary.

If there's a reason to secondary (fruit, bugs, and or oak), I'll rack to secondary until I hit final gravity and the desired oak, fruit, bug flavor I want. If that takes more than another month or two, I repitch yeast if I'm bottling.

As for your Strong Scotch, I'd ferment 3 or 4 weeks in primary and go to packaging the beer. Big beers take between 4-12 months to hit their peak. (Hoppy big beers are an exception). I'd think if you kept oxygen out of the process, (after fermentation), this style would be great for 2 to 3 years in cellar conditions. Try to tuck a 6er away and prove me right.

 

I do not secondary beers like this. When they hit terminal gravity and the yeast have cleaned up off flavors, I package the beer. If I am really concerned about haze, I'll fine, but usually I will let time in the package take care of that.

 

I'll recommend what inchrisn said for primary and secondary and will say that drop off dramatically after 3 years of aging in the bottle. They really turn to mud...

 

My general rule of thumb for aging is week per degree Plato of original gravity. However, in reality taste is king . . . it's ready when it taste ready.