Single malt whisky
[1] Under the United Kingdom's Scotch Whisky Regulations, a "Single Malt Scotch Whisky" must be made exclusively from malted barley (although the addition of E150A caramel colouring is allowed), must be distilled using pot stills at a single distillery, and must be aged for at least three years in oak casks of a capacity not exceeding 700 litres (150 imperial gallons; 180 US gallons).
The regulation will also allow the use of the term “Straight” for an American single malt whisky that is aged for at least two years.
"[4] Barley, yeast, and water are the only ingredients required in the production of (barley-based) single malt whisky.
These single-barrel variants afford the opportunity for the consumer to see the influence of different types of storage on the same whisky (e.g., first-use bourbon whiskey barrels, port pipes, etc.).
The "pagoda roof" (many now false) that ventilated the malt kiln can still be seen at many distilleries both in Scotland and in other countries.
In most cases, some level of smoke from a peat-heated fire is introduced during heating to add phenols, a smoky aroma and flavour to the whisky.
Entirely non-smoked (non-peated, unpeated) malts are made by the Glengoyne Distillery, which only uses hot air for drying.
Then the enzymes act on the starch left over from the malting stage, continuing the conversion to sugar, and producing a sugary liquid called wort.
[citation needed] The yeast feeds on the sugars, and as a by-product, produces both carbon dioxide and alcohol.
When complete, the liquid has an alcohol content of 5 to 7% by volume and is now known as wash. Up until this point the process has been quite similar to the production of beer.
The initial distilled spirit produced by a pot still, known as low wine has an alcohol content of about 20 to 30%.
), or unaged whisky, is then placed in oak casks to mature and to reduce its alcohol content to expedition levels (40-45% a.b.v.).
By law, all Scotch whisky must be aged for a minimum of three years in oak casks, though many single malts are matured for much longer.
In addition to imparting the flavours of their former contents, sherry casks lend maturing spirit a heavier body and a deep amber and sometimes reddish colour.
Most retail whiskies are bottled at or near 40% ABV for economic reasons, which has now become a modern custom, and therefore chill-filtering is common.
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.
The blended whisky proved quite successful, less expensive to produce than malt with more flavour and character than grain.
The combination allowed the single malt producers to expand their operations as the blended whisky was more popular on the international market.
When others knew nothing of malt whisky, he was one of the handfuls of people who understood this great Scottish contribution to the pleasures of food and drink".
[10] Single malt distilleries also exist in Argentina,[11] Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, England, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, India, Israel, Japan, Lebanon,[12] Liechtenstein, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, USA, Wales and Norway.
