A little about scotch tape in general

As you know from the previous post, Scotland is considered the birthplace of whiskey, which there (that is, not only there, but everywhere) is called Scotch and on every bottle of the drink produced in this country of the Kingdom, there is the Whiskey Scotch mark.

There are several significant, produced elsewhere, which can only be called Whiskey or.

There are several types of Scotch whiskey:

• Malt - Scotch made from 100% barley malt only.
• Single Malt is a single malt whiskey made in one distillery and bottled there.
• Single Cask Malt is a mixture of multi-malt varieties, aged in one barrel.
• Pure Malt is a composition of several brands of single malt whiskey produced in different distilleries, aged in one barrel.
• Blend is a blended whiskey, a combination of different types of malt and grain alcohols in different proportions.
• Grain is a whiskey made from pure wheat alcohol of very high quality. This is the most expensive brand of unmalted scotch.
• Single Grain is also a pure grain whiskey, lower in the category.
• Grain Single Barrel - Scotch made from a mixture of grain alcohols, aged in one barrel for at least 6 months.
• Pure Grain is a combination of several grain drinks produced at different distilleries.

It's rare to find pure grain whiskey here. Most often - or varieties. A total of 148 brands of Scottish Scotch are currently on the market.

The most famous brands of scotch tape

If you ask someone who knows a little about whiskey which brand is the most famous, he will no doubt name Johnnie walker... In Russian, the name sounds like Johnny Walker - this is the name of the founder of the distillery. The event happened back in 1820. It is now the world's best-selling brand. There are 5 Johnnie Walker labels:

• The cheapest is Red Label. Its manufacturer positions it as an "everyday" scotch tape. Consists of 35 varieties of barley, the base is the Cardu brand, aged in sherry barrels for 3 to 5 years.
  The cost of a bottle with us ranges from 1.8-2.0 thousand rubles per 0.7 liter bottle. Further I will indicate just such a spill - for convenience. The first price - in online stores and wholesalers, the second - in retail trade. This is the number 1 whiskey in the world. 7.5 million 9-liter crates are sold every year worldwide!

• Black Label is a great blend, aged over 12 years. It contains almost 40 single malt alcohols. It has the softest, honeyed taste and a light smoky note in the aroma. The cost is 3.0-4.2 thousand rubles.

• Gold Label, or it is also called the "Golden Label", has an aging of at least 18 years and is made up of 15 of the most valuable barley and grain alcohols. The recipe was developed for the centenary of the Johnny Walker & Sons Company. It is considered the most "honey and smoky" brand. Price - within 5-5.5 thousand rubles.

• Platinum Label is the newest product of the company. Year of birth - 2011, the author of the blend is Jim Beveridge. Alcohols have been infused for at least 18 years, the composition is kept secret. Experts say that the blend was created under the influence of the blend master's trip to India. And that's why scotch tape has a very strong, spicy and at the same time sweet taste with a traditional smoky aroma. The price is about 8 thousand rubles.

Among luxury whiskeys, the brand has been holding the championship for decades Chivas regal- products of the Chivas Brothers distillery (founded in 1801).

The blend is 39-41% malt whiskey. Available in three varieties: Chivas Regal 12 Y.O. with 12-year aging (price about 3 thousand rubles for 0.7 l), with 18-year-old - Chivas Regal Gold Signature 18 Y.O. (6.5 thousand rubles) and Chivas Regal Royal Salute 50 Y.O., created for the 50th anniversary of the Queen's coronation in 2003.

Feature - colored bottles, imitating the play of precious stones on the royal crown. The price of an exclusive bottle is from 15 thousand rubles.

Whiskey scotch glenlivet, reads like Glenlivet, is one of the finest Single Malt brands. Date of birth - 1824. Withstands from 12 to 25 years. Drying of malt is carried out with peat smoke, which is practically fresh in composition, extracted only in one place.

It has a rather light golden color, honey flavor and delicate smoky floral fleur. Aged in bourbon barrels (one type is from sherry), and for almost 200 years now, water has been taken from only one source. Cost - from 4 thousand rubles. for a 12-year-old bottle up to 30-35 thousand - for a 25-year-old.

Famous grouse- the national pride of Scotland. Only there is the wild grouse partridge, which is shown on the label. Strength of drink 43% alc. Consists of malt spirits from two distilleries. The best-selling brand in Scotland itself.

