Single Malt Scotch is a type of single malt whisky, distilled by a single distillery in a pot still, using malted barley as the only grain ingredient in Scotland. As with any Scotch whisky, a Single Malt Scotch must be distilled in Scotland and matured in oak casks in Scotland for at least three years (most single malts are matured for longer). Single malt whiskey, sometimes spelled whisky, is an alcoholic beverage which comes from a single distillery, in which all the grain used for the mash has been malted. ... Distillation is a means of separating liquids through differences in their boiling points. ... Pot stills in Scotland A pot still is a type of still used in distilling spirits such as whisky or brandy. ... Malted barley Malting is a process applied to cereal grains, in which the grains are made to germinate and then are quickly dried before the plant develops. ... For other uses, see Barley (disambiguation). ... Scotch whisky is whisky made in Scotland. ... This article is about the country. ... Species See List of Quercus species The term oak can be used as part of the common name of any of several hundred species of trees and shrubs in the genus Quercus (from Latin oak tree), which are listed in the List of Quercus species, and some related genera, notably...

• "Single" indicates that all the malts in the bottle come from a single distillery. Multi-distillery malts are usually called "blended malt", "vatted malt" or "pure 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.

Binomial name Secale cereale M.Bieb. ... For other uses, see Barley (disambiguation). ...

Production

All single malt Scotch goes through a similar batch production process, as outlined below. At bottling time various batches are mixed together or vatted to achieve consistent flavours from one bottling run to the next. Even so, some variation does occur. Batch production is a manufacturing process used to produce or process any product in batches, as opposed to a continuous production process, or a one-off production. ...

Water

Water is used in all phases of the production of whisky. It is added to the barley to promote germination, it is mixed with ground barley grist to create a mash and it is used to dilute most whisky before maturation and once again before bottling. Not to be confused with Gemination in phonetics. ...

Most distilleries use different water sources in the various steps.

Most new-make malt whisky is diluted to about 63.5% before it is placed in casks to mature. These days, many distilleries are using distilled water for diluting whisky before it is casked as well as for diluting the whisky to bottling strength (40-46% Alcohol by Volume (ABV)) after maturation. Others, like Jura or Bruichladdich use water from local burns or springs to dilute new-make before it is casked. Much new-make whisky is shipped in tanker trucks to central warehouses where local tap water is used to dilute it before casking, and again at bottling time. Jura Scotch Whisky is whisky distilled on the Hebridean island of Jura (near Islay). ...

Since huge amounts of water are used during the process of whisky production, water supplies are a key factor for the location of any distillery.

Malting

Malted Barley.

Barley, yeast and water are the only ingredients required in the production of single malt Scotch. Subject Malted (germinated) barley for Single Malt Scotch in the malting room at the Laphroaig distillery on Islay in Scotland. ... Subject Malted (germinated) barley for Single Malt Scotch in the malting room at the Laphroaig distillery on Islay in Scotland. ... Typical divisions Ascomycota (sac fungi) Saccharomycotina (true yeasts) Taphrinomycotina Schizosaccharomycetes (fission yeasts) Basidiomycota (club fungi) Urediniomycetes Sporidiales Yeasts are a growth form of eukaryotic micro organisms classified in the kingdom Fungi, with about 1,500 species described;[1] they dominate fungal diversity in the oceans. ... Impact from a water drop causes an upward rebound jet surrounded by circular capillary waves. ...

The barley used to make the whisky is "malted" by soaking the grain in water for 2-3 days and then allowing it to germinate to produce the necessary enzymes required to convert starch into fermentable sugars.

Traditionally each distillery had its own malting floor where the germinating seeds were regularly turned. Most of the distilleries use commercial "maltsters" who prepare each distillery's malt to exact specifications, but the "pagoda roof" (many now false) which ventilated the malting floor can be seen at nearly every distillery.

