Single malt whisky is surely a drink you have heard of, even if you have never sampled its complex flavours, but do you actually know what it is?

Many people who are not fans of the drink, or who do not work in the whisky industry don’t know much about single malt whisky other than its association with Scotland, where it was first produced, so let’s take a closer look at the amber nectar that is single malt, right now.

Why Single?

A single malt is named as such because it has been wholly produced at one single distillery, such as the Glenora Distilleries, where you can buy whisky online. So, for example, our Glen Breton Single Malt whisky must be produced at the Glenora Distillery here in Canada, and nowhere else.

Of course, this is not to say that the whisky comes from just one cask or barrel - actually, the opposite is usually true and most single malt will be produced using multiple barrels. The liquid is then blended together to make the whisky.

How is the age of single malt whisky determined?

Because single malt is made up of many different barrels, numerous ages of whisky are blended to make its distinctive taste, but how does that affect the age on the bottle? The age of the whisky will always correspond to the youngest liquid in the bottle, even if there are older blends in there too. So, if you buy a 10-year old whisky, the youngest liquid will be 10, but there could be whiskeys aged 12, 15, or even 25 in the mix too.

Now you know more about single malts, you can feel more confident when you buy whisky online!