5 Things You Need to Know About Single Malt Whisky

Saturday, 09 August 2025 at 17:00

The words whisky enthusiast and single malt whisky are inextricably linked. So today, we are going to talk about single malt whisky. Here are 5 things you must know.

What is single malt whisky? Here are the rules briefly outlined:

The whisky originates from a single distillery, hence it isn't blended with spirits from other distilleries.
The malt whisky is distilled exclusively from malted barley.
The spirit is distilled in copper stills.

Single malt does not mean single cask

A common misunderstanding is that single malt means the whisky comes from a single cask. This is not true. Single only indicates that the whisky originates from a single distillery. It can hence be a blend of different casks from the same distillery.

So, suppose you've got a Scottish whisky bottle in your hands labeled as a 15-year-old single malt. This doesn't mean that only one cask was used for this edition. There could have been dozens of casks. It just signifies that the single malt whisky in the bottle has been made from spirit from casks of one distillery.

So does single cask whisky not exist? It certainly does. But there's a different term for it: single cask whisky.

Age is not inviolable

Many whisky drinkers are influenced by whisky age indicated on a bottle, operating on the principle: the older, the better. However, age isn't everything.

The age marked on a bottle denotes the youngest whisky in the mix. An 18-year-old single malt might thus contain older whisky, but never younger. However, older is not always better.

Longer maturation means more influence from the cask, which can be positive (more depth, more complexity), but also negative (too much wood, less freshness). In single malt whisky, you can't simply say that one age is the best. It's somewhat like magic, where everything must fall into place.

And in the end, there's but one rule that matters and that is, tasting is the most critical part.

Not all single malt whiskies come from Scotland

Although Scotland is still revered as the holy grail of single malt whisky, single malt whiskies are now manufactured worldwide.

Consider countries like Japan, Ireland, Taiwan, India and Sweden for example. And again, that one rule applies: single malt means nothing more than whisky from one distillery. Believe us: there are many countries worldwide where single malt whiskies are produced, and many of them are really good! So it pays off to experiment.

So what about cask strength whiskies?

Most single malt whiskies are diluted with water to about 40–46% alcohol after maturation. But there are also cask strength bottlings. These are whiskies that are not diluted, but come straight from the cask. Whisky geeks refer to this as maintaining 'cask character'.

These whiskies often have an alcohol content between 50 to 65 percent and are robust, intense, and complex. They let you taste the whisky just as it comes from the cask.

These whiskies are generally not meant for beginners, but they are interesting if you're seeking greater depth in your whisky experience. Especially adding a few drops of water can create even more magic. This way, a whisky opens up and there are even more flavors to discover. A tip!

Single malt whisky image: for everyone?

And that brings us to our last point, which is more about the image of the drink. Single malt whisky sometimes has an elitist image. Tasting notes full of exotic fruit, smoky characteristics, and discussions about batch numbers can be intimidating. Is that valid? That's a question you might ask.

You don’t need to be an expert to appreciate a good whisky. Trust your taste. If you find a whisky enjoyable, that's all that matters. After all, taste is subjective.

Start simple. Try out various styles, without investing in expensive bottles right away. Experiment with friends by attending a tasting or whisky festival. Peat or no peat? Sherry or bourbon? Fruity or spicy?

And don’t be confined by rules. Yes, some people believe that you must drink whisky neat. But a few drops of water can open up the flavours. And if you want to drink your single malt with an ice cube or in a cocktail, that's just perfectly fine.

Whisky is not an exam or advanced whisky science, so just enjoy it the way you find it pleasant.

Cheers!