Whisky Blends VS Single Malt Whisky

It can be scary encountering the unknown and no one wants to ask what might be considered a dumb question…

So let us guide you through the incredible world of Whisky, starting with our first mini guide…Whisky Blends VS Single Malt Whisky

Whisky is like a beautiful woman, it needs special attention, and should be taken seriously (did somebody say “can cause a headache”). Some of us appreciate Blended malts while others prefer Single malts, not dissimilar to the age old Blonde vs Brunette argument.

Single malt drinkers see the blend drinker as an inferior species, while the latter views single malt drinkers as snobs who love tweed, leather bound books and the smell of rich mahogany (thank you Anchorman)…but is it really the case?

What single malt drinkers tend to forget is that without blends, there would be no single malts.”

The only thing that pulled the whisky industry out of the s..t when it was about to go broke in the 1890s-1900, lock stock and barrel, was blends. Blends kept the market going when single malts couldn’t

– Franz Scheurer

Whisky is considered liquid gold that generates £125 a second for the Scottish government. 38 bottles of whisky exported every second and 99 million cases each year that would run the distance from Edinburgh to New York six times. Scotland is home to more than 20 million casks of maturing whisky. That’s almost four for every person living there.

We frequently get people asking what is the difference between Whisky Blends VS Single Malt Whisky. You may be wondering what the difference between the two, but don’t worry, we think nothing less of you for asking. In fact…we think you deserve a stiff drink of your chosen blend or single malt while we answer your age old question.

Single malt whisky is made exclusively from malted barley at a single distillery. This reflects the local flavour where it is grown, shows its character and the process or method how it is produced (for example, whether it is put on a column still or a copper still).

Many a gentleman has assumed that single malt means a single whisky from a single barrel. In fact, what single malt actually means is that it is only malt whisky prepared in the traditional way, through vatting or marrying together dozens to hundreds of individual barrels. Unless the whisky is described as single-cask, it contains whisky from many casks in different years to achieve the consistency of its distillery style.

Blended malt whisky is basically made up of blends of single malt whisky from different distilleries blended together to get that consistency and unique taste. They complement each other to form a perfect blend.

They use different methods in producing them thus resulting to flavours that are often very light.

This allows various styles, for example you may also find the addition of flavourings, colourings. In essence it is a blend of different whiskeys.

Now you know the difference between single malt whisky and blended whisky in its simplest form.

Let us introduce you to some of the key distinctive tastes (this is a very basic run-down…we recommend drinking as many as possibly yourself to get a much better idea…plus it’s way more fun).

Single malt whisky often have very distinctive profiles, from the full bodied and smokey style (think Highlands region) to the light and floral flavour style (Speyside and Lowlands). Blended whisky tends to be smooth, versatile and mixed harmoniously.

The single malts possess a fruity softness with a bit more of a dry finish, whereas a blended Scotch whisky, such as Dewar's 18 Year Old, possesses a more lingering finish. The best way to determine the difference is to try them.

-Gabe Cardarella

Both Single and Blended malt whisky are crafted with passion from a master distiller. This requires knowledge, time and experience. As a result both single and blended have that consistency that we look forward to in every drink. We believe all whisky is great. Both are gorgeous women with different traits. They are all wonderfully different with individual characteristics that give as that euphoric feeling each time. Sit back and relax and grab a glass of whisky because life couldn’t be much better than this.