The one-sentence definition
Single malt Scotch whisky is Scotch whisky made at one distillery from water and malted barley, using batch distillation in copper pot stills. The word single refers to one distillery, not one cask. A bottling may combine several casks and ages from that distillery and remain a single malt.
Rules shared by all Scotch whisky
- It must be mashed, fermented, distilled, and matured in Scotland.
- It must mature in oak casks no larger than 700 litres for at least three years.
- It must be distilled below 94.8% ABV so that it retains characteristics from its raw materials and production.
- It must be bottled at no less than 40% ABV.
- Nothing may be added except water and permitted plain caramel colouring.
Categories that are easy to confuse
| Label | Essential meaning |
|---|---|
| Single Malt | One distillery, malted barley, pot stills |
| Blended Malt | Single malts from two or more distilleries |
| Single Grain | One distillery, but other cereals and continuous distillation may be used |
| Blended Scotch | At least one single malt combined with at least one single grain |
Whisky Maker simplifies these choices into a game. It is not a complete production model of fermentation time, still shape, cut points, warehouse climate, or every legal labelling decision.