Scotland is one of the classic whisky-producing regions, combining a long, rich distilling history, a devotion to the distinctly individual malts from its many distilleries and an appreciation of the complexities involved in producing some of the finest whiskies in the world. Indeed, as Scotland's chief export, whisky is inextricably bound to the fabric of the nation's culture and economy.

"uisgebeatha," meaning "the water of life" in Gaelic traces its origins back to the late Middle Ages. Many sources point to the first reference to a "malt. . . to make aqua vitae," in the Scottish Exchequer Rolls in 1494. By the end of the 16th century, the making of a harsh whisky was not an uncommon practice among the Highlanders, who created the spirits in their own stills. An early commerce in Scotch whisky began among these private distillers, and it must have grown to considerable size because in 1644 the Scottish Parliament imposed its first excise tax on whisky.

Freedom and Whisky: This proved to be the initial move in what was to become a battle between the government and the numerous Scottish moonshiners, or "smugglers," as they were called, which lasted for close to 200 years. Government attempts to control, regulate and tax whisky production became a cause celebre among many Highland inhabitants, with local feelings of the time best crystallized by the poet, Robert Burns: "Freedom and whisky gang thegither (go together)."

Throughout these years, all Scotch whisky was distilled using the pot-type still, resulting in small batches of whisky. But a new method of distillation was developed in 1826. This column-shaped, or "patent," still worked continuously and could accommodate grains other than barley malt, allowing the production of lighter-bodied whiskies from less expensive grains. All of the early Scotch whiskies were what we now refer to as "single malts," since the art of blending didn't emerge, until the 1860's, pioneered by Andrew Usher in Edinburgh.

It wasn't until 1909 that Scotch finally gained official status, when the British Royal Commission on Whisky and Other Potable Spirits declared that in order to be considered Scotch, the whisky must be both distilled and matured in Scotland.

Single Malts: Although still a small percentage of overall Scotch consumption, single malts have risen in popularity in recent years. They are derived from sprouted or "malted" barley that has been dried in kilns fired by peat and coal, which imparts a distinctive smoky character to the spirit. Produced by more than 100 different Scottish distilleries, each single malt has a style and flavor all its own.

As a general rule, single malts can be classified according to their geographic origin. Lowland malts are generally the lightest, both in flavor and color; Islay produces the heaviest, most full-bodied whiskies; Campbeltown malts are also full-bodied, but there are only a few malt distilleries left there; Highland malts are the most numerous by far, and are generally regarded as having the most balance, being medium in flavor and aroma.

Making malt whisky is an expensive, labor-intensive process that involves five general steps. Select barley is soaked, germinated and dried in the process known as malting. The dried malt is then ground into a rough grist, and soaked in large, round tanks, producing an oatmeal-like slurry called wort. Following a two-day fermentation, the wort becomes a 10% alcohol liquid called wash, which is then distilled in pot stills. The new ray spirit, about 120 proof, is reduced in proof with spring water and then aged in oak casks.

Blended Scotch: Although single malts have attracted a great deal of interest in recent years and many restaurants and bars pride themselves on their collections of dozens of examples, more than 97% of Scotch consumed around the world is blended whisky.

The object of blending has always been to "soften," in a sense, the harsher characteristics of the individual malt whiskies in order to produce a whisky that is appealing to a much broader audience.

As the word implies, blends are the result of mixing different whiskies together, including both single malts and grain whiskies. Located mainly in the Lowlands, the 14 Scottish grain distilleries produce grain spirits (which are not, as is sometimes misinterpreted, neutral grain spirits), made primarily from corn. They are distilled in tall, column stills, a method that is faster and cheaper than the pot still. The whisky is then sold to the several Scotch houses to use in their blends. Obviously, several decisions go into determining the final makeup of a blended Scotch, from the quality of the barley chosen to the amount of peat to be used in the malt kiln, from the determination of when to start and stop collecting the spirit from the second distillation to the blenderšs judgment about when each particular cask is ready to be added to the blend.

This last step is, according to many experts, an art as well as a science. Each Scotch house has its own closely guarded blend, and while certain whiskies are not compatible, the bringing together of the right combination of malts and grains will determine the characteristics of the brand. Usually there are 20 to 25 different single malt whiskies used in a blend, and although the exact proportions are not known, anywhere from 20% to 50% malt whisky will be used in a blend, with the rest being a grain whisky.

Aging: By law, Scotch must be aged at least three years, and none can enter the U.S. without being aged at least four years. The spirits are normally aged in oak casks, frequently casks that have been used for bourbon-aging in the U.S. Many distillers also use barrels that once held sherry or wine. Most single malts spend a minimum of five years in casks, although most are aged at least eight years, and some for much longer. In blends, when a Scotch is aged 10 years or 12 years, the number refers to the age of the youngest whisky in the blend.

A QUICK GUIDE TO SINGLE MALT SCOTCH
The Definition Of A Single Malt Scotch:
Single: The whisky was made at only one specific distillery.
Malt: The only grain used was barley malt.
Scotch: It is the product of Scotland.

The Distillation Of Single Malts
Involves 5 Steps:
Malting: The barley must be soaked in water until it begins to germinate. It is not allowed to complete this process, however, and is stopped short.
Mashing: The barley is then ground up and mixed with hot water and allowed to cool. When the water is drained off what is left is called "wort." This is a form of beer.
Fermenting: The wort is now placed in a vat where the sugars from the barley are allowed to turn into alcohol. The alcohol content is about 10 to 14%. Yeast is now added to speed up the conversion.
Distilling: The fermented wort is then boiled in a pot-still. Alcohol boils faster than water. The alcohol vapors are condensed and collected and the alcohol content is now about 58%.
Maturation: All single malts are aged in oak casks for a legal minimum of three years. However, most are aged at least eight years.

The Five Major Influences:
Water (hard, soft, salty); Air (infiltrating through the cask); Peat (used during the malting process); Stills (size and shape); and Casks (influencing the flavor).

The Four Major Regions Where Scotch is Produced:
The Lowlands (soft, delicate, easy to drink)
The Highlands (the largest region with the most complex and varied malts)
Campbeltown (home to only one distillery)
Islay (big, pungent, smokey)

*Information by: Brown Forman Beverages Worldwide/Glenmorangie Single Malt Scotch.