A JOURNEY TO THE SINGLE MALTS

WHAT ARE SINGLE MALTS?

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. A Single Malt Scotch must be distilled in Scotland and matured in oak casks in Scotland for at least three years. "Single" indicates that all the malts in the bottle come from a single distillery. "Malt" indicates that the whisky is distilled from a single "malted" grain. Not all grains can be malted but in the case of single malt Scotch, barley is always the grain used.

HISTORY OF SINGLE MALTS!

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. 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 license for a distillery under the new law, founding the Glenlivet Distillery in 1824.

PRODUCTION OF SINGLE MALTS

MALTING

MASHING

FERMENTATION

DISTILLATION

MATURATION

BOTTLING

SINGLE MALT REGIONS

LOWLAND
The Lowlands region lies south of an imaginary line drawn from the Clyde estuary to the Tay estuary. It can claim only three working distilleries. Whiskies from the Lowlands tend to be soft and light in character. They often display very malty, grassy characteristics and subtle delicate aromas. Examples include Glenkinchie, Blandoch and Auchentoshan.

HIGHLAND
The region includes most of the rest of Scotland, with the exception of the Island of Islay and Campbeltown, and thus its malts vary greatly in character. Generalizations about the Highland region are less valid, as its whiskies will range from dry to sweet and some even have a touch of smoke and peat. Examples include Glenmorangie, Blair Athol and Talisker.

SPEYSIDE
Technically Speyside lies within the Highland region. It is home to approximately half of Scotland's malt whisky distilleries. This small area of land located to the north west of Aberdeen produces mellow, sweet, and particularly fruity malt whiskies. Examples include Glenfiddich, Glenlivet and Macallan.

ISLAY
Located in the Inner Hebrides. The small Island of Islay is often called 'Whisky Island' given its concentration of eight distilleries. The island produces very distinct malts, generally heavily peated and smoky in taste. Examples include Bowmore, Ardbeg and Laphroaig.

CAMPBELTOWN
The town of Campbeltown was once home to more than 30 distilleries. Today it is home to just three: Springbank, Glen Gyle and Glen Scotia. Whiskies from the town tend to have a little peat and salt to them, and are generally medium to full bodied. Examples included Springbank and Glen Scotia.

TASTING NOTE FOR SINGLE MALT

Get some single malt scotch whisky. Buy a good glass. The tulip glass is the preferred style because it focuses the aromas and splashes the spirit onto the tongue in a wide fashion. Riedel and Glencairn make variations on this style. Some whisky drinkers prefer tumblers or snifters. Pour yourself a dram. Depending on your experience and how much you want to drink, this amount can be anywhere from half an ounce to two ounces. Tilt and turn the glass. Let the whisky coat the glass. This increases the surface area, permitting greater evaporation and thus enhancing the aroma. Observe the consistency as it sticks to the sides of your glass. Nose the whisky. Place your nose a few inches away from the glass. What do you smell? Now get a little closer. How is that? Now get as close as you can without letting the alcohol burn interfere. What other aromas are there? Keeping your mouth slightly open as you nose the whiskey will help you to better discern and 'taste' the different aromas.

Contd
Add water. (Optional) as much as half-and-half or as little as a few drops. Adding water depends on the strength and style of the whisky and the taster's preference. Gently agitate the whisky. Nose the whisky again. Change the angle and distance of the glass to pick up all of the subtle aromas. Continue this for a few minutes while the water marries with the whisky and releases additional aromas you may not have noticed at first. If you have added water, have patience. It takes a good amount of time before the whisky and water are completely married. Take a sip. Take just enough to coat your mouth and begin to slowly swirl it around your tongue. Feel the consistency of the whisky. Some feel thicker, oilier, or grittier than others. This is referred to as the "mouthfeel." Try and coat your tongue so that the whisky touches all of your taste buds. Taste the whisky. Try to hold the whisky in your mouth as long as it takes to notice all of the different flavors. Swallow. Try not to open your mouth or close your throat. Let in a tiny amount of air through your mouth and breathe through your nose slowly as the fumes rise up into your sinuses. You may notice different flavors. This is called the "finish." Once the flavors subside, breathe normally.

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