What is the difference between single malt whiskey and blended whiskey? What is the best whiskey: single malt or blended? The best varieties and brands of drink

Whiskey is the original alcoholic drink, revered all over the world. Its origin is covered with history and legends. It is classified into single malt and blended (see:).

Blended whiskey occupies a leading sales position in the strong alcohol market.

By definition, it is simpler than single malt and is called drink for everyone. However, it is not as simple as it seems at first glance. Let's get to know him better.

Blend means mixing different but similar products to improve their quality, to create a new type (variety) and to give a batch of goods uniform organoleptic characteristics.

In simple terms, blending is a mixture of raw materials in certain proportions. The term is used in the production of cognac, wine, soft drinks, juices, tea, coffee, yogurt and tobacco products.

Blending can be compared to creating a bouquet of flowers. It is needed to improve taste, aroma, and in other cases, to smooth out “sharp edges” and hide something unfortunate.

Profession of a blender

Blending is carried out by professionals. The profession originated in France. The blender is the master! He must know the cooking recipes and develop new recipes and ratios, his responsibility is the tasting process.

His profession obliges him to have a very delicate scent. A blender, like a perfumer, must determine the smallest details of fragrances and be able to combine, complement and correct them.

Peculiarities. A prerequisite for the work of a blender is ban for drinking alcohol!

What does blended whiskey mean?

Blended whiskey is a strong alcoholic drink obtained by mixing malt and barrel-aged spirits - barley, rye, corn (less often rice or buckwheat).

Attention. Malt is any germinated grain included in the blend, and not its barley component, as many people mistakenly believe.

The blend includes various% of barley alcohols (from 10% to 60%) - the higher it is, the better the whiskey will be at the exit. The rest of the alcohol is made from other grain crops.

Reference. The blending process is able to create whiskeys that are unique in taste, as well as serve as a method of reducing the cost of the drink.

A good blended whiskey contains about 15 types of malt spirits and no more than 4 types of grain. Grain alcohols are of lower quality.

Story

The history of blended whiskey dates back to the 19th century. The first blender known to the world is recognized as a resident of Scotland named Andrew Asher, who in 1853 showed the world a magnificent scotch whiskey " Old Vatted Glenlivet».

In 1860, the House of Lords of the Kingdom of Scotland approved the Law containing the rules, regulations and technology for making blended whiskey. For violation of the law threatened, at best, deprivation of a license, and at worst - a prison. To this day, this law has not lost its force.

Standards and classification

The Scottish Whiskey Association has set standards according to which blended whiskeys are classified into:

• Mixed(standard blend). It is in the low price range. The alcohol content of barley malt is not more than 30%. Aged for at least 3 years.
• Suite(Deluxe blend). Occupies the middle price segment. Contains over 35% barley malt alcohol. The minimum aging period is 12 years.
• Premium(Premium). High price segment. Contains barley malt alcohol 35-60%. It is an elite blended whiskey aged over 12 years.

This is interesting: in Scotland they sell whiskey on tap. The standard does not classify such a drink, it is called a “supermarket option”, and the quality is lower than the standard one.

Requirements

For the production of Blended whiskey, Legislative rules and regulations. The process of making spirits and their further blending is strictly controlled by the state. According to the requirements, it is necessary:

1. Observe the quality of raw materials and the technology of fermentation, distillation and filtration.
2. Preliminarily withstand the constituent raw materials (included in the blend) in oak barrels. For standard whiskeys, at least 3 years, and for elite whiskeys, at least 12 years.
3. To produce mixing (blending) strictly after aging alcohols in oak.
4. Follow the proportions of blending according to the recipe.

After mixing, Blended whiskey is sent back to barrels, depending on the future look, it can be there from 2 weeks to 8 months.

Manufacturing process

The birth of blended whiskey begins in the granary. Before becoming Blended whiskey, it must go through the standard manufacturing steps.

