Column: Blending Whisky is an Art

The popularity of single malt, and especially single cask whisky, has skyrocketed in recent decades. Today, it’s all about raw, pure, unadulterated flavors. While all eyes are fixed on the cask, a beautiful craft is quietly fading into the background.

Bold, rugged whisky has a certain allure. When whisky comes straight from the cask, you connect with the spirit in its purest form and feel as if you’re part of the distillery’s own history and tradition.

I’m no exception. Give me a whisky with a face of its own, a character that grabs you and won’t let go. As glorious as that sounds, there’s another side to the coin.

A single cask can sweep you off your feet, but it can also miss the mark entirely. After all, you’re betting everything on one barrel. To avoid disappointment and inconsistency, specialists in aroma and flavor have long worked their magic with casks: blenders.

In the old days, the blender was the person who turned thin, fiery, or flat whiskies in stock into a harmonious whole. From various whiskies made from different grains, the blender could craft a new brand that delighted enthusiasts around the world for years.

Take Johnnie Walker, for example. This brand has always been a blend, and it grew so big because of skillful blending of great whiskies.

Today, blenders, men and women, shape the character of a brand or distillery by choosing from a vast inventory of casks, ensuring that whether it’s blended whisky or single malt, there are no unpleasant surprises, and you can always enjoy different expressions from your favorite names.

Blending whisky means bringing together the finest casks to create something even greater. It’s uniting the best single malts from your own distillery into a drinkable work of art.

Raw, unpolished whisky has its charm. But with your next dram, spare a thought for the blender who composed that flavor palette with dedication and skill.

We can only conclude that great blending is an art.