How Malt Whisky Is Made

By Author: Bonny Kominek
Total Articles: 21
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The dried malt is then ground up into grist, and this powdery substance is mixed with water to produce a sugary liquid known as wort. The liquid is then poured off, and the remaining solids are used to produce a highly nutritious cattle feed. Yeast is then added to the liquid, and it is left to ferment for two days to produce a weak ale known as wash.

The majority of pot-stilled whiskies are distilled twice, and the stills tend to be grouped together in pairs, comprising a spirit still and a wash still. With a double distillation set up such as this, the wash is poured into the wash still, where it is heated to a slow boil. The alcohol vapours boil off, and condense in the neck of the still into a liquid, which is called low wines. These low wines are then poured into the spirit still, where they go through a similar process.

The first vapours from the spirit still are not suitable for consumption, and are diverted off into a separate container. Also, the alcohol concentration of the vapour tends to drop the longer the distillation process continues, so once the concentration drops below a certain level, the remaining ...
... vapours are added to the next batch of low wines to be distilled again. Some distilleries will use a third still to enable them to use more complex production methods, or to produce triple distilled whisky.

The whisky that comes straight out of the still is very harsh tasting, and has to be aged in oak casks for a minimum of three years to allow the flavour to mellow and take on some of the flavour of the cask. Many more expensive whiskies are aged for longer periods of between eight and sixteen years. Bonny Kominek is an acclaimed ingredients expert and whisky connoisseur. He recommends Master of Malt's 30 year old whisky for a characterful, mature expression.