What types of whiskey are there? Which whiskey is the best: single malt or blended? The best varieties and brands of the drink

Whiskey is an excellent alcohol, elite, beloved. The Scots and Irish are great for creating this for us. But having decided to taste its aromatic strength for the first time, standing in a store with alcoholic beverages, you will be puzzled by the number of its types.

And what to do, how to choose something tasty and good, one that you will like and not disappoint?

Let's take the simplest route, first by understanding that the most important difference between bottles of whiskey is the technology of its manufacture. Depending on it, whiskeys are: single malt and blended.

Single malt whiskey considered ideal, elite. Created for connoisseurs and gourmets. Those who choose it look at other types like cologne (sorry for the too crude comparison, but I came across it on the net).

This alcohol is produced at the 1st distillery from the malt of only one barley. Blending in it is allowed only for whiskey of different ages, provided it is produced at the same distillery.

This whiskey is marked by aging for 3-15 years (usually 10-12) and a high price, showing the skill of the manufacturer. It is prepared only in Ireland and Scotland.

Types of single malt whiskey:

“Single malt” - alcohol from the 1st distillery, but with a possible multi-age blend
“Single cask” - alcohol taken from one barrel
"Quarter cask" is alcohol taken from one small barrel made of American oak wood. Its taste is more intense, the strength reaches 50%.
“Pure malt” (or vatted malt, or blended malt) is alcohol made only from pure barley malt, but taken from different distilleries.

Inscriptions about whiskey belonging to one type or another are usually placed on the labels, which allows us to understand what kind of alcohol we currently have in our hands.

Blended whiskey considered accessible to everyone. It is created for the “people”, but also has very wealthy fans.

This alcohol is produced by blending grain and single malt whiskey. This is the most common version of whiskey, but this does not mean that it is bad: the blend opens up many flavor and aromatic possibilities of the drink, sometimes making them deeper and more delicate.

It's no worse than single malt - it's just different.

When choosing blended whiskey, it is better to choose a blend where no more than two varieties complement (and improve) each other. By the way, the blend can include up to 50 varieties of this alcohol.

The main producer is Scotland and its famous blended Scotch whiskey “Johnnie Walker” (and he is not alone).

It must be said that whiskey from other countries is mostly a blend: in Ireland they mix rye and barley cereals, in America - rye, wheat and corn.

Whiskey blending began in the mid-19th century—more precisely, in 1853. Andrew Asher's first design was released under the Old Vatted Glenlivet brand. Just 7 years later, the production of blended whiskey began to be regulated by English law, indicating a mandatory aging period for the “composition.”

Thanks to the grain composition, the taste of the drink was softened. But because of this, he could become tougher.

But to an even greater extent than the amount of whiskey in the blend, the quality of this alcohol (including single malt) depends on the raw materials - the purity of the water, the quality of the grain, the wood in which the drink is aged, etc.

The Scotch Whiskey Association has classified blended whiskey into:

“Standard blend” - with an affordable price, aged for over 3 years and famous brands like “Dewar’s” (in the States), “Ballantine’s” and “Johnnie Walker Red Label” (in Europe).
“De luxe blend” - containing more than 35% single malt whiskey and aged for more than 12 years. Well-known brands are “Dewar’s Special Reserve”, “William Lawson”, “Chivas Regal 12 years old” and “Johnnie Walker Black Label”. The best option for beginners.
“Premium” - aged over 12 years. His stamps are only available to collectors and millionaires.

The differences between single malt whiskey and blended whiskey are that:

single malt whiskey is prepared only at the 1st distillery. The base is only barley alcohol, and the blended version also contains grains (which makes it much cheaper).
The quality of blended whiskey is slightly lower than that of single malt, but its taste is not necessarily worse. On the contrary, in good alcohol it may be less astringent and softer.
There are many more brands of blended whiskey than single malt (which is quite natural)
the taste of blended whiskey is delicate, sweetish, the aftertaste is light; single malt taste – deeper and more pronounced, smell – sharper, aftertaste – bright, sweetish

Now the advice:

When choosing whiskey, remember that it doesn’t matter whether it’s single malt or blended. This is not what determines quality. It just means that you have two different drinks in front of you.

single malt scotch whiskey photo

At the same time, the main indicators of whiskey for you should be its age and price (including the ability to pay a certain amount for a bottle of alcohol).

A 10-12 year old drink with an average price, regardless of whether it is single malt or blended whiskey, will be quite good.

High-priced single malt whiskey is suitable for gourmets, but low-priced blended whiskey is unlikely to appeal to you due to its excessive harshness in taste and aroma.