The distinctive "pagoda" chimney of a kiln at a distillery in Scotland

The germination is halted (by heating) after 3-5 days, before the starch begins to be converted into the fermentable sugars. The method for drying the germinated barley is by heating it with hot air produced by an oil, coal or even electric heat source. Download high resolution version (600x800, 155 KB) Subject The distinctive chimney of a Single Malt Scotch kiln at the Laphroaig distillery on Islay in Scotland. ... Download high resolution version (600x800, 155 KB) Subject The distinctive chimney of a Single Malt Scotch kiln at the Laphroaig distillery on Islay in Scotland. ... This article is about the country. ...

In most cases, some level of peat smoke is introduced to the kiln to add phenols, a smoky aroma and flavour to the whisky. Some of the more intensely smoky malts from Islay have phenol levels between 25 and 50 parts per million (ppm). The three smokiest/peatiest malts, in order of phenol concentration, are Ardbeg, Laphroaig (la-froyg) and Lagavulin (lagga-voolin), all from Islay. More subtle malts can have phenol levels of around 2–3 ppm. Peat in Lewis, Scotland Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter. ... In organic chemistry, phenols, sometimes called phenolics, are a class of chemical compounds consisting of a hydroxyl group (-O H) attached to an aromatic hydrocarbon group. ... Detail on a bottle of Ardbeg Ardbeg Distillery is a Scotch whisky distillery on the south coast of the isle of Islay. ... A distinctive pagoda style kiln chimney at Laphroaig Laphroaig (pronounced la-FROYG or [1]) is a single malt Scotch whisky distillery situated on the island of Islay off the West coast of Scotland. ... Lagavulin is a small village approximately 3 miles outside Port Ellen on the Isle of Islay, Scotland. ... Islay (pronounced ; Scottish Gaelic: , or ee-luh), a Scottish island, known as The Queen of the Hebrides, is the southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides. ...

Mashing

The malt is milled into a coarse flour (grist), and added to hot water to activate the enzymes which will convert starches to fermentable sugars. Long starch chains are broken into glucose, maltose, and maltriose, which are able to be fermented by yeast. Grist Magazine, Environmental News & Commentary (est. ...

The extraction is done in a large kettle (usually made of stainless steel) called a mash tun. At first, the hot water activates the enzymes by providing an optimal temperature for activity in the grist. The enzymes act on the starch to convert it into sugar, and producing a sugary liquid called wort. Wort (IPA ) is the liquid extracted from the mashing process during the brewing of beer or whisky. ...

Fermentation

Yeast is used to ferment malted barley in washbacks.

Yeast is added to the wort in a large vessel (often tens of thousands of litres) called a washback. Washbacks are commonly made of Oregon Pine or stainless steel. The yeast feeds on the sugars and as a by-product produces both carbon dioxide and alcohol; this process is called fermentation and can take up to three days to complete. When complete, the liquid has an alcohol content of 5 to 7% by volume, and is now known as wash. Up until this point the process has been quite similar to the production of beer. Subject Brewing vessels containing wash, for Single Malt Scotch production. ... Subject Brewing vessels containing wash, for Single Malt Scotch production. ... Typical divisions Ascomycota (sac fungi) Saccharomycotina (true yeasts) Taphrinomycotina Schizosaccharomycetes (fission yeasts) Basidiomycota (club fungi) Urediniomycetes Sporidiales Yeasts are a growth form of eukaryotic micro organisms classified in the kingdom Fungi, with about 1,500 species described;[1] they dominate fungal diversity in the oceans. ... Malted barley Malting is a process applied to cereal grains, in which the grains are made to germinate and then are quickly dried before the plant develops. ... For other uses, see Barley (disambiguation). ... Typical divisions Ascomycota (sac fungi) Saccharomycotina (true yeasts) Taphrinomycotina Schizosaccharomycetes (fission yeasts) Basidiomycota (club fungi) Urediniomycetes Sporidiales Yeasts are a growth form of eukaryotic micro organisms classified in the kingdom Fungi, with about 1,500 species described;[1] they dominate fungal diversity in the oceans. ... Species See text. ... Carbon dioxide (chemical formula: ) is a chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For other uses, see Fermentation. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Distillation

The wash, 5%–7% alcohol, is distilled in copper pot stills, boosting the alcohol content to 60%–80%.

