Single malt and double malt are terms used to describe types of whiskey. Here are the main differences between single malt and double malt whiskey:
Single Malt:
- Made in a single distillery using only barley and water.
- Must be aged for a minimum of 3 years in an oak barrel.
- Often made from blending different whiskeys together, but all originating from the same distillery as well as being blended at the actual distillery location.
- Single malt Scotch whisky is produced from malted barley in pot stills at a single distillery.
Double Malt:
- Legally speaking, there is no such thing as double malt as it pertains to the traditional terminology in whiskey and scotch making.
- A "double malt" whiskey is a blend of two specific single malt whiskeys to get a specific taste. Usually, the two specific distilleries will be named on the bottle. The term “Double Malt” is actually a misnomer – the correct term for this is in fact, “Blended” .
- In some cases, "double malt" might refer to the number of different grains used in the mash bill, or the number of sourced whiskeys or scotch used in a “blend” .
In summary, single malt whiskey is made in a single distillery using only barley and water, while double malt whiskey is a blend of two specific single malt whiskeys to get a specific taste. However, legally speaking, there is no such thing as double malt as it pertains to the traditional terminology in whiskey and scotch making.
