Grain distillation and blending

Question 1

What is grain distillation?

Answer 1

It is a continuous process and can utilise cereals other than malted barley for mashing, such as wheat or maize.

Unlike malt distillation, which is a batch process made entirely from barley.

Question 2

How much barley is required in the mashing process for grain distillation?

Answer 2

10-15% of malted barley; to provide the enzymes required to break down the starch from the wheat or maize.

Question 3

How is the fermentation process in grain distillation different from malt distilling?

Answer 3

The two processes are similar, however, in grain distilling, the mash is not filtered prior to entering the washback - it’s ‘all grains in’.

This does not alter the wash at all. it just means that there are solids in the fermenters.

As the mashing process in grain distillation is a continuous process, it is easier to remove the wash with grains in, rather than filtering as is done in malt distilling.

Question 4

What is the traditional design of the still used in grain distillation?

Answer 4

Coffey (Patent) Still

Question 5

What is the name of the end product in grain distillation?

Answer 5

Grain neutral spirit (GNS) or sometimes grain new make spirit.

As with the malt distilling process, this spirit cannot be called Scotch whisky until it has matured for at least 3 years as per the Scotch Whisky Regulations.

Question 6

Where does grain whisky get its flavour from?

Answer 6

Although the bulk of flavour tends to come from the blending, the casks used for maturing grain new make spirit still plays a vital role in imparting colour, flavour and aroma.

Question 7

To what extent does the scale of production between grain distilling and malt distilling differ?

Answer 7

Grain distilling produces much greater volume of whisky compared to malt distilling.

In 2014, Diageo operated 28 malt distilleries and one grain distillery. The one grain distiller produced more spirit that year than the 28 malt distilleries combined.

Question 8

Diagram the process of grain distillation.

Answer 8

Question 9

Name the 7 current grain distilleries operating in Scotland.

Answer 9

1. Cameronbridge: The largest grain distillery in Europe is located in the Lowlands. Founded in 1826. Owned by Diageo. Capacity is 110,000,000 LPA.
2. Girvan: Built in 1963, under the direction of Charles Gordon, the great-grandson of William Grant. It was the most advanced distillery in the world at the time. Located in the Lowlands. Owned by William Grand & Sons. Capacity is 110,000,000 LPA.
3. North British: One of Scotland’s oldest and largest Scotch grain whisky producers. Significant quantities of this whisky are included in many well-known blended brands. Located in Lowlands. Founded in 1885. Owned by Lothian Distillers. Capacity is 72,000,000 LPA.
4. Invergordon: Located near to The Dalmore Distillery, beside the Comarty Firth in the Highlands. Founded in 1961. Owned by Whyte & MacKay. Capacity is 36,000,000 LPA.
5. Strathclyde: Glasgow’s only grain distiller, initially built to create neutral grain spirit for gin. Located in Lowlands. Founded in 1927. Owned by Chivas Brothers. Capacity is 39,000,000 LPA.
6. Starlaw: Scotland’s most modern and environmentally considerat grain distillery. Located in Lowlands. Founded in 2010. Owned by La Mariniquaise. Capacity is 25,000,000 LPA.
7. Loch Lomond: At the time of opening, was the only distillery in Scotland producing both grain and malt whisky. It operates a unique set-up of 3 sets of stills. Located in Highlands. Founded in 1993. Owned by Loch Lomond Group. Capacity is 18,000,000 LPA.

Question 10

What is blending?

Answer 10

The process of taking various Scotch whiskies, both malt and grain, and combining them to produce a consistent expression with a desired flavour profile.

Question 11

What is the definition of a blended Scotch whisky?

Answer 11

A blend of one or more malt whiskies with one or more grain whiskies.

Question 12

What are the 3 categories of whisky that are specific to blends?

Answer 12

• Blended Malt Scotch Whisky: product of more than one malt distillery, a blend of more than one single malt whisky.
• Blended Grain Scotch Whisky: product of more than one grain distillery, a blend of more than one single grain whisky.
• Blended Scotch Whisky: product of numberous distilleries, a blend of one or more malt whiskies and one or more grain whiskies.

Question 13

When did blending grow in popularity?

Answer 13

During the mid to late 19th century, when some of the brands that we are familiar with today were born.

Question 14

Traditionally, what was the purpose of the Master Blender?

Answer 14

Their aim was simply to produce a blend that was consistent in colour, flavour and aroma each time the whisky was produced. They would rely entirely on their nose and palate to achieve a desired character and flavour.

Question 15

What is consistency extremely important?

Answer 15

Customers purchase a blended whisky from a trusted name that could be relied upon to deliver a consistent, quality blend with a distinctive, recognisable character. The blending companies tended to put their name to their blends: Grant’s, Dewar’s, Walker’s, Haig, Bell’s, Mackinlay’s and so on.

Question 16

What are ‘signature malts’?

Answer 16

Through nosing and tasting, the Master Blender would identify the key malts - around 6 - which determined the style or charactre of their blend. This signature selection often reflected the malt distilleries owned by the blender.

Certain blenders, however, would have long-term contracts to purchase other particularly desirable malts, often in exchange for similar supplies of their own quality malts.

Question 17

How would Master Blenders prepare for unfortunate circumstances in regards to Malts?

Answer 17

The blender would almost certainly have substitute signature malts available, in case of a crisis in supply, commercial interruption of availability, or a quality problem with a particular malt.

Question 18

What are ‘packing malts’?

Answer 18

These are of importance equal to signature malts. While these packing malts were themselves excellent products, they would neither dominate nor mask the signature character of the blend.
Heartland Speyside/Highland malts were often sought after for this purpose, as were some Lowland malts. Islay malts, however, were more likely to be treated with care due to their strength of character and style which could easily overpower.

Question 19

How many different malts may be found in a quality blend?

Answer 19

Up to 30.

Question 20

What does the blender have to take into account when selecting each individual malt?

Answer 20

• Age variant
• Cask character
• Malt character

Question 21

What goes into the final blended whisky?

Answer 21

The chosen ‘signature’ and ‘packing malts’ are blended with grain whiskies.

Question 22

How blended Scotch influence age?

Answer 22

As grain whisky does not improve markedly in wood beyond a certain number of years, in a 12-year-old blend, the malt component tends to be increased somewhat.

Age statement can cary widely, but a quality blend would tend to reflect malts of between 5-9 years, with the grains used being invariably younger at 4-5 years, unless an age statement demanded a higher minimum age.

Question 23

How many different malt and grain whiskies does J & B boast goes into their blended whisky?

Answer 23

42

Note: There was always great interest in the malt-to-grain ratio, which blenders were traditionally reluctant to divulge.

Question 24

How does a quality blend compare to a lower quality blend in regards to malt content?

Answer 24

A quality blend might reflect a 40-50% malt content.
A lower quality blend could be as little as 15-20% malt.

Question 25

How much of all Scotch whisky sold is blended?

Answer 25

Approx. 9 in every 10.

Question 26

How is blending different in modern times compared to past tradition?

Answer 26

While blending has always been an art, today there is a considerable amount of science involved too.
Historically, the Master Blender would have relied on an extremely well-practiced nose and palate to be able to create a successful blended whisky. Blending families would identify at an early age which member of the next generation had inherited ‘the nose’. Training was gained by experience and from a deep knowledge passed on over time of a wide range of malt and grain whiskies.