And at the same time, many houses have their own recipes for how to make Faymous Grose. Connoisseurs note spices and orange in the taste, caramel in the aftertaste, and fruits (orange and cherry) and peat smoke in the aroma. The price is in the region of 2-2.5 thousand rubles.

Among the very famous and valuable brands, you should definitely name:

• Ballantine's- the third largest sales in the world. Has the title "Impeccable Taste". Price from 1000 r. for 3 years of age and up to 35 thousand for aging for 30 years.
• Cutty sark- the lightest and most original in taste variety. And the cheapest original scotch - from 800 rubles. per bottle
• Dewar's White labe l - the most complex blend in composition. Has a Royal Patent and over 400 international awards. Exposure from 3 to 25 years, price 4-25 thousand rubles.
• Glenfiddich or scotch tape with antlers. Every 4th bottle sold in the world has them on the label. This is an elite class single malt whiskey. A bottle with a 40-year-old drink costs 210 thousand rubles. The cheapest is about 4 thousand.

The most popular whiskey in Russia

Well, I want to finish my review with the most popular brand among my compatriots. Naturally, this is the White Horse - White horse... Also, this whiskey is the first in Japan, the second in Brazil and the third in the United States in popularity.

It is interesting that at home this drink is not even included in the top 20. But on the other hand, the manufacturer is White Horse Distillers Limited, the only one that has the Queen's Award for Achievements in the Development of International Trade.

Recently, the distilleries were bought by Diageo, which now owns almost half of the listed brands. The White Horse blend contains more than 20 types of malt and grain alcohols, the taste is sweet, with fruit, the aroma is smoky, with hints of vanilla.

On this I say goodbye, although I could still tell a lot of interesting things about scotch tape. I will switch to other drinks for now - well, so as not to be offended. Subscribe - and you will receive a letter with a new, exciting investigation on the topic of alcohol. And remember - everything is good in moderation!

Best regards, Pavel Dorofeev.

Hello everyone!

Today we will continue the topic of whiskey and talk about its varieties, they also say - categories. Many are interested in the question: single malt whiskey - what it is and how it differs from another type - blended. I have studied this topic and am happy to share with my subscribers.

Why such a name

So that's it. The name itself already tells us that this scotch tape is made from one barley malt and water, without the use of other grain crops and any additives.

The second feature is that single malt whiskey is produced only at one distillery (as opposed to blended - I'll talk about it in detail in the next post). At the distillery, it is immediately poured into branded bottles, and the Single Malt marking is put on the label.

This drink belongs to the rank of elite, the strength is within 40-43 degrees. The taste is soft, with pleasant notes, the aftertaste is unobtrusive and lighter than that of blended brands.

Connoisseurs note that only Scottish single malt whiskey has hints of sea and peat aroma. The share of the single malt category in the whiskey market is no more than 10%.

There are strict requirements for the technology for making single malt whiskey:

• Mandatory two-time distillation using copper cubes of a certain design. Only individual distilleries in Scotland (in the Lowlends area) are allowed to distill 3 times - this will also be indicated on the label.
• Exposure must be at least 3 years. But Scotch, which has been aged for at least 8 years, is appreciated, and the noblest - and all 15. Connoisseurs rightly believe that only during such a period the drink acquires the taste and aroma of real Scotch whiskey.
• Most single malt whiskeys are aged in one or two barrels, but there is also another technology. Scotch is made from several brands of single malt whiskeys from different distilleries (blend) - then the label will be labeled Pure Malt. And in addition, the age of the youngest ingredient will be indicated as the aging period.

A bit of history

Single malt scotch is a Scottish invention. The drink first appeared in the 15th century (there is a document from 1494 where scotch is mentioned). In the 18th century, technology was officially recognized as a national treasure.

The drink only based on malted barley had a very pleasant and noble taste and quickly gained popularity. Already in the 19th century, more than half of the whiskey produced in Scotland was exported to many European countries.

Today, single malt whiskey is produced not only in Scotland, but also in Great Britain, Ireland, France and even in Japan. But only a drink produced in the homeland has the right to the name single malt scotch. The rest are called single malt whiskey.

