Blended Whisky

What is blended whisky? The term blended whisky or blended whiskey refers to a blend of different types of whisky. The English word blend means "mixture". In German, one would say "Verschnitt". Which somehow sounds like something has gone wrong. However, this is by no means the case. Blending individual whiskies to create a harmonious whole is a high art. Especially when you realise that such a blend can easily contain up to 50 different whiskies. These are married together in a specific ratio, the "recipe" for which is the closely guarded secret of each company. A blended whisky is usually a blend of the heavy, aromatic malt whisky (see single malt whisky) and the light, sweet grain whisky. The blending requires a lot of experience and a fine nose. The master blenders are responsible for this. They skilfully combine different whiskies to create new flavours. Blends generally have a light and mild flavour and impress with aromas such as vanilla, caramel and light spice. Depending on the single malts used, a blended whisky can also be smoky. Among the blended Scotch whiskies, for example, you will find slightly smoky whiskies at Johnnie Walker. For fruity, sweet flavours, you can visit Chivas Regal in Scotland and Jameson Irish Whiskey in Ireland. Have fun discovering!

It is important to know that a blend consists not only of distillates from different distilleries, but also of two fundamentally different types of whisky: malt and grain whisky. The complex, more intense malt (produced from barley malt in a centuries-old, elaborate distilling process) provides the depth of flavour. The lighter grain, which is cheaper to produce, acts as a kind of "filler" for the flavour and quantity.

In contrast to malt, grain whisky is produced in a continuous still, which was first invented by Robert Stein in 1826 and then further developed by Aeneas Coffey. This then new technique of continuous distillation in the large column-shaped Coffey stills (also known as column or continuous stills) enables significantly faster, more efficient distillation than in the conventional onion-shaped pot stills. The very high-proof distillate obtained in this way is particularly mild and pure - but less flavourful than traditional malt whisky.

The more a blended whisky is made, the higher its malt content will be.

How the blend saved Scotch whisky

The history of blended whisky began in Edinburgh in the mid-19th century. It was there that Andrew Usher first combined grain and malt whisky to create his own "house whisky", laying the foundations for the worldwide triumph of blended Scotch whisky. The blending of malt and grain whisky made it possible to offer whisky of consistent quality in larger quantities and at a price suitable for the masses. Blended whisky was thus the solution to satisfy the growing demand for Scotch whisky, especially overseas.

After Usher's example, many other branded whiskies with names such as Johnnie Walker, Chivas Regal, Dewar's, Dimple and Ballantine's quickly emerged.

The globally successful blended Scotch became the epitome of whisky and continues to characterise the image of whisky enjoyment to this day. The heavy tumbler glass, the ice cubes, the whisky as a component of long drinks and cocktails: all of this has its origins in blended whisky, not in traditional malt, which is less suitable for all of this.

But ultimately, malt as we know and love it today owes a lot to the blend. If so much blended whisky wasn't drunk, most malt distilleries would have long since ceased to exist. This is because the majority of what is produced there was and is produced for blends. Only the smallest proportion of all malt whiskies remain unblended and actually end up in the glass as single malt...

What a blend can do...

A blend has many advantages. By blending different whiskies, the desired flavour can be "adjusted" very precisely. You can offer a product that remains consistent over many years and whose characteristics the buyer can rely on. This product generally has no extreme rough edges and is therefore also suitable for use in long drinks or cocktails. And last but not least, a blended whisky can be offered at a relatively low price thanks to its proportion of cheaply produced grain whisky.

... and what not

With all the practical advantages that a blended whisky undoubtedly has, it will generally not be able to offer the depth and complexity of a malt whisky. It also lacks what is called "terroir" in wine: the typical character of its place of origin. This is because a blend does not have a single, clearly definable home. It is a blend. And for many purists, a blend is always a compromise. Furthermore, a blend is not produced using the traditional, original process. In short: it is simply not the pure, original stuff.

Blends you should try

One or two of the big names behind the success of the blend are simply a must-try: Chivas Regal, Ballantine's, Dewar's... You might be surprised at how much the bottlings of a single brand differ depending on age. And then, of course, there are countless smaller, fine blended whiskies with very different characters. Islay fans will appreciate the smoky Black Bottle, for example. Also highly interesting: the sophisticated, creative blends from John Glaser's "Compass Box" series or the fantastic "Lost Distillery" range. Have fun discovering them!