The wash is then pumped into a copper pot still, known as the wash still, to be distilled. The wash is heated, boiling off the alcohol, which has a lower boiling point than water; the vapour is collected in a condenser which has been submerged in cool water. The lower temperatures cause the vapour to condense back into a liquid form. Subject Single Malt Scotch still at the Lagavulin distillery on Islay in Scotland. ... Subject Single Malt Scotch still at the Lagavulin distillery on Islay in Scotland. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For other uses, see Copper (disambiguation). ... Pot stills in Scotland A pot still is a type of still used in distilling spirits such as whisky or brandy. ... For other uses, see Copper (disambiguation). ... Pot stills in Scotland A pot still is a type of still used in distilling spirits such as whisky or brandy. ... Laboratory distillation set-up: 1: Heat source 2: Still pot 3: Still head 4: Thermometer/Boiling point temperature 5: Condenser 6: Cooling water in 7: Cooling water out 8: Distillate/receiving flask 9: Vacuum/gas inlet 10: Still receiver 11: Heat control 12: Stirrer speed control 13: Stirrer/heat plate... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Italic text This article is about the boiling point of liquids. ...

This spirit, known as low wine, has an alcohol content of about 20 to 40%. The low wines are then pumped into a second pot still, known as the spirit still, and distilled a second, (and in the case of Lowlander, Auchentoshan, a third) time. The final spirit, called new make spirit, generally has an alcohol content of 60 to 70%.

Much of the body, or mouth feel, of the final whisky is believed to come from the size and shape of the stills used in its production. When a still wears out and has to be replaced, or when a distillery decides to expand the number of stills it operates, precise measurements of the existing stills are taken to ensure the new stills are reproduced exactly like the old. There are urban legends (mostly untrue) of master distillers having dents placed in brand new stills so that they matched those in the old still. Another urban legend states that one distiller refuses to allow the cobwebs to be cleaned off his stills for fear of altering the whisky.

Maturation

By law, Scotch whisky must be matured for a minimum of three years in oak casks.

The "new-make spirit", or unaged whisky, is then placed in oak casks to mature. By law, all Scotch whisky must be aged for a minimum of three years in oak casks in Scotland; though many single malts are matured for much longer. The whisky continues to develop and change as it spends time in the wood, and maturation periods of twenty years or more are not uncommon. Each year spent in the wood reduces the alcohol content of the whisky, as the alcohol evaporates through the porous oak; the lost alcohol is known as the angel's share. Subject Single Malt Scotch in bond at the Laphroaig distillery on Islay in Scotland. ... Subject Single Malt Scotch in bond at the Laphroaig distillery on Islay in Scotland. ... A barrel is a hollow cylindrical container, usually made of wood staves and bound with iron bands. ... The Angels share describes a phenomenon of winemaking or aging after distillation. ...

