I got an email today asking about the meaning of a single-cask.

Basically it breaks downs like this:

• Blended Whisky (Bells, Famous Grouse, Johnny Walker Black label etc) is a whisky made from a variety of spirits, not all of which are from distilled malted barley. So there will be a mix of “malt whisky” and “grain whisky”. The whiskies can be from several distilleries.
• Aged Blended Whisky (for example Dewars 12yo or Whyte & Mackay 30yo) is like a normal blended whisky but with a guarantee that all the whisky (both malt and grain) that goes into the blend is at least that age.
• Grain Whisky or more usually Single Grain Whisky is whisky made only from grain such as wheat or corn and does not contain any malt whisky.  
• Single Malt Whisky (Highland Park 12yo, Ardbeg 10yo) is whisky that is only made from malted barley from one distillery. If there is an age statement it means that each whisky that goes into the bottle is at at least that age.
• Single Cask Whisky (like yesterdays Glendronach) is whisky from one cask (and obviously, only from one distillery). No water is added, they are not usually filtered (except for particles). The bottle will usually state the cask number and the bottle number.
• Pure Malt Whisky or Blended Malt Whisky (such as Monkey Shoulder) is a dram made from several single malts from different distilleries.

Easy peasy

There’s a common belief that blended whiskies are naturally inferior to single malts. I don’t agree with this at all, there are some very reasonably priced blends that are far superior in terms of character and complexity to similarly priced single-malts. Witness Johnny Walker Black Label, Black Bottle or Teachers Highland Cream. All stunning drams and <£20 per bottle.

Good Health!