Manufacturing technology

In short, the process of obtaining a fragrant and tasty alcoholic beverage from malt is as follows:

• Selected barley seeds are soaked and artificially germinated.
• Until the roots have formed (after 7 days), the malted barley is dried. There are two ways - hot air and smoke. To obtain the second, dry bog peat and beech shavings are used. Drying takes up to 12 days.
• Dry sprouted grains are ground and mixed with water - wort is obtained. It tastes sweet as malt sugars go into solution.
• Further fermentation takes place for two days and a malt milk with a low strength is obtained.
• The first distillation is carried out. Different distilleries use copper cubes of different designs for this. With a short neck, a fraction with a very strong aroma and a high oil content is obtained. The distillation is carried out twice. It turns out alcohol up to 75-90 degrees.
• It is diluted with spring water and placed in oak barrels for aging.
• Before bottling, the drink is cooled to 2-8 degrees, filtered through paper membranes and again diluted to the desired strength.

Most Popular Single Malt Scotch Brands

Single malt whiskey names are associated with the locality where they are produced.

The most valuable are the triple-distilled varieties from the Lowlends region. These are Rosenbank, Littlemill, Ladyburn, Auchentosham.

In the Speyside Valley, in the Speyside area, the largest number of single malt brands is produced: Glentromie, Private Cellar, Scottish Prince, Speyside, Great Glen, Drumguish, The Dirk.

In the Highlands area such famous drinks as Glenmorangie, Dalmore, Oban, Glendronach, Glen-doyne are produced.

The insular part of Scotland is famous for such brands of scotch tape: Isle of Jura, Arran, Talisker, Highland Park, Laphroaig, Tober-mory, Scapa.

Hopefully I have fully covered the topic of single malt whiskeys. Sign up for updates if you haven't already. I'm getting ready to tell you in detail about blending whiskey, what bourbon is and other secrets about this drink. All the best to you!

Best regards, Pavel Dorofeev.

Single malt whiskey (aka single malt) is produced at one distillery only from malted grains (mostly barley). Despite the fact that the term is most often associated with Scotch Scotch, single malt can be any whiskey, regardless of "nationality". However, it is in Scotland that the strictest rules apply: the drink must contain only malted barley, yeast and water (sometimes caramel coloring is allowed), distillation is mandatory in copper stills, and the resulting whiskey is kept for at least 3 years in oak barrels with a volume of no more than 700 liters ... Usually, manufacturers in other countries also adhere to this scheme, but this is a gesture of goodwill, no one will give a guarantee. For example, in America, the single malt mark is even found on bottles of rye whiskey, not barley.

Peculiarities. Single malt whiskey is sold in pure form or used as a basis for blending - a mixture of several "single malts", and sometimes grain alcohols. These "blended" whiskeys are labeled "blended" on the label. Blending allows you to achieve stable organoleptic properties of the drink by changing the proportions, and sometimes the composition of the distillates included in the blend. At the same time, the taste and aroma of different batches of single malt may differ - even a slight change in production technology, properties of malt and barrel wood affects. It is impossible to say unequivocally which of the categories is better, it depends on the manufacturer and the personal preferences of the taster, but among the blends there are more low-quality products, and frankly bad "single malts" are rare.

Popular single malt brands: Macallan, Bushmills, Glenfiddich, Glenmorangie, Singleton. At the same time, the category "blended" is represented by the following well-known manufacturers: Johnnie Walker (Johnny Walker), Jameson (Jameson), Chivas Regal (Chivas Regal), Jim Beam (Jim Beam), Ballantines (Ballantines), Grant’s (Grants).

Production. The main feature of single malt whiskey is that the spirits belong to the same batch or at least one distillery. Blends with other varieties are not allowed - at most, when bottling, the manufacturer can mix portions with different aging, but they will be obtained at the same production from the same barley.

Water plays a huge role. It is poured first with seeds so that they begin to germinate, then barley flour. Ready alcohols are also diluted with water to a strength of 40-50%. This ingredient is the secret of the success of the most famous distilleries, since the unique properties of the local water cannot be reproduced in other locations.

The second most important ingredient is malt. It is obtained as follows: the barley grains are left to soak in water for 2-3 days until they begin to germinate. The process produces enzymes that convert water-insoluble starch into fermentable (yeast-processed) sugars. In Scottish distilleries, an entire floor is allocated for malting. The grains are kept in a well-ventilated area, regularly turned over, and special ovens are used to dry the malt. After 3-5 days, the malting is stopped, and the sprouted grains are dried with hot air. In Scotland, these ovens are often fired with peat, so that the malt takes on a characteristic smoky-smoked aroma.