1. Raw material preparation. The grains are dried and filled with water for germination. Then dried in a drying chamber and ground into coarse flour.
2. brewing. Grain flour is poured into a digester and poured with water. Heat the cauldron over the fire, stirring the contents. Observe temperature pauses and modes.
3. Fermentation. The cooled mass is subjected to the process of fermentation in vats with the addition of yeast. The fermentation period is from 3 to 5 days. Ready mash has a beer taste and 5% alcohol.
4. Distillation. The finished mash is subjected to double distillation in pot stills (alambiks), using the “cutting off the tail and head” technology.
5. Excerpt. Aging barrels can be old or new, oak or charred, sherry or bourbon. This point greatly affects the initial quality of the product. The exposure period is 3-12 years.
6. Blending. Final stage. Its proportions are selected according to the recipe, and when creating a new species, new components are developed.

What is better to drink?

The question “which blended whiskey is better to drink” cannot be answered unambiguously. To each his place and time:

• In its pure form, it is better to drink Blended whiskey, which has the highest possible content of 60% barley malt in the blend and a long aging in oak.
• At an incendiary party, you can indulge in whiskey, which has a 5-year exposure and a barley malt content in the range of 25-30%. You can add ice or soda to it, make cocktails based on it.
• Budget Blended whiskey, which has a suspicious origin and content, is better not to drink in its pure form at all, but to dilute them with juice or cola.

Watch the video below for an overview of different types of blended whiskey in three parts:

Probably, many have heard of blended whiskey, but few know where and how this alcohol is made, and why it is so valued among whiskey lovers around the world. I suggest you find out what blended whiskeys are made of, as well as about the characteristic features and well-known brands of this already legendary drink.

Blended whiskey(Blended whiskey) is a product obtained by mixing malt (made from malted barley) and grain (made from corn or wheat) whiskeys in different proportions. Typically, 10% to 60% malt whiskey is added to the blend. The higher this percentage, the better and more expensive the resulting drink. The composition of blended whiskey includes 15-50 malt varieties and 3-4 grain varieties aged for at least 3 years. Malt varieties are mixed first, and only then cereals.

The difference between blended and blended drinks is that only barley spirits are included in single malt drinks, while other grain spirits of lower quality are added to blended varieties.

Cheap blended whiskey after mixing is kept for 24 hours in special vessels, and then placed in barrels for several weeks. Expensive drinks are aged in oak barrels to improve quality for 6-8 months. In the language of professionals, this process is called "wedding". By blending, masters achieve a unique taste.

The first blended whiskey recipe appeared in 1853, it was developed by Andrew Asher, the brand issued was called "Old Vatted Glenlivet". In 1860, a special law was passed in the UK to regulate the production of blended whiskey. This document indicates the minimum aging period for varieties, as well as important features of the technological process that must be observed.

Types of blended whiskey

According to the classification of the Scotch Whiskey Association, any blended whiskey can be of three types:

• standard blend;
• deluxe blend;
• premium.

The most famous standard blend is Johnnie Walker Red Label, Ballantine's is still popular in Europe, and Dewar's in the USA. All drinks of this type have an aging period of at least 3 years.

De luxe blends, compared to standard blends, have a higher percentage of malt whiskeys (at least 35%), and they are aged for at least 12 years. The most famous de luxe brands are Johnnie Walker Black Label, Chivas Regal 12 years old, William Lawson and Dewar's Special Reserve.

Premium class blends are aged for more than 12 years, many of these brands are included in the list of the most expensive whiskeys in the world, so such drinks are usually available only to wealthy people: collectors or true connoisseurs.

Recently, many "supermarket" varieties of blended whiskey have appeared. Such drinks are sold in tanks, they are also diluted with water in the country of the spill. They are several times cheaper than well-known brands, but the quality cannot be called bad. If you're lucky, you can buy "draft" blended whiskey of acceptable quality.

It belongs to the category of elite alcohol, which has firmly won recognition in many countries of the world, incl. and in Russia. When and where this drink was created has not yet been established. Historians suggest that the distillation method used in the manufacture of this type of alcohol was discovered in several regions at once, independently of each other. This was the reason that for a long time the production of whiskey was regional.