The selection of casks has a profound effect on the character of the final whisky. Single malt Scotch is too delicate to be aged in new oak casks, as new oak would overpower the whisky with tannin and vanillin, making it overly astringent. Thus used casks are needed. The most common source of casks is American whiskey producers, as U.S. laws require that bourbon and Tennessee whiskey be aged in new oak casks. Bourbon casks impart a characteristic vanilla flavour to the whisky. An important minority of whisky maturation occurs in sherry casks. This practice arose because sherry used to be shipped to Britain from Spain in the cask rather than having been bottled, and the casks were expensive to return empty and were unwanted by the sherry cellars. Sherry casks are more expensive than bourbon casks, and account for only seven percent of all casks imported for whisky maturation. In addition to imparting the flavours of their former contents, sherry casks lend maturing spirit a heavier body and a deep amber colour. For this reason, single malt Scotches that have been matured in sherry casks are especially prized by blenders, as they give a blend a roundness and richness. Stainless steel shipping containers, however, have reduced the supply of wooden sherry casks, to the extent that the Macallan Distillery builds casks and leases them to the sherry cellars in Spain for a time, then has them shipped back to Scotland. Other casks used include those that formerly held port wine and madeira, while experiments with used rum and cognac casks are being performed. A bottle of tannic acid. ... Vanillin, methyl vanillin, or 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde, is an organic compound with the molecular formula C8H8O3. ... Bourbon bottle, 19th century Oak casks in ricks used store and age bourbon. ... Tennessee whiskey is a type of American whiskey. ... A glass of amontillado Sherry For other uses, see Sherry (disambiguation). ... Macallan single malt Scotch, also called The Macallan, is produced at a distillery called Easter Elchies House, in the Speyside region. ... This article is about the country. ... A glass of tawny port. ... Madeira is a fortified wine made in the Madeira Islands of Portugal, which is prized equally for drinking and cooking; the latter use including the dessert plum in Madeira. ... Caribbean rum, circa 1941 Rum is a distilled beverage made from sugarcane by-products such as molasses and sugarcane juice by a process of fermentation and distillation. ... Cognac in a tulip glass Cognac (pronounced ), named after the town of Cognac in France, is a brandy produced in the region surrounding the town. ...

Bottling

To be called a single malt Scotch, a bottle may only contain whisky distilled from malted barley produced at a single distillery. If the bottle is the product of single malt whiskies produced at more than one distillery, the whisky is called a vatted malt, or a blended malt. If the single malt is mixed with grain whisky, the result is a blended Scotch whisky. Single malts can be bottled by the distillery that produced them or by an Independent Bottler. Vatted Malt is a whisky which is blended from a number of different single malts from different distilleries. ... Grain whisky is whisky produced in a patent still by a continuous process. ... A blended whiskey (or whisky) comes from one of many distilleries, but is drawn from whiskeys of differing vintages and/or manufacturers. ...

The age statement on a bottle of single malt Scotch is the age of the youngest malt in the mix, as commonly the whiskies of several years are mixed together in a vat to create a more consistent house style.

On occasion the product of a single cask of whisky is bottled and released as a "Single Cask."

While "cask-strength", or undiluted, whisky (often having an alcohol content as high as 60%) has recently become popular, the vast majority of whisky is diluted to its "bottling strength" - between 40% and 46% ABV - and bottled for sale.

It should also be noted that for whisky, unlike wine, the maturation process does not continue in the bottle. For other uses, see Wine (disambiguation). ...

Independent bottlers, such as Gordon & MacPhail, Murray McDavid, Signatory, Hart Brothers, and Cadenhead, buy casks of single malts and either bottle them immediately or store them for future use. Many of the independents began as stores and merchants who bought the whisky in bulk and bottled it for individual sales. Many distilleries do not bottle their whisky as a single malt, so independent bottlings are the only way the single malt gets to market. The bottling process is generally the same, but independents generally do not have access to the distillery's water source, so another source is used to dilute the whisky. Additionally, independents are generally less concerned with maintaining a particular style, so more single year and single cask bottlings are produced.

History

Distillation of whisky has been performed in Scotland for centuries. The earliest written record of whisky production in Scotland from malted barley is an entry on the 1494 Exchequer Rolls, which reads "Eight bolls of malt to Friar John Cor, by order of the King, wherewith to make aqua vitae." Aqua vitae (L. water of life), is an archaic name for a concentrated aqueous solution of ethanol. ...

