Uploaded April 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
I'm talking about malt whisky, yes, but more specifically blended malt whisky. I managed to contrive a title without the 'B-word' but we won't get through a session without using it and nor should we try.
The categorisation of scotch whisky, as it has been for nigh on fifteen years, is that if you mix together two or more single malts, it is a "Blended Malt". Fine. All clear.
Except, 15 years ago blended malts were a rare sight indeed. There was JW Green of course, and some Compass Box releases and a few others here and there, so it didn't really matter if it was confused with "Blended Scotch". But today things are different. It's a category that's booming with more entries into the fray than ever before.
It makes sense. In the hands of a good blender the sheer variety of flavour 'ingredients' within the scotch category could, in theory at least, give you virtually any kind of whisky profile you could dream up.
But how can that be?
Surely, if the single malts which make up these marriages/vattings/blends are also in greater demand than ever before, how can there be the stock to offer up all of these blended releases? Why would you mix something into a product that you're trying to sell into a market fixated with the single malt story?
It's interesting. I also think there's interest in the category from a price perspective (again - how?) and also from an enjoyment perspective, especially if we can overcome the stigma that may or may not exist with the terminology.
I'll bring a few staple favourites along, maybe uncork a couple I've had my eye on for a while and ask the real elephant-in-the-room question; Is there enough there to take some of our interest away from single malts?
Even if you know the answer, I still think it's worth the verification. I hope you'll join me and if you feel like it, come along prepped with a glass of something that has the dreaded b-word ahead of malt. I'd love to welcome you there.
I'm talking about malt whisky, yes, but more specifically blended malt whisky. I managed to contrive a title without the 'B-word' but we won't get through a session without using it and nor should we try.
The categorisation of scotch whisky, as it has been for nigh on fifteen years, is that if you mix together two or more single malts, it is a "Blended Malt". Fine. All clear.
Except, 15 years ago blended malts were a rare sight indeed. There was JW Green of course, and some Compass Box releases and a few others here and there, so it didn't really matter if it was confused with "Blended Scotch". But today things are different. It's a category that's booming with more entries into the fray than ever before.
It makes sense. In the hands of a good blender the sheer variety of flavour 'ingredients' within the scotch category could, in theory at least, give you virtually any kind of whisky profile you could dream up.
But how can that be?
Surely, if the single malts which make up these marriages/vattings/blends are also in greater demand than ever before, how can there be the stock to offer up all of these blended releases? Why would you mix something into a product that you're trying to sell into a market fixated with the single malt story?
It's interesting. I also think there's interest in the category from a price perspective (again - how?) and also from an enjoyment perspective, especially if we can overcome the stigma that may or may not exist with the terminology.
I'll bring a few staple favourites along, maybe uncork a couple I've had my eye on for a while and ask the real elephant-in-the-room question; Is there enough there to take some of our interest away from single malts?
Even if you know the answer, I still think it's worth the verification. I hope you'll join me and if you feel like it, come along prepped with a glass of something that has the dreaded b-word ahead of malt. I'd love to welcome you there.