Now there are 2 main varieties - single malt whiskey and blended. Each of them has its own characteristics due to the way it is produced.

whiskey technology

The production technology of ancient alcohol is divided into several stages. First, barley grains are selected and cleaned, which are left to germinate for 9-10 days. Then the resulting grain (malt) is sent to dry. If this process is bypassed, then the whiskey will be called grain, but it is used mainly not for drinking, but for blending other alcoholic beverages.

The grains are dried in different ways. In Scotland, hot smoke is used for this, which is formed during the combustion of peat or coal. After drying, it is time to crush the grain. It is crushed into large pieces and poured with hot water. Flour, infused in this way for 8-12 hours, turns into a sweet liquid mass.

Yeast is then added to the resulting wort, starting the fermentation process, or fermentation. The liquid infused for 2-3 days turns into a drink with a low alcohol content (up to 5%). Whiskey distillation is carried out twice (rarely - three times). When passing through distillation for the first time, the strength of the drink increases to 25-30%. The second distillation turns the weak into a strong malt whisky.

The taste of this type of alcohol is largely determined by the shape of the distillation apparatus. Each distillery has its own containers that make the drink different from others. Alcohol, which was obtained during the distillation process, is diluted with distilled water to the desired strength.

Whiskey is aged in oak barrels. To get blended whiskey, several varieties of malt alcohol and grain are mixed, and each of them must be aged for at least 3 years. After combining the drinks, they are left to infuse for a few more months. After that, the bottling stage begins, during which the liquid is filtered through membranes made of special paper and diluted with pure spring water. Thanks to this technology, the blend acquires many flavors.

It is noteworthy that for the basis of an alcoholic beverage, only that part of the liquid that is obtained in the middle of the distillation process is taken. The first and last portions containing harmful substances are not used.

What is blended whiskey?

To remember what blended whiskey is, one should understand its distinctive feature, which is that it is obtained as a result of blending, or mixing, several types of grains. Thanks to this, the taste of the drink becomes brighter, richer, fuller. So, for example, in Ireland, rye and barley are used for a mixed drink, in the USA - rye, wheat and corn grains.

Blended scotch is more popular than single malt. How many varieties of grain will be the basis of the drink depends on the preferences and skill of the distiller. Types of grain, proportions, aging, etc. not only change the taste of the drink, but add many shades to it.

About 90% of the brands of scotch presented on the shelves of alcohol stores are blended. The main supplier of the blend to the markets is Scotland with its world-famous Johnnie Walker and some other brands.

What is single malt whisky?

Unlike blended whiskey, single malt whiskey is made in one distillery and only from barley, the addition of other impurities is unacceptable.

The simplest varieties of this type of alcohol have a minimum exposure of 3 years. The best varieties of single malt whiskey are infused for at least 10, and sometimes 15 years. This is reflected not only in the quality of the taste of the drink, but also in its cost, which increases several times.

A person who is accustomed to blended alcohol cannot always appreciate the purity of the taste of single malt whiskey, since it does not have the usual taste and aroma inherent in mixed types of scotch.

Similarities and differences

Despite the fact that the two categories of alcohol have important differences in taste, they also have a number of similar characteristics. So, for example, both drinks belong to the class of whiskey, have their own subspecies, differing in taste categories, aging time, shades of color and aroma.

For the production of both varieties, only oak containers are used. The glasses into which whiskey is poured are similar in shape, as is the culture of drinking it.

The difference between single malt and blended whiskey is that the latter type can be made from any grain. Single malt alcohol, or single malt, has a constant taste that does not change much, since it is created only on the basis of barley. A blend can include up to 50 impurities.

Making malt alcohol requires professionalism on the part of the distiller, while blending requires more labor and effort.

Single malt drink has an easily recognizable taste. Scotch is often confused with other strong alcohol, such as or.

