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SCOTISH WHISKY
As Scotland 's chief export, whisky is inextricably bound to the fabric of the nation's culture and economy. SINGLE MALTSMaking malt whisky is an expensive, labor-intensive process that involves several general steps. The grain used in the mash for making single malt whisky is specially selected barley, which has been soaked in water for sprouting. The sprouted barley is then dried in kilns fired by peat and coal. This kilning process imparts a distinctive smoky character to the spirit. As is the case with other whiskies, the malted barley is then mixed with warm water to produce a mash which is then fermented with the addition of yeast and distilled. The newly distilled spirit (about 70% alcohol) is then pumped into casks. At this point it is designated as "plain British spirits," but after three years in the barrel, it can be called whisky. Produced by more than 100 Scotch distilleries, each single malt has a style and flavor all its own. It is also important to note that each single malt is the product of a single distillery and comes from a single batch of whisky. SCOTCH BLENDED WHISKY
More than 90% of the Scotch consumption in this country can be attributed to brands of blended whisky. The object of blending has always been to "soften," in a sense, the harsher characteristics of the individual malt whiskies with the intention of producing a whisky with widespread appeal. 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 in fact whiskies, not, as is sometimes misinterpreted, neutral grain spirits), made primarily from corn (maize). They are distilled in tall, column stills, a method that is faster and less expensive than the pot still. Numerous variables determine the ultimate character of a blended Scotch, such as the quality of the barley, the amount of peat used, the length of the second distillation and decisions about when each particular cask is ready to be added to the blend. This last step is an art as well as a science. Each Scotch house has its own closely guarded blend. 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 grain whisky.
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Scotland is undoubtedly one of the
world's classic whisky-producing regions. It is blessed with
a combination of natural resources and climate that has proven
ideal for making whisky. 
