I thought maybe it would be a good idea to write a small blog about Scotch whisky terminology. And a good starting point would be explaining two primary types of Scotch and then going on to the various kinds that are genealogical linked to the two.

Before we start, I think it would wise to have some definition of the words used to describe a whisky, and what it means in that context, in place.

• Single should be understood to mean and describe a one location (a single distillery).
• Malt describes a whisky whose fermented mash is mainly malted grain
• Grain would mean a mixture of different grains.
• Blends will be understood to mean different distilleries.

When we speak of Scotch, you're bound to come across a number of different whiskies from the major whisky regions for Scotland. But all of the can ultimately be put in two different categories, namely-

• Single Malts.
• Single Grain.

Single Malt

Though today this type of whisky can be made and found in other place in the world, this is a whisky typically Scottish and it's only in Scotland that there is regulatory guide lines for its production. To qualify as a Single malt, it must have been distilled at a single distillery, made exclusively from malted barley, distilled in pot stills and aged for more than three years in oak casks. The casks are old sherry cask, previously having been used by sherry cellars in Spain.

Some whiskey producing countries emulate the Scots mode and style to produce what would have been known as single malt whisky but do not have the same legal standard to classify them as such. Most Japanese whiskies, for instance, copy the Scottish method but do not have legal regulation for the production of what would have been called single malt whisky in Scotland.

Single Grain

Again, single whisky can be found and is made in other country. but in order to define what we mean by single grain, we have to look to the Irish and Scottish regulations concerning its production. In Scotland, a single grain whisky can be made with either malted or unmalted grains cereals with the addition of malted barley. The resulting wosh is must be then distilled in column stills to be called single grain whisky.

While in Ireland, a mash made from a mix of malted barley and other grain cereals, distilled through a pot still is termed a pot still whiskey, mash of malted and unmalted cereal run through a column still is called grain whiskey.

American and Canadian whiskeys with a mixed mash bill and distilled in column still are geneologically grain whiskey but have different designations. In the Unites States, for example, these would fall under one of a number designations. Eg-

• American Straight Whiskey
• Bourbon
• Rye Whiskey

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Sources:

• Image #2
• Image #3

References:

• "American Single-Malt Whiskeys Serve Notice" The New York Times
• "How is whisky made and where does its flavour come from? Distilling and Maturing whisky" Malt Mileage
• Files setting out the specifications with which Irish Whiskey / Uisce Beatha Eireannach / Irish whisky must comply(pdf)
• The Scottish Whisky Regulation 2009(pdf)

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