On a bottle of single malt whiskey, try to find the inscription “single malt” - and you will not regret purchasing it.

If single malt whiskey is very cheap, it is possible that it is a fake, at the same time, if blended (but not premium) costs exorbitant money, most likely it is ordinary whiskey, and you have fallen into the hands of scammers who inflate prices . Although this only applies to the exorbitant price, because in general the cost of blended whiskey directly depends on the percentage of single malt in it (10-60%).

If you have the opportunity to smell the aroma of your future purchase, then know that good whiskey, regardless of the type, should not have a pronounced alcohol smell. Although the smell of single malt whiskey is quite strong, the alcohol in it is almost imperceptible.

Sometimes the choice between whiskeys gives rise to entire battles, which teem with forums on the Internet.

"Rosenbank", "Glen-doyne", "Isle of Jura", "Talisker", "Auchentosham", "Laphroaig", "Arran", "Oban", "Tober-mory", "Glenmorangie", "Ladyburn", "Scapa", "Dalmore", "Glendronach" and "Highland Park" - from single malt whiskeys
“Johnnie Walker Red Label” and “Johnnie Walker Black Label”, “Dewar’s” and “Dewar’s Special Reserve”, “Grant’s Family Reserve” and “Ballantine’s”, “Cutty Sark” - from blended ones.

And, also, having read that single malt whiskey is “more elite” than blended whiskey, you should not conclude that it is definitely better - try it and find your whiskey. Remember how it is with milk: skim milk is not tasty, cream is too fatty, together it is creamy and delicious.

But everyone has their own taste - learn to use and enjoy it, and finally choose whiskey!

Whiskey is a strong alcoholic drink belonging to the brandy class. Anyone who decides to discover this page of alcoholic art will soon encounter an interesting discovery: there are an incredible variety of types of whiskey. Each of them has its own unique taste and aroma. At the same time, you should not rely on cost as an indicator of quality. There is only one rule: if you want to discover something new, start with the classics. Let's follow this advice.

Definition

Single malt whiskey is a whiskey made from malted barley at a single distillery. The most valuable and expensive type of this drink.

Blended whiskey– the most common type of whiskey. It is obtained by blending single malt and grain. Blending allows you to complicate the taste and aroma, making them fuller.

Comparison

Aroma and taste are two characteristics that describe all the advantages of any whiskey. These indicators are influenced by a large number of factors: germination, drying, number of distillations, design of the still, barrels for aging, temperature, etc. However, the main thing is a good raw material base. Everything depends on the quality of the grain, the degree of purification of water and sugar. This is the main difference between the two types being compared.

Blended varieties are whiskey “for everyone.” With a wide variety of species, everyone can choose something for themselves. The number of variations of single malt and grain blends is limited only by the distiller’s imagination. Often the best blend is a blend of two mediocre samples that perfectly complement each other (in order to hide flaws and highlight advantages). Blended whiskey accounts for about 90% of the volume produced worldwide.

With single malt the situation is different. Everything in it should be perfect from the very beginning. Increased aroma, optimal taste, constant adherence to technology. Such whiskey, as a rule, is less interesting to the average buyer, but much more interesting to connoisseurs who are able to appreciate not so much the drink as the skill of the manufacturer.

Conclusions website

Single malt whiskey can only be made from malted barley at a single distillery.
Single malt whiskey has more pronounced varietal characteristics.
Blended whiskey is the most common type. It is characterized by a large number of combinations of tastes and aromas, but there are practically no varietal characteristics.

Whiskey is rightfully considered one of the best strong alcoholic drinks. To properly understand its culture, it is necessary to place the right emphasis on the example of blended whiskey. It is important to identify its true differences from single malt whiskey, give the correct concept, and find out what types exist.

What does blended whiskey mean?

“Blend” literally means “mixing.” This professional term applies not only to whiskey, but also to other popular alcoholic drinks of various strengths: cognac, wine, beer.

Popular in the old days, the single malt malt was not available to the general public. But whiskey was created as a drink that is equal and accessible to everyone. Then the decision to mix single malt spirit with grain became historic.

In 1853, the world's first bottle of blended whiskey was released. The author of the blend was master Andrew Asher, and his brand Old Vatted Glenlivet is one of the leading ones.

In 1860, the Scotch Whiskey Association formalized the legal status of the seven-year-old achievement. The blend has found its niche in the world market, and was also able to exist equally with a single malt product.

