Whisk(e)y
Before we officially start, the spelling of “Whiskey” is used in Ireland and America, while “whisky” is used for the rest of the world.
Therefore, in the following article, you will see “Whisky” more often.
Whisky is not only the national wine of the British but also one of the most popular spirits in the world. Some favour Single Malt Whisky while some prefer Blended Whisky, but what is the difference between the two?
The Scotch Whisky is known as one of the best whiskies in the world, but is it?
Are you a Single Malt Whisky person or a Blended Whisky person?
Let us find out!
Single Malt Whisky
Malt Whisky refers to the original Whisky of Scotland. Malt Whisky is made only from malted barley, in two and sometimes three copper pot stills, by a batch process.
Single Malt Whisky refers to the malt Whisky from a single distillery.
These distilleries often mix and match the batches to realize uniformity and representativeness of their style. As a result of blending within the same distillery, Single Malt Whisky manifests qualities of the distillery and region.
Scotland's famous Single Malt Whisky distilleries include Dalmore, Springbank, Glenlivet, and Glenfiddich.
Blended Scotch Whisky
Blended Scotch Whisky is a blend of more than one single malt Whisky and single grain Whiskies, with Whiskies from different distilleries. Although Scotland produces high-quality Single Malt Whiskies, most Scotch Whiskies are still sold to the world in the form of Blended Whiskies.
Renowned Blended Scotch Whisky brands include Chivas Regal, Johnnie Walker, Dewars, and J & B.
The rise of Blended Whiskies began with solving the conundrum of producing quality Single Malt Whisky. Surprisingly, the delicate palette of Blended Whiskies amazed consumers, especially to those who considered the taste of Single Malt Whisky too robust. Since then, Blended Whiskies surmounted most of the Whisky market.
The winemaker is unquestionably the vital asset of a Whisky distillery. From weighing the proportion of malt and grain Whisky to determining the age or origin of Whisky batches. Winemaker solemnly crafts the taste of Blended Whiskies during the blending process, defining personalities of the amber liquid that enchants generations.
Other types of Scotch Whisky
- Blended Malt Scotch Whisky is a Blended Whisky with Single Malt Whiskies from different distilleries. The Compass Box's Peat Monster, which is rich in flavour and peat, is one of the Blended Malt Scotch Whisky.
- Blended Grain Scotch Whisky is a Whisky blended with single grain Whiskies from different distillers. Comparatively speaking, the flavour of this type of Whisky is softer than the others.
- Single Barrel Whisky means that the source of the bottled Whisky is from the same old barrel. The aroma, flavour, and colour of each barrel are different, creating the uniqueness of each single barrel Whisky. It celebrates the original hallmarks of each barrel.
Balvenie in Scotland produced Single Barrel Whiskies formerly, but in general, production of Single Barrel Whiskies in Scotland is uncommon. The United States, however, produced Single Barrel Whisk(e)y extendedly, leading distilleries include Jack Daniel’s and Jim Beam.
Although 90% of Whiskies consumed are Blended Whiskies, it does not indicate that the quality of Blended Whiskies is better than Single Malt Whiskies or vice versa.
In a nutshell, Single Malt Whisky manifests qualities of the distillery and region, while Blended Whisky is relatively modest, both in terms of cost and flavour.
Now that you are aware of the different types of Whisky, please do yourself a favour and be adventurous to start or continue the quest of your perfect Whisky.
Find out more on Pernod Ricard's whisky experience.
Please enjoy responsibly.