Dry malt is ground into coarse flour, placed in a steel vat and poured with hot water three times (temperature is about 60, 72 and 88 degrees, respectively). Thanks to enzymes and high temperatures, the starch in the grains is broken down into sugar. The first two "waters" are sent for further processing, and the last one is heated to 60 degrees and the next portion of malt is poured with it. Yeast is added to the sweet malt liquid - this is how fermentation begins, during which sugar is converted into carbon dioxide and alcohol. After three days, a winsome mash with a strength of 5-7% is obtained.

Braga is distilled. The equipment and the number of distillations depend on the specific manufacturer. The result is alcohol with a strength of 60-70%. If necessary, it is diluted to 62.5% and sent for aging in oak barrels. According to Scottish law, the minimum period is 3 years, but most often whiskey ages much longer - up to several decades. Barrels may be new, but most manufacturers use containers of bourbon, sherry (sherry), rum or other alcohol for aging: this is how the drink acquires additional notes of bouquet.

Ready whiskey is blended - mixed portions of different alcohols and with different aging periods. But in the case of single malt varieties, only one type of alcohol is allowed, made from the same malt at the same distillery. The only thing that may differ is the aging period (the "youngest" is indicated on the bottle). If there was no blend at all, such a whiskey is called single cask - "one barrel". At this stage, the drink is diluted again - this time to 40-46%, but some manufacturers leave the original strength of 62.5%.

Before bottling, whiskey is sometimes cold filtered to remove particles of fat and other impurities from the liquid. However, this is not a required step. Unfiltered whiskey turns cloudy when cooled or when ice is added. The "reference" whiskey in its "purest" form is considered to be a single malt, undiluted and unfiltered variety, but this is a specific drink for an amateur.

Single malt whiskey history

In the Celtic countries - in Ireland and Scotland, whiskey has been drunk for at least half a thousand years. The first reliable record of the production of "living water" in Ireland dates back to 1405, in addition, it is known that in 1494 the Scots were already able to produce whiskey from malted barley.

Initially, all whiskey was only single malt and was made in traditional stills. With the invention of the Coffey distillation column in the 1830s, production became much cheaper and faster. Traders began to mix different alcohols, blending barley varieties with cereals. Blended whiskey proved to be more profitable than single malt and quickly gained popularity in the international market.

Today, there are distilleries specializing in single-fruit varieties in many countries: in Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, England, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, India, Japan, Liechtenstein, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Spain , Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, USA, Wales and Norway.

The mention of barley making in Ireland dates back to earlier years, but the most famous in the world is single malt Scotch whiskey.

By the way, the Scotch also owns the name "scotch", in other countries a similar product is called exclusively "whiskey". The Irish version was more popular until the beginning of the 20th century, but over time it lost its position. Today in the country there are 3-4 well-known brands of single malt whiskey, while in Scotland there are dozens of famous brands.

What is Single Malt Whiskey

The name speaks for itself: the product is produced exclusively from one type of malt, namely barley. No additives other than water are included in single malt whiskey / scotch.

The classic version is considered to be whiskey, made and bottled at the same distillery. Less commonly, you can find products from malts obtained in different farms.

The share of single malt whiskey on the market is only 10%; it is classified as elite drinks. Its taste is soft, harmonious, with subtle fruity and woody notes. Experienced connoisseurs in the bouquet of Scottish brands catch sea and peat-smoky aromas. The color is predominantly amber, interspersed with gold, mahogany and copper.

Difference between single malt and blended whiskey

The blended version is considered the bulk version of a one-component product. The taste of such a drink is rougher, and the price for it is much lower. The difference lies not only in the cost and bouquet, but also in the composition of the drink. Blended whiskey, in addition to malt spirits, includes cereals, and both can be of different types.

Types of single malt whiskeys

1. Single malt

   The most common type. The inscription indicates that the drink was produced at the same distillery, but malt spirits were used from different barrels, different harvests, and sometimes of different ages.

2. Single cask

   Whiskey is one hundred percent bottled from one barrel, any mixing is excluded. The only exception is the combination of products from several distillations, since a standard barrel is designed for 500 liters. These products are usually undiluted and have a barrel strength.

