scotch-whisky follow malt whiskey trail

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A tour of a scotch whisky distillery- or how to make whisky if you have a hundred years of experience

The stages in the malting process. Firstly finest scottish malted barley, is bought in from commercial maltsters. Much of the starch has already converted to sugar. This is then ground to a coarse flour grist to which is then added finest spring water, the whole initially heated to 68 degree C in a process known as mashing. Yeast is then added to make a making sweet liquid known as wort. This liquid is then allowed to ferment for 72 hours at 33 degrees C in vessels known as washbacks.

Following fermentation the liquid is passed into copper stills, heated by coal, to undergo two distillations, with the alcohol rising and passing through the neck of the still. The first for 5 hours, producing what is known as “low wines", the second for 9 hours, with the "low wines" passing through onto smaller spirit stills.

Only the heart of the distillation passes onto maturation, the head and tail pass back into the still. Maturation takes place for a minimum of twelve years in second hand oak casks previously containing either sherry or bourbon.

Following maturation the whiskey is cut back before bottling. Bottling takes place at 12, 18,30 40, 50 and 60 years.

Visit Eradour Distillery the smallest distillery in Scotland, few miles from Pitlochry. Founded in 1825 and hardly changed since that time. Using traditional copper pot still holding only 800 gallons. Only 15 casks a week. Did you know that over 10 years as the whisky matures in oak or sherry casks, over 25% will be lost through evaporation- the "angels share". Eradour has a creamy smooth character with a sweet smooth taste. The "last handmade malt in Scotland".

What is a single malt scotch whisky?

Made using malted barley.
Product of only one distillery.
Spirit must be made and matured in Scotland.