Malt drink refers to expensive alcohol, which is often available only to connoisseurs and collectors. Blended varieties can be purchased by the average consumer, although among the drinks in this category there are also collectible bottles.

The taste of the malt drink, which is most often bottled in dark bottles, is more intense, clean, the aftertaste is always sweet. There are few fans of such alcohol. Blended whiskey, sold in a variety of bottles, is very popular due to its delicate taste.

Which to choose?

True connoisseurs of alcohol will be able to appreciate both varieties of whiskey. However, when choosing it and subsequent purchase, you should pay attention to the nuances:

• the low price of the blend will be evidence that it will have a rather harsh taste and smell;
• malt spirits and blends aged 10 to 12 years will be of good quality;
• in good whiskey there is no strongly pronounced smell of alcohol.

The most popular single malt whiskey brands are Glenfiddich, Glen Grant, Rosenbank and others. Scotch is represented by brands such as Cutty Sark and others.

The defining moment in the choice of strong alcohol is the ratio of cost, label and aging time.

Hi all!

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 is it and how does it differ from another type - blended. I have studied this topic and am happy to share it with my subscribers.

Why such a name

So. The name itself already tells us that this scotch is made from barley malt and water alone, without the use of other grains and any additives.

The second feature is that single malt whiskey is produced only at one distillery (unlike blended whiskey - I will tell you about it in detail in the next post). At the distillery, it is immediately bottled in branded bottles, and the Single Malt marking is put on the label about this.

This drink belongs to the rank of elite, the fortress is in the range of 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 Scotch single malt whiskey has notes 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 of making single malt whiskey:

• Mandatory two-time distillation using copper cubes of a certain design. Only select distilleries in Scotland (in the Lowlands) are allowed to distill 3 times - this will also be indicated on the label.
• Exposure must be at least 3 years. But scotch is valued, which has been aged for at least 8 years, 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 whiskey is aged in one or two casks, but there is also another technology. Scotch is made from several brands of single malt whiskey from different distilleries (blend) - then the Pure Malt label will be on the label. And besides, the age of the youngest ingredient will be indicated as the aging time.

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 that mentions scotch). In the 18th century, the technology was officially recognized as a national treasure.

A drink based only 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 made not only in Scotland, but also in the UK, Ireland, France and even Japan. But only a drink produced at home is entitled 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 drink 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 marsh peat and beech shavings are used. Drying lasts up to 12 days.
• Dry germinated grains are ground and mixed with water - the wort is obtained. It tastes sweet as the malt sugars go into solution.
• Then fermentation takes place for two days and malted milk with a low strength is obtained.
• The first run is made. Different distilleries use copper cubes of various designs for this. With a short neck, a fraction with a very strong aroma and a high content of oils is obtained. The distillation is done 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 Brands of Single Malt Scotch

The names of single malt whiskeys are associated with the area where they are produced.

The most valuable varieties are triple distilled varieties from the lowland region of the Lowlands. These are Rosenbank, Littlemill, Ladyburn, Auchentosham.

In the Spey Valley, Speyside produces the largest number of single malts: Glentromie, Private Cellar, Scottish Prince, Speyside, Great Glen, Drumguish, The Dirk.

The Highlands region produces such famous drinks as Glenmorangie, Dalmore, Oban, Glendronach, Glendoyne.

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

I hope I have fully covered the topic of single malts. Sign up for updates if you haven't already. I am preparing to tell you in detail about blending whiskey, what is bourbon and other secrets about this drink. All the best to you!

Sincerely, Dorofeev Pavel.

Since ancient times, whiskey has been made from barley malt - germinated grain, dried and ground to a state of flour. A wort was created from it, which was distilled after several days of fermentation in copper distillation vats. This technology, with various variations, has survived to this day. This is how single malt whiskey is produced, which has a special taste. In an attempt to reduce the cost of the drink, a recipe was invented in 1853.

What is a bath

The production of malt alcohol is characterized by higher costs. Grain distillate is cheaper, but is characterized by a sharp, heavy taste. Whiskey based on it was considered "cheap swill", especially in Ireland. Asher came up with the idea to blend the distillates, which made the final product less expensive. Of course, some producers had a desire to use more cheap spirits in blending, but a law passed in 1860 regulated the production of blended whiskey, limiting the use of low-quality distillates.

The basis of the blend is single malt distillates, their share can reach 60-65%. Several grain alcohols of lower quality are added to them, reducing the cost of the product. Mixing is carried out according to special recipes by high-class specialists. In some cases, they have to use several dozen single malt distillates to achieve a certain taste and aroma. Since the quality of spirits is not always the same, it is the blending specialists who are responsible for ensuring that a drink of a certain variety and brand has stable taste characteristics from year to year.

At the first stage, only single malt spirits are blended, they form the basis of any quality whiskey. Only after that the product is diluted with cheap varieties of distillates. Ready blended whiskey does not immediately go on sale. It is bottled in oak barrels for several months in order to “marry” the distillates. This allows alcohols with different aging to mix well and become one, thus the drink, which was called blended whiskey.

Features of single sodol and grain distillate

Why are single malt spirits better than distillates from grains of wheat, corn? Their taste characteristics are good for the reason that they are made according to the original technology. Copper cubes of original forms are used, single malt spirits are obtained by 2-3 distillations. In contrast, cheap distillates are obtained in distillation columns, which means that the products are not of very high quality, closer to technical alcohols. Their isolation takes place at a strictly defined temperature, which makes distillates simple, spineless.

Single malt spirits used for the production of whiskey always have high-quality raw materials, selected, grown in certain regions. Sprout and dry it very carefully. In the production of single malt spirits, no less attention is paid to the quality and condition of the barrels in which the distillate is aged. They are stored at a certain temperature, which makes the whiskey fragrant, and the taste is subtle and rounded.

It is added to the distillate from grain only to reduce the cost. It is single malt spirits that are responsible for the taste characteristics. If the main share falls on rectified spirits, then such a blended drink is not of the best quality.

Types of blended whiskey

Hundreds of recipes for blending Scotch whiskey made producers think about creating a special classification of this drink. Three main categories have been identified:

• – In the production, inexpensive spirits with an aging of at least three years are used, the amount of single malt distillates does not exceed 20-25%, the main part is cheap rectified spirits. The cheapest whiskeys in this category are blended in glass jars, after which they are placed in barrels for only 4-5 weeks. Often used barrels from the more expensive single malt and double malt whiskeys, which reduces the taste;
• - these varieties are made from single malt spirits with an exposure of 10-12 years, their number in the blend is from 30 to 50%. Whiskeys of this type are distinguished by their impeccable taste and aroma, as they are aged after mixing in oak barrels for six months. At the same time, the cost of such blended drinks is affordable for the main part of lovers of strong alcohol;
• - this whiskey is created mainly from single malt distillates, their volume fraction reaches 55-60%, which makes the product more expensive. Aged in oak barrels for at least 12 years, and this is the main difference between premium class whiskey. You won’t find better drinks, the cost of a bottle of whiskey in this category often reaches several thousand dollars, but it can be an order of magnitude higher.

Recently, another category has appeared - a supermarket variety. Many fans of the drink do not know what it is and are skeptical about the product. This variety includes blended whiskey made in distilleries, diluted to the required strength and delivered to retail outlets in tanks. Such a blended whiskey of good quality, there is practically no difference between bottled drinks of the same brand. This practice is common in the UK.

Which whiskey is better - blended or single malt

Which whiskey to choose, what to prefer, single malt or blended? Despite the fact that 90% of the world turnover of whiskey comes from blended varieties, the range of single-malt whiskey in specialty stores is very diverse. Everything is perfect in it - from taste and aroma to a long aftertaste, which reveals notes of peat, vanilla, apples and chocolate. However, only fans of the drink with a long history will be able to appreciate such a single malt whiskey. Beginners simply do not understand why they were charged a decent amount of money.