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Malt whisky is made from malted barley. Scottish malt whiskies are produced in copper stills and only from the ingredients water, yeast and the malted barley. After distilling, the new make must be stored in oak casks for at least three years. These are usually former bourbon barrels from the USA, that are filled a second time. Spanish sherry casks, which were originally used in the past for maturing the whisky, and port pipes, barrels or wine casks are also taken.
If the malt whisky comes from only one distillery, it is called a single malt. Single malts usually
consist of a mixture of different casks from the same distillery (batch). In contrast, single cask whisky is bottled from only one cask. The number and storage location of the cask are indicated on the label. In the case of vatted malt or blended malt whisky, barley whiskies from different distilleries
are mixed. The Scotch or Blend - Whisky contains also a large proportion of grain whisky
made from other types of grain like wheat, corn or rye.
Due to the sea and the unstable climate, very distinctive whiskies are produced on the islands and the coast. In taste, they reflect the flavours of the sea. The single malts are strong, aromatic and taste of salt, seaweed and often peaty
if smoked malt has been used in the fermentation.
unique taste
Single Malts produced on the islands surrounding the mainland of Scotland offer a very diverse and different taste. The Scotch Whisky Association does not recognise this group designation, but for geographical reasons it is natural to group them together if they are produced on one of the islands of Scotland.
Typical Island flavours are salt, seaweed, smoke, brine, oil, black pepper, honey and other intense fruit flavours that come from the casks, especially the sherry ones.
When whiskey is made, the malt mash is first fermented and then distilled. The first written mention of whiskey comes from Ireland. In the early 14th century, the word "uisge beatha" was first mentioned there, which means something like "water of life". However, this was a common name for any kind of brandy in the Middle Ages. But the distillation process itself was developed much earlier - probably 2000 B.C. - invented by the Babylonians. On the one hand the art of distilling probably came to Ireland via Arab craftsmen through Spain and from there to Scotland. On the other the ancient Greeks and Ottomans also developed the distillation process and finally brought the knowledge to Europe in the 13th century. Here it was learned by the monks and the knowledge spread from Ireland and Scotland throughout Europe.
scotch
Single malt is like wine in that the location of where it's produced and also the type of barley makes a big difference to how it tasts, looks and smells even though it's produced in the same country. Scotland isn't the biggest country, but the differences in location to how the uisge beatha can taste is phenomenal. However, the casks or barrels in which the distillate, the new make, matures over a shorter or very long period of time have a great influence on the taste.