Single malt vs. blended. Islay vs. Speyside. We strip away the marketing fluff and explain exactly what's in your glass.
Dramfly
2 mins read
Walk into a Scottish bar and the whisky menu looks like a chemistry exam.
Single malt. Single grain. Blended malt. Cask strength. Non-chill filtered. First fill Sherry cask.
It's enough to make you panic-order a beer.
But here's the truth: Scotch isn't that complicated. It's just wrapped in layers of marketing jargon designed to make you feel like you need a doctorate to understand it.
The big five: what's actually in the bottle?
1. Single malt (the rockstar)
What it is:
Whisky made from 100% malted barley at one single distillery. That's it. No other grains. No other locations.
What it tastes like:
It has personality. It reflects the distillery's style and location, whether that's Laphroaig's medicinal peat or Macallan's sherried richness.
The fine print:
Even though it's from one distillery, it's usually a mix of hundreds of barrels from that distillery, blended together for consistency. (The exception: "Single cask" whisky, which comes from one barrel.)
Examples:
Ardbeg 10, Glenfiddich 12, Highland Park 12.
2. Single grain (the underdog)
What it is:
Made at one distillery, but using other grains in addition to (or instead of) barley, usually wheat or corn.
What it tastes like:
Lighter, sweeter, creamier. Think Bourbon's Scottish cousin. Less aggressive, more approachable.
Why it exists:
Single grain is the backbone of blended Scotch. It's rarely bottled on its own, but when it is, it's often overlooked. Which is a shame. It can be delicious.
Examples:
Haig Club, Girvan Patent Still.
3. Blended Scotch (the best seller)
What it is:
A mix of single malt and single grain whiskies from multiple distilleries. This is where master blenders flex their skills, mixing 30 to 50 different whiskies to create a consistent product.
What it tastes like:
Smooth, balanced, consistent. The goal isn't "character." It's reliability. You want Johnnie Walker Black to taste the same whether you buy it in Edinburgh or Singapore.
Why it dominates:
Blended Scotch is 90% of the global whisky market. It's affordable, approachable, and designed for mixing (though many are excellent neat).
Examples:
Johnnie Walker, Dewar's, Chivas Regal, Famous Grouse.
4. Blended malt (the team player)
What it is:
A mix of single malts from different distilleries. No grain whisky involved.
What it tastes like:
You get the richness and character of single malts, but with the complexity and balance of a blend. Best of both worlds.
Why it's cool:
Blenders can mix complementary whiskies (peaty Islay with sweet Speyside, for example) to create something neither distillery could achieve alone.
Examples:
Monkey Shoulder, Compass Box, Johnnie Walker Green Label.
5. Single cask (the unicorn)
What it is:
Whisky from one single barrel. No blending. No mixing. What you're drinking is exactly what came out of that one cask.
What it tastes like:
Unique. Every cask is different, even from the same distillery. One might be fruity and light; the next might be rich and sherried. It's a gamble, and that's the appeal.
Why it's rare:
Only a few hundred bottles per cask. Once it's gone, it's gone forever.
Examples:
Signatory Vintage, Gordon & MacPhail, independent bottlers.
Whisky vs. whiskey: the "e" debate
This is the easiest way to annoy a bartender (or a pedantic whisky nerd).
Whisky (no "e"):
Scotland, Canada, Japan
Whiskey (with an "e"):
Ireland, USA
Why? Historical spelling differences. That's it. There's no deeper meaning. Don't overthink it.
Regions matter (but not as much as people think)
Scotland has five main whisky regions:
Islay: Peaty, smoky, medicinal (Laphroaig, Ardbeg)
Speyside: Fruity, sweet, elegant (Glenfiddich, Macallan)
Highland: Diverse. Can be light or rich (Glenmorangie, Dalmore)
Lowland: Light, grassy, floral (Auchentoshan, Glenkinchie)
Campbeltown: Maritime, complex (Springbank, Glen Scotia)
But here's the catch: These are generalisations. Not every Islay is smoky. Not every Speyside is sweet. The region tells you something, but it's not the whole story.
Better question: "What casks did they use?" (See our Wood science article for why this matters more.)
The takeaway
You don't need a degree in Scotch to enjoy it. You just need to understand the basics:
Single malt = One distillery, 100% barley
Blended Scotch = Multiple distilleries, mix of malt and grain
Single cask = One barrel, unique, rare
Regions = Helpful, but not gospel
Next time you're at a bar and see "Single malt, Islay, first fill Sherry," you'll know exactly what you're getting: smoky character from Islay, rich fruitiness from sherry casks, bold flavour from first fill. You're not guessing anymore. You're decoding.
And when you log it in Dramfly? Add those details. Future you will thank you.
