What is Single Malt Scotch?

You see them everywhere but do you know what they mean? You know they are expensive but do you know why? I am talking about Single Malts. Single Malts are usually in the moderately expensive to super expensive range. Lots of whisky enthusiasts argue that Single Malts are the best and the label Single Malt is a sign of quality. This, they say, is why they command a higher price than blends. In this post, I will explore what Single Malt is and why it is expensive. I will also answer a very important question; is it a sure sign of quality? 

Is it just Marketing? Or does it mean something? 

The first question any reasonable newbies will ask is whether or not the label Single Malt Scotch means something or if it is just marketing? I will get this question out of the way first and say no it is not just marketing. A distillery cannot just slap the label Single Malt Scotch if they do not meet the legal requirements to have such designation. The fortunate thing about Scotch is the fact that it is highly regulated. Everything about Scotch, from how it is made to how it is labeled needs to pass strict guidelines set by the Scotch Whisky Association.

So what does Single Malt Scotch mean? According to the Scotch Whisky Association, a Single Malt Scotch is "a Scotch Whisky distilled at a single distillery (i) from water and malted barley without the addition of any other cereals, and (ii) by batch distillation in pot stills." (SWA website) For a Scotch Whisky to call itself Single Malt, it has to meet those requirements on top of the requirements to be called Scotch Whisky which are:

In these Regulations “Scotch Whisky” means a whisky produced in Scotland—
(a) that has been distilled at a distillery in Scotland from water and malted barley (to which
only whole grains of other cereals may be added) all of which have been—
(i) processed at that distillery into a mash;
(ii) converted at that distillery into a fermentable substrate only by endogenous enzyme
systems; and
(iii) fermented at that distillery only by the addition of yeast;
(b) that has been distilled at an alcoholic strength by volume of less than 94.8 per cent so that
the distillate has an aroma and taste derived from the raw materials used in, and the
method of, its production;
(c) that has been matured only in oak casks of a capacity not exceeding 700 litres;
(d) that has been matured only in Scotland;
(e) that has been matured for a period of not less than three years;
(f) that has been matured only in an excise warehouse or a permitted place;
(g) that retains the colour, aroma and taste derived from the raw materials used in, and the
method of, its production and maturation;
(h) to which no substance has been added, or to which no substance has been added except—
(i) water;
(ii) plain caramel colouring; or
(iii) water and plain caramel colouring; and
(i) that has a minimum alcoholic strength by volume of 40%

So when you see the a bottle of Whisky that has the label Single Malt Scotch Whisky, you know that it is not just marketing. You can be assured that the whisky in the bottle meets the requirements for both Scotch and Single Malt. 

Why are they so expensive?

The main reason why they are so expensive is the fact that it takes a long time to make Single Malt Scotch and that means a lot of money. The product a distillery produces today cannot be bottled and sold until after at least 3 years. Throughout those 3 years, the distillery has already incurred the cost of producing the distillate, then the cost associated with warehousing the whisky then they lose some portion of their product due to evaporation plus add to that the possibility that the aging whisky might not even be good enough for bottling after 3 years which will lead them to age it longer (add more cost) or to sell it to blenders.

This is why only a small portion of the total whisky produced in Scotland is bottled as Single Malt. Most of it goes into a blend because they can make more money faster by selling their distillate to blenders rather than maturing and bottling it as a Single Malt.

Is Single Malt Whisky always better?

Not necessarily. You have to look at Single Malt Scotch and Blended Scotch as two separate Scotch categories. Most people think that Blended Scotch Whisky is just a cheaper version of a Single Malt. This is not the case. There are a lot of great blended Scotch whiskies out there same as there are a lot of bad Single Malt Scotches too. They both have something unique to offer.

What makes Single Malt Scotch whisky unique is the fact that you are able to enjoy a product that is unique to that distillery only. Each distillery has its own way of producing Scotch whisky and their unique production method creates unique flavours that you will only get from trying their Single Malt. This is what draws me to Single Malts, the way the product carries the unique signature of the distillery. Blends however offer something unique - their ability to create unique flavour profiles that you will not get from any single distillery. Master Blenders take Scotch whisky from different distilleries and they blend them together to create a flavour profile that is unique to them. Then they have to do it consistently from batch to batch, year in and year out. Master Blenders have super human sensory skills that allows them to be both creative and consistent.

Is Single Malt a sign of quality?

Yes and no. Yes because for a whisky to call itself a Single Malt Scotch, it has to meet very strict requirements for both Scotch and Single Malt. Distilleries also make sure they produce good quality Single Malts because it is supposed to carry their signature flavour profile and defines their identity in the Scotch world. A distillery does not want to release a Single Malt Scotch that will leave a bad taste on everyones mouth. 

No because like any product in the market, there will always be mistakes made and some people will always try to cut corners to make money faster. Single Malt Scotch whisky is not immune to this and you might try some Single Malts that just lack flavour and complexity. You may also get a new distillery releasing a Single Malt as soon as it meets the minimum requirement of 3 years just so they can start getting some money back even though the whisky is not mature enough.

The label Single Malt Scotch means something, it is not just marketing. For a whisky to call itself Single Malt Scotch, it has to meet strict requirements that involves the distillery investing a lot of money into the product now and not getting any money back for at least 3 years after loosing a portion of the product. Single malts are generally more expensive than blends for this reason. The label Single Malt is not always a sign of quality but rather a sign that it met certain requirements that may or may not lead to a great quality product. The real judge of quality is your palate so go out there and try as many types of Scotch as you can.

To end this post, I will share my Tasting notes of the Highland Park Magnus.

Nose: You can smell the Sherry influence with a light peat smoke playfully making itself felt in the background. It is then accented by some citrus notes.

Palate: Smooth with very little astringency. Notes of lemon, chocolate and vanilla upfront then, like a Viking soul, untamed bold smoke asserts itself.

Finish: Short made interesting by the battle of sweet and spice trying to be the last to make its presence known.

Overall: This is a good Single Malt Scotch whisky for a great value. It has enough complexity from the Sherry seasoned American oak barrels but the depth of flavour is not that much. This carries to the short finish. With a little higher ABV, this Single Malt could have been much better.