3. Quarter cask

   The drink is poured from special American barrels, which provide an accelerated maturation of the whiskey. Most often it is a product with a more intense taste and higher degree.

4. Casks

   Barrel-strength whiskey. During distillation, the final product always turns out to be different in strength, and during aging it loses its degree due to evaporation through the pores in the wood or leakage. Before bottling, the bulk of the drink is diluted to a certain strength level (usually from 40 to 46%). The undiluted whiskey is called "Cask strength". It contains from 50 to 65% alcohol, in very old alcohols - about 40%.

5. Pure malt (vatted malt, blended malt)

   The inscription indicates that barley malt from different distilleries are mixed in the manufacturing process. In this case, the age of the "youngest" component is indicated as the aging period.

Features of the production of single malt whiskey

1. Malting (germination)

   The barley is soaked in water for up to 1 week.

2. Drying

   Sprouted grains are fumigated with smoke (Scottish method) or dried with hot air (Irish version). This stage takes about 12 days.

3. Wort preparation

   Dry malt is ground to a coarse flour and poured over with water. The result is a wort with a characteristic sweetish aftertaste. It is heated, cooled and combined with yeast.

4. Fermentation

   The wort is placed in vats and kept in them for 2-3 days. As a result, they receive a mash of low strength.

5. Distillation

   Distillation is carried out in copper stills in 2 (less often 3) stages. The design of the apparatus can be different, which affects the taste characteristics of the final product.

6. Excerpt

   In oak barrels, the drink matures, matures, ages, acquires a special aroma and taste. The containers can be new or old, depending on the manufacturing technology. Withstand the product from 3 to 15 years. The optimal period is considered to be 10-12 years, exclusive varieties can age within 30-50 years.

7. Dilution with water to the desired strength

   Can be performed before exposure. Use spring or distilled liquid. Sometimes the process is supplemented with cold filtration to eliminate the formation of sediment.

The most valuable and natural is the single malt whiskey, poured from one barrel, not diluted and not filtered.

Top 10 brands of single malt whiskey

1. Glenfiddich

   Family brand that produces drinks with a minimum aging of 12 years. The maximum reaches 50. The distillery was founded in 1886. The company's motto is "every year matters", the emblem is a deer head. Most appreciated is the Glenfiddich Malt Scotch Whiskey 18 Y.O. Good in its purest form.

2. The glenlivet

   Scottish company that first sold whiskey overseas. The most famous product with a 12-year aging - "Glenlivet 12". The drink is characterized by a soft golden hue and a floral-berry aroma with tones of spices and citrus. The taste is sweet, with a slight bitterness and astringency. Drink chilled to 17-20 degrees.

3. The macallan

   An award-winning luxury product from Scotland, one of the most expensive whiskey options. The drink is kept in sherry barrels, passed through 3 copper cubes during distillation, and diluted with spring water. One of the jewels of the collection is the limited edition "The Macallan M". Macallan 25 Year Old won the 2017 Best Malt Whiskey award.

4. Glenmorangie

   One of the smallest Scottish distilleries specializing in the production of a single malt drink. The brand is most popular with locals, but it is widely known outside the region. The drinks are characterized by a mild taste and a rich palette of aromas. Among the most famous products of the brand are the repeatedly awarded "Glenmorangie 18 Years Old" and the rare "Glenmorangie 25 Years Old".

5. Glen grant

   Scottish distillery owned by the Italian company "Campari Group". A special distillation system is used in the production, which provides drinks with lightness and a delicate sweet aftertaste. Glen Grant drinks have a special love among Italians that dates back to the days of Scottish rule. The brand is also popular in Russia. Scotch is drunk as an aperitif and as a digestif, usually not diluted.

6. Cardhu

   A famous brand founded in 1824. The farm is located in the Spey Valley, surrounded by hills. The most famous drink of the company is the aromatic single malt whiskey "Cardhu 12 Years Old" with a delicate honey taste. It is rather difficult to buy it in its pure form, but the product is included in all Black Label blends. The original product has won many international awards.