In the following centuries, the various governments of Scotland began taxing the production of whisky, to the point that most of the spirit was produced illegally. However, in 1823, Parliament passed an act making commercial distillation much more profitable, while imposing punishments on landowners when unlicensed distilleries were found on their properties. George Smith was the first person to take out a licence for a distillery under the new law, founding the Glenlivet Distillery in 1824. Type Bicameral Houses House of Commons House of Lords Speaker of the House of Commons Michael Martin MP Speaker of the House of Lords Hélène Hayman, PC Members 1377 (646 Commons, 731 Peers) Political groups Labour Party Conservative Party Liberal Democrats Scottish National Party Plaid Cymru Democratic Unionist... The Glenlivet is a Speyside Single malt Scotch Whisky produced by The Glenlivet Distillery in Ballindalloch, Scotland. ...

In the 1830s, Aeneas Coffey refined a design originally created by Robert Stein for a continuous still which produced whisky much more efficiently than the traditional pot stills, but with much less flavour. Quickly, merchants began blending the malt whisky with the grain whisky distilled in the continuous stills, making the first blended Scotch whisky. The blended Scotch proved quite successful, less expensive to produce than malt with more flavour and character than grain. The combination allowed the single malt producers to expand their operations as the blended whisky was more popular on the international market. As of 2004, over 90% of the single malt Scotch produced is used to make blended Scotch. Aeneas Coffey (1780-1852) was born in Calais, France where he spent his early years. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Most distilleries in Scotland are not owned by Scots. The Japanese beverage company Suntory owns Morrison-Bowmore, while other international companies, such as LVMH & Pernod-Ricard (France), and Diageo (England), own the majority of distilleries. The largest distiller to remain under Scottish ownership is William Grant & Sons, owned by the Grant family, with headquarters in Motherwell, Scotland. Other distilleries owned by Scottish companies/families are Glenfarclas, Bruichladdich, and Bunnahabhain. Suntory Limited ) is a Japanese brewing and distilling company. ... LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton S.A. (Euronext: MC), usually shortened to LVMH, is a French holding company and the worlds largest luxury goods conglomerate. ... Pernod Ricard (Euronext: RI) is a French company producing alcoholic beverages. ... Diageo plc (LSE: DGE, NYSE: DEO) is the largest multinational beer, wine and spirits company in the world. ... William Grant & Sons Ltd. ... , For the former parliamentary constituency, see Motherwell (UK Parliament constituency). ...

Regions

Single malt origins.

Flavour, aroma, and finish differ widely from one single malt to the next. Single Malt Scotch whiskies are categorised into the following whisky-producing regions. Image File history File links Scotch_regions. ... Image File history File links Scotch_regions. ...

• Speyside Single Malts
• Highland Single Malts
  • Island Single Malts A sub-section of the Highland region
• Islay Single Malts
• Lowland Single Malts
• Campbeltown Single Malts

Speyside Single Malts are single malt Scotch whiskies distilled in Speyside, the area around the Spey River in northeastern Scotland. ... Highland Single Malts are single malt Scotch whiskies produced in the Highland region. ... Island Single Malts are Scotch whiskies produced on the islands west of the Scottish mainland, excluding Islay. ... Islay whisky is Scotch whisky made on Islay, the southernmost of the Inner Hebridean Islands. ... Lowland Single Malts are single malt whiskies distilled in the lowlands of Scotland. ... Campbeltown Single Malts are single malt Scotch whiskies distilled in the burgh of Campbeltown, Scotland, on the Kintyre penninsula. ...

See also

• Whisky
• Single malt whisky
• Japanese whisky
• List of distilleries in Scotland

For other uses, see Whisky (disambiguation). ... Single malt whiskey, sometimes spelled whisky, is an alcoholic beverage which comes from a single distillery, in which all the grain used for the mash has been malted. ... Whisky production in Japan began around 1870, but the first commercial production was in 1923, when the countrys first distillery—Yamazaki—opened. ... // Aberfeldy, Aberfeldy, Perth and Kinross/Highlands (Midlands) Aberlour, in Charlestown-of-Aberlour, Speyside Allt-á-Bhainne, Glenrinnes/Speyside, 2002 closed since 28 May 2005, still in business. ...

References