The difference between blended whiskey and single malt

You cannot talk about what is better or worse, or make any comparisons. It's simple - these are two different products, two different drinks. Of course, they have a lot in common, but there are significant differences:

1. Manufacturing technology.

The blend includes alcohol of both pure barley origin and alcohol obtained from other cheaper grain crops - rye, corn, wheat. Grain spirit, like single malt, is aged in oak barrels.

Single malt malt is prepared on the basis of malt from premium barley. Moreover, all stages of production take place exclusively at one distillery under the same conditions, and the resulting alcohol enters the bottle exclusively from one barrel.

2. Quality of the drink.

The quality of the blended drink is slightly worse, but this does not affect the taste and aroma.

3. Assortment.

Blending various spirits is a less labor-intensive and costly process compared to producing a pure single malt malt. This creates the opportunity for a wide choice. There are many types and brands of blended drink.

Types of blended whiskeys

The quality and price of a drink are determined by such a concept as “category”. The Scotch Whiskey Association mentioned above introduced the classification in the same 1860:

Standard blend- category with aging for at least 3 years and single malt alcohol content of less than 25%. Targeted at the mass consumer at a very affordable price.
Deluxe blend- category with aging for no more than 12 years and a single malt alcohol content of at least 35%. It constitutes the middle segment of the world market.
Premium- elite category, where the alcohol is aged for over 12 years and its content of single malt alcohol is more than 55%. Positioned by manufacturers as a premium drink. Available at a very high price to true connoisseurs and collectors.

Each category is represented by a variety of brands from leading distilleries. Only three producing countries are involved in blending whiskey: Scotland, Ireland and the USA. Let's look at the most popular brands from each manufacturing country:

Scotland - Johnnie Walker, Ballantine’s, Chivas Regal, William Lawson;
Ireland - Bushmills, Tullamore, Jameson;
USA - Dewar’s, Dewar’s Special Reserve.

Conclusion

Blended whiskey has its own history and well-deserved reputation. Mixing alcohols of different quality and origin only benefits the drink. Rich taste and aroma qualities coupled with an affordable price will impress both an experienced connoisseur and a novice student of the grain drink culture.

Attention, TODAY only!

Whiskey is a noble strong drink belonging to the brandy class. When you enter the store, you will be surprised by the selection of tastes, types and brands of production. But initially, whiskey is divided into single malt and blended. Let's figure out what blended whiskey is and what its fundamental difference is.

Blended whiskey is the most common type of this drink. It is obtained by blending single malt and grain. Blending allows you to complicate the taste and aroma, making them fuller. The word "blend" means mixing. In the production of this whiskey, different malts and grains are used. Using the mixing method, an ideal, in the distiller’s opinion, balance is achieved.

It is believed that blended whiskey is a drink “for everyone.” It accounts for almost 90% of the world whiskey market. That is why every whiskey lover has the opportunity to choose exactly the taste that suits their taste. This type is made using different variations of single malt and grain. In this way, the shortcomings of one of the “pure” tastes are hidden and a golden mean is achieved - a blend.

Reference. Single malt whiskey is made from the purest barley. It is produced by one distillery and the best harvest is collected for production.

Difference in endurance and price

Single malt whiskey is produced for connoisseurs and collectors. You are unlikely to find such a drink in a supermarket at an affordable price. The aging of this drink is 12-15 years. Only Scotland and Ireland produce this kind of whiskey.

Blended whiskey is usually aged for up to three years. Worthy brands of this drink have long deserved the attention of lovers:

"Johnnie Walker Red Label" and "Black Label"
Ballantine's, Dewar's,
"Chivas Regal 12 years old"
"William Lawson".

Standards and requirements

The composition of any whiskey includes three main components: water, malt and yeast. Sugar and caramel are added only to blended whiskey that is not of very good quality. And there should be no flavorings or dyes in any whiskey.

Malting is the stage in which the grain is sprouted

Only grains with a high starch content are taken. For example, it is known that bourbon is made half from corn grains, and the other half from a mixture of other grains. Sometimes you can find buckwheat, rice and other unpopular cereals.

Then the grains, dried in a bright room, are filled with clean water and left to germinate. This is an extremely important stage: you should change the water at regular intervals and not miss the moment when the grain sprouts begin to eat the starch. The whole process lasts about two weeks. The malt is removed and dried in a special chamber.

Preparation of wort - malt purification

The malt is quality tested for moisture, purity and bacteria. Then, the tested grains are ground into flour, and the flour is then mixed with water and heated until sugars are formed.

At this stage, it is important to maintain optimal temperature conditions and stir the mass.

Fermentation - the first signs of the degree

At this stage, the wort is poured into wooden or steel vats with special alcoholic yeast.

