Malt whiskey is made from malted barley and is distilled in copper stills before being aged in oak barrels for at least three years. Single malt whiskey is produced by one distillery, while pure malt whiskey is a blend of barley malts from different distilleries. Blended whiskey is the most popular type and is a blend of malt whiskey and other grains. Whiskey is also produced in Ireland, Japan, the United States, Canada, and other countries.
Single malt whisky, blended whiskey and pure malt whiskey are some of the different types of malt whisky. Whiskey is a distilled beverage made from a grain mash. The types of grains can be barley, corn, wheat or rye. The “malt” in malt whiskey refers to the process of fermenting the grain to produce the alcoholic beverage. In the case of malt whisky, the drink is made entirely from malted barley.
Scotch, the whiskey produced in Scotland, is the best known example of malt whisky. Whiskey has been distilled in Scotland since at least the 15th century. The name derives from the English translation of the Gaelic “uisge beatha”, which means “water of life”. The Latin “acqua vitae” also means “water of life”.
Malt whiskey in Scotland begins as barley that has been allowed to germinate by soaking in water. It is then dried with heat. Peat, the typical fuel used in the drying process, lends its flavor and aroma to the final product. The malting process converts the starches in the barley into sugar, allowing for fermentation. The malted barley is then made into a mash and mixed with hot water. Subsequently, yeast is added and fermentation begins. The whiskey is distilled two or three times in copper stills, then placed in oak barrels for at least three years. The whiskey absorbs the flavors of the oak, as well as everything that has previously been aged in the barrels.
The main differences between the different types of malt whiskey are produced during the bottling process. Single malt whiskey is produced by a single distillery. It can come from different casks in the same distillery to allow for a unique flavor for that distillery. It’s a rarer drink because only five percent of single malt whiskey is bottled. The rest is used in blends.
Pure malt whiskey is a blend of barley malts from different distilleries. It has no other grains in it. It is sometimes referred to as tinted malt or blended malt.
Blended whiskey, which is different from blended malt, is the most popular type of whisky. It is a blend of malt whiskey and other grains, although usually around 40% malt and 60% non-malt whisky. Higher quality blends have a higher percentage of malt. Big brands are usually blends to ensure a consistent taste year after year.
Single cask malt is bottled from a cask. It will not have a consistent flavor as it cannot be blended with whiskeys from other casks.
Cask malt is bottled directly from the cask, with no added water. This is thought to be a superior drink, allowing the drinker to dilute it to their liking.
The age of a whiskey refers to the number of years between distillation and bottling. The more years the beverage spends in the barrel, the more characteristics it picks up from the wood. It does not age in the bottle.
Besides Scotland, Ireland and Japan are known for their malt whiskies. The United States, Canada, India, and other countries also produce whiskey, though usually from unmalted barley or other grains. Also, the spelling in Scotland is usually “whiskey” without an e, but in the US it is “whiskey” with an e.
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