7. Aberlour

   This Scottish brand gained fame in Europe only in the second half of the 20th century, when the “Single Malt Aberlour” scotch tape went on sale. Prior to this, the distillery was exclusively engaged in the production of spirits for blends. The company is currently owned by a French company. Single malt drinks withstand in oak barrels from sherry and bourbon from 10 to 18 years. In 2006, the brand's products received an award for the best value for money.

8. Laphroaig

   A well-known brand that has earned recognition not only of mere mortals, but also of royalty. The company produces classic Scotch whiskey with a pronounced peat and seaweed aroma. Laphroaig Malt 15 Years Old is the favorite scotch of Prince Charles of Wales. “Laphroaig 25 Years Old” is also highly appreciated by connoisseurs.

9. Balvenie

   The manufacturer became famous for aged drinks of high quality with a mild recognizable taste. The first single malt drink was released in 1971, before that the company specialized in the production of alcohol for blends. The enterprise has been repeatedly awarded the title of "Distillery of the Year".

10. Bowmore

    One of the oldest Scottish distilleries, founded on the Isle of Islay in 1779. The company's drinks are characterized by a more delicate taste in comparison with other island products, but the expressive aroma of peat smoke is also present in them.

Whiskey is a strong alcoholic beverage that belongs to the brandy class. There are a huge number of varieties and brands of this wonderful drink. All brands have their own distinctive features and a unique flavor and aroma bouquet. Malt whiskey is the most valuable type of drink produced from barley malt in a single distillery. Unlike blended, which is considered a drink for everyone, this type of whiskey is more suitable for connoisseurs than for the average consumer. Only connoisseurs are able to appreciate the skill of the distiller. The malt whiskey is highly characteristic of the variety. And blended has a varied combination of flavors. In no case should it be considered that blended whiskey is of inferior quality than single malt. No. The mixing process is an art, the blender needs to combine several types of drink in order to achieve a harmonious bouquet.

Secrets of Making Elegant Alcohol

Aroma and taste are the main characteristics by which the dignity of a whiskey is determined. Such indicators are influenced by the following factors: germination of barley, drying it, the number of distillations, alembic, aging barrels and many others. But the most important thing is the raw material on which everything depends. It must be of high quality. If in blended whiskey everything depends on the distiller's imagination, then with a single malt drink everything is much more complicated. Everything in it should be perfect from the very beginning. Optimal taste, complete adherence to the process technology.

Single malt whiskey is a classic scotch that is produced under certain strict conditions:

1. Such a drink should be made from barley malt, to which no foreign crops are added.
2. Double distillation of whiskey must take place in special cubes, the device of which is regulated by law.
3. The drink is poured only within one distillery.

Only if all the above conditions are met, whiskey can be called single malt or in another way singl malt. Typically, this term refers to Scotch tape produced in Scotland. Production goes through several stages. These are malting or malting, grinding malt, mashing, that is, wort production when the mash is mixed with water, the fermentation process when, when yeast is added to the wort, mash is formed, distillation, when the mash is distilled, ripening, when the drink is kept in barrels.

Sprouted barley (malt) is used as the main ingredient for the production of single malt whiskey. It is dried by burning peat, the smoke from which gives the drink a specific aroma characteristic of Scotch whiskey. Then yeast and water are added to the dried, refined and ground malt. The fermentation process begins, for which the temperature is set at 35-37 degrees. After fermentation, a wort is formed, which must be distilled. With the classical technology, special copper cubes with an ideal proportion of volume, surface area, and distillation temperature are used. At the same time, the rules for separating the "tail" and "head" fractions are observed. Only the "heart" of the drink is left, which is rich in taste and aromas. Whiskey aging takes place for 10-15 years in oak barrels, which used to store bourbon or sherry. The minimum time that is possible for infusion is 3 years. Rare specimens are aged for 25 years.

Some nuances of production

On the one hand, the term "single malt" means that the product is produced and bottled at the same distillery. However, it is sometimes acceptable to mix several varieties of single malt whiskey with different aging times. Traditional malt whiskey must be distilled (distilled) twice in copper cubes. But a number of distilleries in Scotland have the right, which is officially confirmed, to do triple distillation. Outside of Scotland, whiskey can also be distilled in distillation columns. If different varieties of single malt whiskey are blended, then such a blend will be called pure malt or vatted malt. The bouquet of aromas and flavors of vatted malt manifests itself in the same way as in single malt alcohol.

