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Frequently Asked Questions about Single Malt Whisky
Single Malt Whisky makes up the majority of Scotch whisky production, but what is it, whats the difference and how is it made? We answer all of these and more:
What is a single malt whisky?
Probably the best-known of all of the Scotch whiskies, single malt whisky is made from 100% malted barley in copper stills and is the product of just one single distillery.
You can read our full article on Single Malt Whisky and the other types of whisky here.
Probably the best-known of all of the Scotch whiskies, single malt whisky is made from 100% malted barley in copper stills and is the product of just one single distillery.
The production process involves mashing, fermenting, distilling in copper pot stills and aging in oak casks. Single malt whiskies are seen as a premium product, embodying the character of the distillery that they come from, and are strongly influenced by location, production techniques and water source.
There are currently around 140 distilleries across Scotland producing single malt whisky.
You’ll find a complex range of flavour profiles, with notes of malt, fruit, spice, oak and smoke.
Within the single malt category, you’ll also find a sub-category, single cask whisky.
Single cask whisky comes from one single cask at a distillery and is bottled at ‘cask strength’ – usually at around 49-65% - meaning that it is not diluted with water before bottling, like single malt whiskies are.
Myths About Single Malt Whisky
This one’s been perpetuated for decades. Is single malt whisky better than blended whisky? It’s an age-old conundrum. Single malt whisky isn’t necessarily better – it’s just different.
Single malt whisky is made from malted barley at one single distillery – that’s where the ‘single’ aspect comes in – and offers distinctive flavours, often particular to its region and production methods.
This is possibly one of the most common myths. It is often thought that single malt whisky should be drunk neat, with a drop of water, soda, or with ice but that is fast becoming an outdated concept.
The truth is that you should drink your whisky in a way that suits you – feel free to mix your single malt whisky into a cocktail and drink your blended malt whisky neat. You paid for it – drink it in whichever way you like.
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