Single Malt
Single Malt is made only from barley malt, yeast and water. It is distilled in a single distillery using a pot still (usually two distillations, except in the lowlands), and it is distilled in a single season. After the first distillation, the distillate is 22% – 24%, and after the second distillation it is 68% - 72% (the legal maximum is 94.8%, although it is difficult to exceed this without the use of special techniques). What is known as a “single single” malt is a bottling from only one cask. Single grain whiskies also exist, but they are much lighter in style, and relatively rare.
Blended Scotch
Blended Scotch is a blend of grain and malt whisky. Formerly, this was approximately 30% malt - 70% grain; now they are more like 35% - 40%.
Blended Malt Whisky (formerly “vatted malt”)
The other category is blended malt whisky which is a blend of two or more malts from two or more distilleries. Famous Grouse has two vatted malts – a 12 year old and an 18 year old that is produced from Macallan, Highland Park and Tamdhu. Johnnie Walker Green Label is also a vatted malt. Compass Box is another example, but he still (illegally) calls it a vatted malt. Compass Box also produces a vatted grain whisky as does one of the main gain distilleries, Inver Gordon.
Grain whisky
Grain whisky for blends is normally produced in a continuous still from corn (purchased in England), or wheat (purchased in Scandinavia), and rye is not used. It is normally distilled in column stills and is used for producing blended Scotch (although there are some pot stilled versions). It is commonly distilled out to a fairly high proof, and must by law age three years.
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Wine Regions of the World
