ALL ABOUT SINGLE MALT WHISKY

Single malt Scotch whisky is one of the most revered spirits in the world.

WHAT DOES “SINGLE” MEAN
To legally be called a single malt Scotch, the whisky must be distilled at a single distillery in Scotland, in a copper pot still from nothing other than malted barley, yeast and water. It must then be aged in an oak cask for at least three years and a day and be bottled at no less than 40% alcohol by volume (abv).

AGE
Single malt Scotch improves with age in the oak casks, but unlike fine wine, it stops maturing once it’s been bottled.

MALT
Malt indicates that the whisky is distilled from a single "malted" grain. Not all grains can be malted (rye is another grain which can be malted) but in the case of single malt Scotch, Barley is always the grain used.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MALTS
Malt Whisky: The raw material is barley malt, by itself fermented with yeast and distilled in a pot still.
Single Malt indicates that the whisky was made in only one distillery and has not been blended with any other product from elsewhere.
Grain Whisky: The raw material is unmalted barley, wheat or maize produced as a continuous process in a column still.
Vatted Malt is a blend of single malts.
Blended Malt is a combination of up to 50 grains and single malts from various producers.

The attractive deep mahogany color is indicative of the years spent in oak casks.
-While many drink single malt Scotch from a typical whisky glass, the proper glass to "nose" with is in fact a brandy snifter or a sherry copita, which resembles a tulip.
- Many connoisseurs believe that just a few drops of water can open up aromas, soften a dram and enhance the flavors of a single-malt.
- Some drinkers enjoy single-malts over a chip of ice.

DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF MALT WHISKY
Each region and each regional distillery has its own distinctive single malt production methods. These methods include the type of cask, barley, water or yeast used.

Speyside Single Malt Whisky ranges from light floral honeyed whiskies to an almost Liqueur like sherrie sweetness. Some have the odd peated malt taste.

Island Single Malt Whisky: The Islands region is a broad classification for Malt Whisky as it covers quite a variety of tastes from the peaty/smokey flavor of Highland Park to the lighter fragrance of Talisker.

Campbeltown Malt Whisky remains distinctive to other malt whisky regions by having a unique full-bodied sweet, smokey flavor with a briny hint. Campbeltown single-malts are known for their full bodies and, thanks to their coastal location, something of a salty, seawater tang.

Highlands Single Malt Whisky: By far the biggest region geographically, the Highlands inevitably embraces wide variations. It is difficult to generalize about the character of the Highland Malts. If they have anything in common, it is a rounded, firm, dry character with some peatiness.

Lowland Single Malt Whisky: The Lowlands Whisky Distilleries produce a much maltier and less peaty whisky which is much softer and mellower than the Highland and Island Malts. Although the number of distilleries in the Lowlands is quite small considering its geographic area they are often more sought after and higher priced than their Highland counter parts.

UNDERSTANDING A SCOTCH WHISKY LABEL
Like most other labels, the Scotch whisky label combines law, tradition, marketing and whim. If a label contains the words “single malt” (sometimes split by other words e.g., “single highland malt”) it indicates that the bottle contains single malt Scotch whisky.

MALT
Could be either Vatted Malt, Pure Malt, or Bended Malt and it indicates a mixture of single malt whiskies.

ALCOHOLIC
A good quality blend may contain more than 40% malt.
If the bottle is over 50% abv it is probably cask strength.

YEAR
Indicates the year of distillation and one cask bottling.

AGE
Must be that of the youngest whisky in the blend.