At a temperature of 37 degrees, fermentation occurs, which lasts 2-3 days. Fermentation occurs due to oxygen bacteria.

Distillation

The mash is subjected to double or triple distillation, depending on the production. It occurs with the help of alambiks - copper distillation pipes.

After the first distillation, the liquid turns into “weak wine” with a strength of 20 degrees, after the second distillation the strength becomes 70%, then the resulting distillate is diluted with clean water to a strength of 50-60%.

Excerpt

Traditionally, whiskey is aged in oak sherry barrels. This stage is very important, it is here that the “bouquet” of the drink is formed.

Caramel shades of taste and a characteristic noble smell appear. Typically, aging ranges from three to five years. But some expensive drinks are stored in barrels for 30 years.

What is the difference between single malt whiskey and blended whiskey, you will learn from this video:

What is blended with?

This process lies entirely with the responsibility of the blender. You can mix not only different types of whiskey, but also add grain impurities to them, and even mix distillers of different years of aging. All this creates its own unique taste.

In production, any brand has its own unique blend and a specialist who has been blending for decades, and before retiring, prepares a worthy replacement for himself. After a unique blend, it is also aged in barrels for some time so that the flavors “get married” and create one harmonious drink.

Watch the video in which sommelier Erkin Tuzmukhamedov and Dewar’s blender Stephanie MacLeod introduce viewers to the whiskey blending process:

It is worth clarifying that in Scotland more than 90% of whiskey is blended.

What's better to drink?

Typically, each whiskey lover chooses a drink to suit his individual taste. As you noticed, the so-called “blend” is often cheaper. But a really good blend sometimes costs several times more than a low-quality single malt whiskey.

Important! You need to start from taste and smell - after all, these indicators are decisive in quality.

Video: rating of blended Scotch whiskeys - up to 1,500 rubles.

Remember that the most important indicator of the age of whiskey is still the price of the drink. And any drink: be it single malt or blended, after aging for 12 years, will be truly worthy.

Although the concept of blended is familiar to many gourmets, not all of them know exactly how this drink is prepared, and also why it is so in demand and popular in all countries of the world. What is blended? How is it made? What varieties and brands are the most popular today?

What is blended whiskey?

A blended drink is a drink that is obtained by mixing grain and malt whiskeys in different ratios and proportions. The blend, which is prepared by professional winemakers, usually contains from 10% to 60% malt varieties, with the remaining percentage being grain brands. The higher the percentage of malt whiskey, the higher the cost of the finished blend.

In order to prepare a cheaper blend, mixed varieties of malt and grain are aged for 24 hours in special containers, after which they are stored in oak barrels for several months. Professional winemakers call this process “wedding,” as a result of which the drink acquires its own special unique taste, color and aroma.

The difference between blended whiskey and single malt

The main difference: single malt whiskey is made exclusively from barley alcohol, and in blended varieties alcohols from other grain crops are added to it. Therefore, gourmets who consider themselves connoisseurs of real whiskey treat blended whiskey with disdain, which does not prevent the latter from having a lot of its fans. Other differences resulting from the main one:

The quality of blended whiskey is worse, but this does not mean that its taste will necessarily be worse. In good alcohol, on the contrary, it will be softer and less astringent.
There are many more brands of blended whiskey, which is quite natural.
Blended whiskey has a sweetish taste, a light aftertaste, and a more delicate aroma. Single malt whiskey has a more pronounced and deeper taste, a sweetish aftertaste, and a sharp aroma.

Classification of blended whiskey

Blended whiskey is generally divided into three main categories, as approved by the Scotch Whiskey Association:

Standard blend is a variety that involves the usual mixing of malt and grain;
De luxe blend - this means elite mixing and preparation of the drink;
Premium – premium mixing category.

The cheapest versions of blended whiskey, which are classified as regular blending, contain no more than 25% malt alcohol. The most famous regular blends are Johnnie Walker Red Label, Ballantines and Dewars. The elite blend category contains up to 50% malt spirits, which are aged for 10 to 12 years. And premium blended whiskey contains an even larger amount of malt alcohol, due to which its cost is the highest among all the varieties of this drink presented.

Brands of blended quality whiskey

Blended whiskey is known to gourmets and connoisseurs of elite alcohol all over the world. Although Scottish producers are considered the founders of this drink, the Irish and Japanese subsequently established themselves as skilled winemakers in this niche. Therefore, today, blended whiskey has many brands, usually represented by these three national manufacturers.

Among the brands of Scotch whiskey, the most famous.