Whisky Flavors

Single malt whisky is one of the most popular types of whisky produced these days. In general, single malt refers to a whisky product made from one specific distillery and has not been mixed with whisky from any other distilleries. In addition, the product is made from a mash that uses one particular malted grain, which is usually barley.

Single malts produced in Scotland have to follow Scotch Whisky Regulations – they must be made exclusively from malted barley, distilled using a pot still, and must mature for a minimum of three years and one day in casks made of oak not exceeding 700 liters or 184 gallons. Single malt whisky has been known to offer the greatest variation and depth of flavor of all spirits, although it is just made from three things – barley, yeast and water. The whisky must be distilled to no more than 94.8% alcohol by volume and bottled at no less than 40%.

Some of Scotland’s most experienced professionals – the renowned whisky experts Dave Broom and Jim Beveridge, have created a unique way of comparing and assessing single malt whisky. Dubbed the ‘Flavor Map’, this creation will help you choose a single malt whisky based on its taste and demonstrates that all single malts can be plotted on a simple grid with four quadrants. There are four distinct flavor profiles – delicate versus smoky and light versus rich.

The Single Malt Scotch Whisky Flavor Map:

Delicate: These whiskies normally do not use peat in the malting process. There is no smokiness derived by using peat, and whiskies in this category fall in between a light floral grassy freshness to a richer side of nutty, barley and biscuit flavors.

Smokey: Single malt whiskies found in this category contain discernible levels of peat, which is burnt in the malting process. The peat smoke ranges from scented smoke to bonfires, and kippers and lapsang souchong.

Light: These whiskies exhibit fresh flavors such as green grass, soft fruits and cereal. These flavors are a reflection of the processes that distinct distilleries follow such as fermentation or size and shape of the stills used in distillation.

Rich: Whiskies that fall in the rich end of the axis contain features derived from the nature of the wood used during maturation. Flavors such as vanilla, nutty, chocolate, dried fruit all fall within this range.

Whisky Flavor Wheel as devised by the Scotch Whisky Research Institute: