Whiskey is a drink that has been gaining more and more popularity in the world in recent years, including in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, where vodka was dominant as the most popular strong alcohol some time ago. It cannot be denied that whiskey has made her quite a competition, offering a completely new taste experience and a slightly different culture of consuming this alcohol.

Whiskey enthusiasts and amateurs, tasting new drinks and gaining knowledge of the subject, have certainly noticed that the word BLENDED appears on most labels. SINGLE MALT appears less often (which probably also caught their eye).

What do these mysterious markings mean and how does "Blended" whiskey differ from "Single Malt" whiskeys? Below we present the most important differences between the drinks.

Raw material of production

First of all, these two types of whiskey differ in the type of grain from which they are made. And that's what their names came from! Single Malt can, by law, only be made from one grain - barley [1]. What does it mean? And a lot of effort to produce, because barley is a very demanding and difficult to grow grain, and therefore expensive.

Blended whiskeys, on the other hand, are "mixed" wines, i.e. a composition of distillates from various cereals. The most common part of these mixtures is Single Malt barley, and the rest is completed with distillates from other grains (wheat, rye, and even ... corn!), Which have been aged in an oak barrel for at least 3 years.

It is believed that Single Malt whiskey always comes from one batch of distillate. Although it happens of course (e.g. barrel whiskey or single cask come from one barrel), it is not a mandatory rule: a lot of this type of alcohol comes from different batches, but they are always made in one distillery. In the case of Blended whiskey, the blends can be of really different origin.

Alembic vs. column

Devices used in commercial distillation are hidden under the mysterious names "alembic" and "column". Single Malt whiskey is always still alembic whiskey, i.e. produced in copper pots. The whole embarrassment with this method of production comes down to the fact that stills are not the most efficient, and in addition they have to be thoroughly cleaned after each use.

Blended whiskeys can already be produced in a column fashion, which makes distillation much more efficient, cheaper and can be carried out continuously [2].

Other barrels

It is believed that the quality of barrels has a huge impact on the quality and taste of the prepared distillate. And although it is not certain whether it is barreling or fermentation that has the greatest impact on the final character of the whiskey, the importance attached to them is certainly huge.

In Single Malt whiskey distilleries, there is a rule that each barrel can be used up to 3 times.

In the case of larger, commercial distilleries of Blended whiskey, barrels can be filled many times, which can reduce their quality.

The age of the drink

Single Malt whiskey labels practically always inform us about how old the drink we have chosen is, and in the case of this type of products, the age is usually from 5 to 10 years [3], although there are of course also more-aged copies.

In the case of Blended whiskey, the age does not have to be specified and often we will not find such information on the label, which allows us to believe that the whiskey we are viewing is a 3-year-old drink.

Of course, some self-respecting Blended whiskey brands have found it right to prove the quality of their products and inform about the age of the product. Then we can find the inscription 12yo, 17yo, 21yo or even 30yo on the label. This practice is used, for example, by the Ballantine's brand.

Availability

This is one of the basic differences that an observer will notice when checking store shelves. While Blended whiskey can be found in virtually every store offering alcoholic products, we will not always find Single Malt whiskey, and even if - the choice will be much smaller.

This is due to the fact that much fewer distilleries produce Single Malt whiskey, so simply - there is less of it on the market than Blended whiskey.

Is Blended whiskey worse than Single Malt?

You can meet with this view. Nevertheless, the reality is not so clear-cut.

Yes, Single Malt whiskeys have a hint of elitism, because their production is more complicated, time-consuming, more expensive, and the taste of the drink itself - often much more spicy and expressive, which is said to be appreciated only by connoisseurs.

However, there are many Blended whiskeys that can charm even the most demanding customers with their quality and taste: the fact that their production is cheaper and common does not have to affect the final effect.

The view that Blended is a "beaker" of whatever is very harmful for this type of drink. It does not look like this ... To create a harmonious taste from several dozen or even several hundred distillates, you must have ... an amazing nose! This task is entrusted to special experts - Master Blenders.

One of the most famous, Jim Beveridge, was even decorated with a special order by Queen Elizabeth II herself [4]. Thanks to the work of such Master Blenders, unique Blended whiskeys are created, which provide exceptional taste sensations. And this is probably what whiskey savoring is all about - to find your own taste, no matter if it is Single Malt or Blended!

Do you want to place an order for whiskey? Contact us and we will prepare the best offer of iconic whiskey brands on the market.

 

[1] http://eluxo.pl/blog/2018/05/09/whisky-single-malt-a-blended-whisky-czym-sie-roznia/

[2] https://www.milerpije.pl/czym-rozni-sie-blended-whisky-od-single-malt-whisky.html

[3] https://www.whiskyinvestdirect.com/about-whisky/whisky-age-statement

[4] https://www.milerpije.pl/czym-rozni-sie-blended-whisky-od-single-malt-whisky.html