The different types of whisky

Single Malt, Blended Malt, Single Grain, Blended Whisky, Bourbon… It’s not always easy to find your way among the different types of whisky. On top of that, there are terms like Single Cask, Cask Strength, Finish, or Small Batch, as well as the distinction between whisky and whiskey.

In this guide, we’ll review the main whisky categories, their differences, and the key vocabulary to help you better understand bottles and their labels.

Whisky and Whiskey: what's the difference?

The terms whisky and whiskey generally refer to the same family of spirits. The difference is mainly due to a spelling convention related to the producing countries.

The spelling "whisky" is notably used in Scotland, Japan, Canada, and also in France. The spelling "whiskey" is common in Ireland and the United States.

However, this distinction is not an absolute universal rule: some brands or producers may use a spelling different from the one traditionally associated with their country.

What are the main types of whisky?

The different types of whisky are mainly distinguished by the grains used, the number of distilleries involved in their production, their distillation method, or their country of origin.

Among the main categories, you will mainly find Single Malt, Blended Malt, Grain Whisky, Single Grain and Blended Whisky. In addition, there are styles linked to a specific origin or regulation, such as Scotch Whisky, Bourbon, or Rye Whiskey.

What is a Single Malt?

A Single Malt is a whisky produced in a single distillery from malted barley.

The term "Single" does not mean that the whisky comes from a single cask. A Single Malt can very well be a blend of several casks and several years of distillation, as long as all the whiskies come from the same distillery.

This category is particularly emblematic of Scotch Whisky, but Single Malts are now produced in many countries, notably in France, in Japan and also in Ireland.

What is a Blended Malt?

A Blended Malt is a blend of several malt whiskies from different distilleries.

Unlike Blended Whisky, it does not contain Grain Whisky: only whiskies made from malted barley are used in its composition.

The blender's job is to combine several profiles to achieve a precise balance between fruit, texture, wood, spices, or possible peat.

The former terms "Pure Malt" or "Vatted Malt" can still be found on certain bottles or in older publications, but Blended Malt is now the standard term for this category in Scotch Whisky.

Grain Whisky and Single Grain: what are the differences?

The term Grain Whisky refers to a whisky that can be made from various grains, such as wheat, corn, or barley, with a proportion of malted barley also allowed in the production according to regulations.

These whiskies are often distilled in column stills, which generally produces a lighter and more neutral distillate than that of a Single Malt.

A Single Grain is simply a Grain Whisky produced within a single distillery. Again, the word "Single" refers to the distillery and not to the number of grains or casks used.

A large portion of grain whiskies is intended for use in the composition of Blended Whiskies, but some Single Grains are also marketed on their own.

What is a Blended Whisky?

A Blended Whisky, often simply called a "blend", is a combination that generally brings together malt whiskies and grain whiskies.

The goal is not necessarily to produce a simpler or lower-quality whisky. On the contrary, blending allows for the pursuit of a consistent and precise style by leveraging the complementarity of several distillates.

Some blends favor smoothness and accessibility, while others may offer great depth, complexity, or character.

It would therefore be misleading to automatically rank Single Malt, Blended Malt, Grain Whisky, and Blended Whisky. Above all, these are different styles, whose quality depends on the work done by the producer or blender.

Malted barley

What is the difference between whisky and Bourbon?

The Bourbon is a type of American whiskey. So, all Bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskies are Bourbons.

To bear the name Bourbon, the spirit must notably be produced in the United States and made from a grain blend containing at least 51% corn.

It must also be aged in new charred oak containers. Contrary to popular belief, Bourbon is not subject to a general minimum aging period to bear this name.

However, to be classified as Straight Bourbon, it must be aged for at least two years, with certain additional labeling requirements if aged less than four years.

The corn and new charred wood often give Bourbons generous, rounded profiles, with notes of vanilla, caramel, sweet spices, or toasted wood.

Scotch, Rye, Irish Whiskey: other styles to know

Beyond categories related to blending or grains, certain terms refer to whiskies that meet specific origins and regulations.

Scotch Whisky

The Scotch Whisky refers to whiskies produced and aged in Scotland according to local regulations. In particular, they must be matured there for at least three years.

Scotch can belong to different categories: Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Single Grain Scotch Whisky, Blended Malt Scotch Whisky, Blended Grain Scotch Whisky, or Blended Scotch Whisky.

Rye Whiskey

In the United States, a Rye Whiskey must be made from at least 51% rye. This type of whiskey often features a drier, spicier, and livelier profile than many Bourbons.

The term "rye" may, however, be subject to different regulations in other countries, especially in Canada.

Irish Whiskey

Irish whiskey includes several categories, such as Single Malt, Single Grain, