How Single Malt Whisky Is Prepared

By Author: Douglas Felton
Total Articles: 3
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Single malt whisky is produced in one particular distillery with malted barley and uses barley grown near the specific distillery. These whiskies are renowned in Scotland and according to the country’s whisky regulations; they must be prepared from malted barley, use pot still to distil and age for three years using oak casks. These rules are only applicable to single malt whiskies made in Scotland. Single malt American whisky uses rye rather than barley in the production. Malt whisky is distilled, unhopped beer. A mash is created with ground barley grist with germinating barley added with water. In the production process of single malted whisky, the only three ingredients used are barley, yeast and water. The barley is soaked in water for two to three days to malt them. Malting is the conversion of starch into sugar. The germination process is stopped by heating after the appropriate days. The heating is used to dry the germinated barley. Peat smoke is channelled to the kiln to add a smoky flavour to the whisky.

The malt is then turned into a type of coarse flour called grist. To this hot water is added to extract ...
... the sugar. The extraction process takes place in a mash tun; which is typically a large stainless steel kettle. This dissolves the maltose and enzymes. The enzymes react with remaining starch producing a liquid called wort. The grist is mashed three times. Then comes the fermentation process, where wort is mixed with yeast in large containers. Yeast reacts with sugar and produces carbon dioxide and alcohol. Fermentation takes almost three days. When the volume of alcohol content becomes about 5-7%, it is called a wash. The wash gets distilled by boiling off the alcohol and the vapour is collected and converted to a liquid again. Single malts are mostly distilled in pot stills or occasionally column stills.

The first distilled liquid is called a low wine and contains 20-40% alcohol. This liquid is distilled a second time in a spirit still and a third time. The final product has an alcohol concentration of 60%. Usually malt whisky is diluted with water before ageing. To mature the whisky they are put in oak casks. They usually lie there for about three years and in single malt’s case more than that. The alcohol content drops while in the casks. Some whiskies are matured for more than twenty years. Chill filtration takes place to remove fatty acid esters. Unchillfiltered whisky is the purest form. Additives and colouring are added during the bottling process.

Single Malted whisky is something you have to try to taste its idiosyncratic nature and lingering finish. Add some chilled water or pure spring water and sip your single malt whisky, as it is made for drinking this way.

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