Barley is the World's Oldest Cultivated Grain!


Whisky made with malted barley is often dried with peat, which adds a smoky earthiness to its character. Malted barley produces a smoky, toasted, or nutty flavor. Most of the whiskeys produced around the world include some malted barley.
Barley tastes better than wheat, and why it’s the preferred ingredient for malting. Cooking barley is similar to cooking rice.
Scotch malt whisky, or Scotch, is made from malted barley and can only be produced in Scotland. There are three main types Scotch whisky — single malt, single grain and blended.
Single malt Scotch whisky is made from only water and malted barley at a single distillery. Meanwhile, single grain Scotch whisky is also produced at a single distillery but may contain other whole grains from malted or unmalted cereals. A blended scotch is a mix of both malt and grain whiskies, sourced from multiple different distilleries.
While single malts generate the much of the exclusivity and praise, blended scotches make up 90% of Scotch whisky consumption and popular brands including Chivas Regal, Johnnie Walker, Dewar’s, Cutty Sark and J & B continue to be a great first choice.
In the United States, many malt whiskeys – especially those labeled “single malt” – are made with 100% malted barley, however 100% is not required. U.S. regulations only require a minimum of 51% malted barley in the mash bill to be called single malt. Confusing to say the least.