Scotch Whisky takes its name from "Uisge Beatha" in Gaelic, meaning water of life. The earliest references to distilling in Scotland can be traced back to 1414. Much of this distilling was illegal and it was not until 1823 when legislation was brought in limiting the minimum size of a still to a capacity of 40 gallons (150 litres), that legal distilleries started to appear, and illicit distilling gradually faded out.

Today there are currently 108 operating distilleries in Scotland.

Single Malt Scotch Whisky is distilled in a single distillery from malted barley and water, and distilled in pot stills with a double or occasionally triple distillation.

All Scotch Whisky must be aged in oak casks for a minimum of three years, although typically single malt whisky is kept stored away in traditional warehouses for many more years than this, waiting until it achieves perfection.

The key regions for single Malt Whisky are the Highlands, Speyside, Lowland, Islay and Campeltown. Each region has its own distinctive characteristics in terms of taste.

Blended Scotch Whisky is produced from skilfully assembling up to 50 different malt and grain Scotch Whiskies to achieve the desired taste profile. Whereas Malt Whisky is distilled from malted barley in pot stills, grain whisky is distilled from other cereals in a continuous process in a "Coffey Still", named after its founder.

Different percentages of malt and grain whiskies, and indeed whiskies from different areas of Scotland will be used in the assembly of these blends, with recipes being carefully protected by the master blenders in their pursuit of perfection.

       Barley is steeped in water and then spread on concrete floors to germinate, which will allow the starch to become soluble to enable us to convert this into sugar.

At the right moment this germination is stopped by drying the barley over peat fires in the mash kiln.

The barley is then ground in the mill and the “grist” as it is known is then mixed with hot water in what is known as the “mash tuns”, to convert the soluble starch into a sugary water known as “wort”. 

       Yeast is then added to this “wort” for the fermentation process to produce what is the equivalent of a strong beer.

This process happens in what we call “washbacks”.  This “wash” is then distilled in copper pot stills.

There is a double distillation, firstly in a wash still and then in a spirit still.  The neutral spirit is then filled into oak casks and stored in warehouses to mature.

       The neutral spirit is colourless, the whisky taking most of its final colour and some of its flavour from the wood itself.

The quality of the wood is extremely important and enormous attention is paid to the selection of the barrels used in the Scotch Whisky Industry.

       The taste of the whisky will also be affected by the conditions in which it is stored to mature.

       Typically the whisky will be stored in traditional warehouses with earth floors. Other elements such as whether the warehouses are close to the sea can also change the characteristics of the whisky.

Traditionally Single Malt Scotch Whisky is drunk on its own, or together with a splash of water, which you will be told will help to release the flavours of the whisky. Some consumers prefer to add a little ice.

Blended Scotch Whisky is typically drunk over ice, or sometimes with a mixer.

We prefer to say that the best way to drink Scotch Whisky is the way you prefer to drink it!