FIELD GUIDE · 5 min
What does single malt mean?
Three words that sound more mysterious than they are.
Single refers to the distillery
Single does not mean one barrel. It means every drop was made at one distillery. A bottle can combine many casks and several ages while still being a single malt.
Malt refers to the grain
The spirit is made from malted barley rather than a mixture of grains. Malting lets the barley begin germination, making fermentable sugars available before the grain is dried and mashed.
Is single malt automatically better?
No. It describes production, not quality. Excellent blends can be more complex and balanced than an average single malt. Treat the label as information rather than a ranking.