Scotch whisky is a renowned grain-based spirit that is exclusively crafted in Scotland. It is a testament to the art of whisky making, involving a blend of yeast, grains, and water, followed by fermentation and distillation. The production process is subject to strict criteria for the product to bear the distinguished title of Scotch whisky. The distilled liquid must not exceed 94.8% alcohol content, must undergo maturation in oak barrels of a capacity less than 700 liters, and must remain free of additives except for water or plain caramel coloring, which is used solely for visual enhancement purposes.
Different Types of scotch whiskey
Types of Scotch Whisky:
Single Malt Scotch Whisky:
• This type of Scotch is made from 100% malted barley whisky from a single distillery.
• It is always distilled in a pot still.
• It is labeled with the name of the distillery.
Single Grain Scotch Whisky:
• This type of Scotch is made at a single distillery.
• It can be distilled in pot stills or column stills.
• It contains malted barley and other grains like wheat or corn.
• However, it does not meet the criteria of single malt whisky.
Blended Malt Scotch Whisky (also known as vatted malt):
• This type of Scotch is made by blending 100% malted barley whiskies from two or more malt distilleries.
Blended Scotch Whisky:
• This type of Scotch is a combination of single malt and grain whiskies.
• It is labeled with a brand name, not a distillery name.
• Examples of popular blended Scotch whiskies are Dewar’s, J&B, and Cutty Sark.
Blended Grain Scotch Whisky:
• This type of Scotch is a blend of single-grain whiskies from multiple-grain distilleries.
Whisky production involves several steps,:
1. Malting: The process starts with barley, which is moistened and allowed to partially sprout. This process is called malting, and it secretes an enzyme that converts the barley’s starches to sugars. The germination is stopped by heating the barley once it has partially sprouted.
2. Mashing: The sugars in the grain need to be extracted before fermentation, which is done through mashing. The grains are ground up and put in a mash tun or tub with hot water. A small amount of malted barley is added to catalyze the conversion of starches to sugars. The resulting mixture is strained of solids and called mash or wort.
3. Fermenting: The mash/wort meets yeast, which eats up all the sugars and converts them to alcohol. This process takes place in giant vats, called washbacks, for 48-96 hours. The resulting liquid is called distiller’s beer or wash.
4. Distilling: The process of distilling increases the alcohol content of the liquid and brings out good and bad volatile components. Stills are usually made of copper, and the two most common types of stills are pot stills and column stills.
5. Maturing – Aging: Most whiskies are aged in oak containers, and bourbon, rye, and other types of American whiskey must be aged in new charred oak barrels. As the whisky matures, some of the alcohol evaporates, creating a distinct smell in the warehouse. Some whiskies, such as scotch, have a required minimum age.
6. Bottling: Once matured, whisky is bottled at a minimum of 40% ABV. The whisky may be chill-filtered or filtered in another way to prevent it from becoming cloudy when cold water or ice is added. A bottling run combines a number of barrels from the distillery’s warehouses. When only one barrel is bottled at a time, it’s labeled as single cask or single barrel.