Malt whiskeys include a single-barrel malt whiskey. This is a product sold in specialized stores. It is the result of one distillation, bottled directly from barrels and does not come into contact with any product. In this case, the whiskey's own character and the specificity of its distillation are emphasized. Its supply is very limited, and the cost is at least double the value of a single malt whiskey. But connoisseurs of the drink are ready to give that kind of money for an exclusive copy.

Popular brands rating

There are several dozen brands and different brands of single malt whiskey. The traditional production leaders are Scotland and Ireland, where production has a very long history and tradition. The most popular single malt Scotch tapes include: Glenrothes, Benromach from Speyside, Glenmorangie from Highlands, Bowmore and Bunnahaven from Isle, Glenkinchie from Lowland. Irish Bushmills and Connemara are very popular. But countries such as the USA, Japan, Taiwan are not lagging behind either.

Since 1969, the WSC International Spirits Competition has been held. It is one of the most prestigious competitions as it uses the blind tasting method. That is, the jury is served samples of whiskey without any specific features in order to achieve the most objective assessment. High awards of the competition form a rating of the highest quality alcohol. Standardly high ratings are given to: Scottish Scotch brands from Glenfiddich, Bowmore, Deanston. Irish which includes 10 and 16 year old Bushmills products. Taiwanese brands RTD Coffee, Kavalan have a high rating according to the IWSC version.

In 2007, Whiskey Magazine approved a special competition to determine the best whiskey samples. It is called the World Whiskies Award, and is held annually and based on its results, a rating is made of the best types of whiskey on the market. The panel of judges includes manufacturers, whiskey sellers from around the world, and journalists. Since 2007, the jury has given preference to whiskey produced in Scotland or Japan. But in 2014, the product from Tasmania was recognized as the best.

The table shows the most popular brands of single malt whiskey produced in various countries.

An overview of the countries producing high quality whiskey

Scotland

The largest number of distilleries that specialize in the production of a single malt drink are located in Scotland. There are 6 main production areas: Isle of Isle, Highlands, Plains, Campbeltown, Speyside, Islands. The products have a characteristic flavor, which is associated with the characteristics of climatic conditions and soil. So the scotch from the Isle of Aili has a peaty smoky aftertaste. The closeness of the sea gives it a special aroma that does not resemble products from the plains or highlands. Speyside whiskey has a sweet heather flavor. The largest area is the Highlands, where more than 30 distilleries operate. There are three distilleries on the plain. Aili. Speyside. The area includes all the islands that have distilleries, with the exception of Aili. This is Orkney, Skye, Mal, Arran. Scottish scotch whiskey and Irish single malt irish whiskey are popular on the Russian market. The latter has a milder taste.

Australia

In Australia, for the first time, distillation stills for whiskey appeared only in the 19th century, and the production itself began to actively develop in general in the 90s of the 20th century. But already in 2008, whiskey from Australia, the most famous whiskey expert D. Murray, awarded 90 points out of a possible hundred.

USA

While bourbon is most commonly produced in North America, there is also a malt whiskey that can be as good as Scottish or Irish opponents.

Taiwan

This country stands out for its Kavalan ex-Bourbon Oak product. The product and plant were named after the Cavalan people who once lived in the area where the distillery is now located. There is only one whiskey distillery in Taiwan called Kavalan. The first bottle of whiskey was released in 2008. The drink has risen in the rankings due to a very complex recipe. The Taiwanese single malt alcoholic beverage matures faster and its 3-year aging corresponds to 8-15 years of Scottish and Irish whiskey.

Ireland

A country with a long tradition of whiskey production. A triple-distilled single malt whiskey is produced here.

Japan

In this country, the first whiskey distillery was built in 1923, but now the Japanese product rightfully deserves the title of "high quality". Whiskey from Japan has a self-contained taste.

South Africa

Whiskey in this country is very popular and there they produce various types of it, both single malt and blended. Production began in the 19th century.

Malt whiskey is gaining more and more popularity among connoisseurs and lovers alike, as it has a bright and rich flavor compared to blended whiskey, which is softer but less pronounced. Since there are a lot of brands, it is quite difficult for a novice visitor to deal with them. If you want to get acquainted with single malt whiskey, then you should start with the classics, with Scotch and Irish whiskey, the taste and aroma of which reflect a fairly rich history of the production of this drink.