In the world of whiskey, “Blended” means that the whiskey is a blend of different whiskeys. That is, it does not come from a single distillery or a single type of whiskey, but rather several are combined to achieve a specific and consistent flavor.
A blended whiskey typically blends:
- Malt whiskey (Malt whiskey) → made with malted barley in traditional stills.
- Grain whiskey (Grain whiskey) → made with other cereals (corn, wheat, etc.) and distilled in columns.
The master blenders (Master Blended) combine several of these whiskeys to balance flavors, maintain the same profile each year or soften the whiskey.
Within blended whiskeys (Blended) there are several categories:
- Blended Scotch Whiskey: Mixture of one or more malt whiskey + one or more grain whiskey.
- Blended Malt Whiskey: Blend of single malt whiskeys from different distilleries.
- Blended Grain Whisky: Mixture of several grain whiskeys from different distilleries. It is the least common.
The Blended tend to be softer and balanced, while the single malt tend to have more intense or particular flavors.
More than 80-90% of theScotch whiskey sold in the world is blended, because it is easier for most people to drink.
