SINGLE MALT WHISKY
UISGE BEATHA—THE WATER OF LIFE
Scholars believe that distilled spirits originated in the Middle East and migrated to Europe. At first, spirits were used solely for science and medicine, and the early forms would have been harsh, and almost undrinkable. As people in Scotland and Ireland learned to enjoy these spirits, they called them Uisge Beatha (OO-shkee bee-YAH-hah) or “water of life”. Over time this Gaelic term was shortened, and “oo-shkee” eventually morphed into “whisky”.
WHAT IS SINGLE MALT WHISKY?
As distilling was perfected over the centuries, whisky evolved into many different forms using various grains and methods. The definition of whisky, as defined by U.K. law, was the subject of contentious debate for over a hundred years. In 1990, the government defined single malt whisky as spirit distilled at one distillery using one batch of malted barley fermented only with yeast and aged for a minimum of three years and a day in an oak cask. That remains the standard.
Blended Scotch by comparison is comprised of grain alcohol with malt whiskies and caramel added to achieve each brand’s standard flavor profile and color. By comparison, single malts are more like fine wines with a taste for which each distillery is known, but with distinct characteristics in each vintage.
Our Eades Double Malt Whisky falls into a third category called Vatted Malt, defined as containing more than one single malt whisky, but no added grain spirit or other ingredients.
Learn more:
The Single Malt Recipe
Aged in Oak Casks
Finished in Wine Casks
THE SINGLE MALT RECIPE
Wherever the single malt is distilled, the recipe contains the same three key ingredients – malted barley, water and yeast. The barley is first steeped in hot water to extract its natural sugars. Yeast is added to the resulting liquid to begin fermentation, converting the sugars into alcohol, and the liquid into a beer called a wash. The wash is then distilled twice. The first distillation creates what is called low wine with an alcohol content of 20 to 40 percent. This low wine is then pumped into a second still known as the spirits still and distilled again. This second distillation removes impurities and increases the alcohol content to 60 to 70 percent.
AGED IN OAK CASES
New make spirit is clear, pure alcohol. Maturation in oak casks not only alters the flavor of the spirit, it also imparts the rich amber color. As the spirit ages, fluctuations in temperature and humidity cause the cask to expand and contract, drawing the spirit further into the wood itself. The alcohol of the spirit dissolves compounds found within the wood, such as vanillin, which imparts a sweet, vanilla flavor and caramel hue to the whisky. Trace elements of the bourbon also dissolved into the spirit and can add honey, toffee and light fruit notes to the mature whisky.
The most commonly used casks – because they are the most readily available – are charred, American oak casks previously used to age bourbon. Most Scottish distilleries import casks from America that are dismantled here, then reassembled by Scottish coopers to save money on shipping. At least one distillery ships barrels intact because they believe it improves the taste of its whisky. We will be able to ship ours intact easily from neighboring Kentucky – after all, Kentucky was once part of Virginia.
FINISHED IN WINE CASKS
Another step in maturation, used by some distillers, is aging the whisky a second time in wine casks. Only a few months in a carefully chosen wine cask can add complexity and nuance to an already interesting whisky. These wine finishes are what make our Eades Double Malt exceptional. We are also excited to collaborate with Virginia wineries to refine our whisky with their casks and further add the terroir of Virginia to our whisky.