Page 38 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Scotland

36  INTRODUCING SC O TLAND A POR TR AIT OF SC O TLAND  37

Scotch Whisky How Whisky is Made 1stage. Barley grain is
Malting is the first
Traditionally made from just soaked in water and
Whisky is to the Scots what champagne is to the French, barley, yeast and stream spread on the malting
floor. With regular
and a visit to Scotland would not be complete without water, Scottish whisky (from turning the grain
sampling this fiery, heart-warming spirit. All malt whiskies the Gaelic usquebaugh, or germinates, producing
a “green malt”.
the “water of life”) takes a
are produced using much the same process, but the little over three weeks to Germination
environment, maturity and storage of the whisky have produce, though it must be stimulates the
production of
such a strong bearing on its character that every one is a given at least three years to mature. enzymes which turn
different experience. There is no “best” malt whisky – some Maturation usually takes place in oak the starches into
fermentable sugars.
are suited to drinking at bedtime, others as an aperitif. All A 1920s steam wagon transporting casks, often in barrels previously used
for sherry. The art of blending was
the distilleries named below produce highly rated single The Glenlivet to the nearby railways pioneered in Edinburgh in the 1860s.
Drying of the barley halts
malt Scotch whiskies, a title that is revered by true 2germination after 12 days of
whisky connoisseurs. Glenmorangie is the Barley grass malting. This is done over a peat
biggest-selling single fire in a pagoda-shaped malt-kiln.
The peat-smoke gives flavour to
Talisker is a highly malt in Scotland, with a the malt and even tually to the
distinctive malt light, flowery taste and mature whisky. The malt is
with an extremely strong perfume. Mashing of the ground malt, or gleaned of germi nated roots
hot, peppery, 3“grist”, occurs in a large vat or and then milled.
powerful flavour HighlandHighland “mash tun”, which holds a vast
that is guaranteed ParkPark quantity of hot water. The malt is
soaked and begins to dissolve,
to warm the toes. Lochnagar is reputed to producing a sugary solution
have been a favourite called “wort”, which is then
Fermentation occurs when yeast
with Queen Victoria,
PulteneyPulteney who visited this distillery extracted for fermentation. 4is added to the cooled wort in
NORTHER N H IGHL ANDS
NORTHER N H IGHL ANDS GlenmorangieGlenmorangie with overtones of sherry. 5wash twice so that the alcohol alcohol, producing a clear liquid
wooden vats, or “wash backs”.
located near Balmoral.
The mixture is stirred for hours
This is a sweet whisky
as the yeast turns the sugar into
Distillation involves boiling the
called “wash”.
SeeSee
vaporizes and con denses. In
insetinset
copper “pot stills”, the wash is
Glen Ord Glen Ord
distilled – first in the “wash still”,
S P E Y S I D
HIGHLANDS
EASTERN
Lagavulin is a classic TaliskerTalisker S P E Y S I D E E EASTERN then in the “spirit still”. Now
purified, with an alcohol
Islay whisky with a dry, HIGHLANDS content of 57 per cent, the
smoky palate. Islay is I I DalwhinnieDalwhinnie LochnagarLochnagar result is young whisky.
thought to be the S FettercairnFettercairn
S
best of the whisky- L TobermoryTobermory Blair AtholBlair Athol EdradourEdradour
L
producing islands. A AberfeldyAberfeldy GlencadamGlencadam
HIGHLANDS
WESTERN
A
CENTRALCENTRAL
N
N
ObanOban WESTERN HIGHLANDSHIGHLANDS Maturation is the final pro cess.
D
D
Edradour is the
S
casks for a legal minimum of
Speyside Whiskies S HIGHLANDS TullibardineTullibardine smallest distillery in 6The whisky mellows in oak
three years. Premium brands
The region of Speyside AuchentoshanAuchentoshan EdinburghEdinburgh Scotland but it suc- give the whisky a 10- to 15-year Traditional drinking vessels, or
(see p148), where barley is ISLAYISLAY LagavulinLagavulin GlasgowGlasgow GlenkinchieGlenkinchie ceeds in producing maturation, though some are quaichs, made of silver
given up to 50 years.
widely grown, is the setting for CAMPBEL-CAMPBEL- a deliciously minty,
over half of Scotland’s malt TOWNTOWN creamy whisky.
whisky distilleries. GlenGlen SpringbankSpringbank LOWLANDSLOWLANDS
Scotia Scotia Malt Regions
Single malts vary
according to regional
BladnochBladnoch
Glen Moray differences in the peat
Linkwood
Glenlossie Glen Elgin The Macallan is and stream water used.
This map illustrates the
Speyburn widely acknowledged
divisions of the tradi -
Glen Rothes as being the “Rolls tional whisky-distilling
Macallan Royce of single malts”. regions in Scotland. Each
Glendfiddich Aged in sherry casks,
Glenfarclas it has a full flavour. whisky has subtle but
Mortlach recognizable regional
Cragganmore
flavour characteristics.
The Glenlivet Blended whiskies are Single malts are made
The Glenlivet is the most made from a mixture in one distillery, from
Balmenach Key
Tamnavulin famous of the Speyside of up to 50 different pure barley malt that is
malts, distilled since 1880. Single malt distilleries single malts. never blended.
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