Single MaltStyle

Single malt is made from 100% malted barley at one distillery. It is the signature style of Scotch, and is also made in Ireland, Japan, Taiwan, India and the United States, where American Single Malt became an official category in January 2025.

The Rules

• 100% malted barley
• Distilled at one distillery
• Scotch: distilled in pot stills and aged at least three years in oak in Scotland
• American Single Malt: one US distillery, aged in oak casks of 700 litres or less, distilled to no more than 160 proof

On The Label

• "Single" means one distillery, not one cask
• Single Cask and Cask Strength are Traits
• An age statement is the youngest whisky in the bottle

What To Expect

Varies widely: honey, orchard fruit and malt from ex-bourbon casks; dried fruit and spice from sherry casks; smoke from peated malt.

Why It Matters

Single malt is usually blended from many casks of one distillery, so it shows that distillery's character rather than one barrel's.