Be it house parties or get-togethers with friends or club parties or even just you wanting to sit around a chill at a casino, a glass of some top-notch whiskey would be your very first preference. The legalized age groups enjoy whiskey almost all across the world. It comes in multiple variations from different brands and distilleries, with glenscotia.com being a pioneer in the world of whiskies.
However, the questions are what processes are involved in making single malt scotch whiskey. Let’s brief you about the processes involved in making single malt scotch whiskey at the glen scotia distillery!
Ingredients
A centuries-old method is used to create single malt Scotch whiskey. Malted barley, pure spring water, and yeast are the only raw components used.
Malt and Mash
The process commences by malting the barley, which is done by soaking it in water before laying it on a malting floor to germinate. This initiates the switchover of starches inside the barley to sugars that produce alcohol when combined with yeast.
Part of the procedure affects the ultimate flavor of the spirit; for example, the barley can sometimes be processed over peat, producing a smoky flavor.
After drying, the malt is crushed into a granular powder known as ‘grist,’ which is then combined with thermal spring water in a huge vessel called a ‘mash tun.’ The malt starches breakdown, resulting in a delicious solution known as wort.
Fermenting and Distillation
The sugars inside the wort are fermented to alcohol during the fermentation, resulting in a solution known as ‘wash,’ which holds an ABV level of about 8%.
When it comes to distillation, Single malt Scotch whiskey is often twice distilled in copper stills. The liquid in each of these stills is heated in the same way as inside very massive kettles. The first phase is to use a ‘wash’ still, in which the alcoholic fumes ascend to the peak then into the condenser, turning into liquid again.
The end product is a ‘low wine’ with a concentration of around 20% ABV, which is subsequently sent through the second still.
After this, the second phase of distillation occurs, which produces a high-quality spirit that is stored inside the spirit safe.
Maturing and Releasing
It’s important to let the newly distilled spirit mature. Single malt scotch whisky must always be aged in oaks for at least three years by rule. It must be aged in Scotland as well. The whiskey takes on a unique golden color from the oak wood barrels.
Most barrels are brought from America and Europe, where they were formerly used to store brandy, sherry, port, as well, like wine.
Anyways, the whiskey is stored and kept in the barrels for the required amount of time, and that’s it! The whiskey is then ready to be poured out into fancy whiskey glasses and enjoyed just whenever.
Something has been hinting that you’re probably sipping on one right now. Aren’t you?
Conclusion
Single malt scotch whiskey cannot be made with perfection just randomly. The craftsmen who make whiskey usually belong to backgrounds that have been dealing with whiskey creation overages. The process requires experience and crazy skill!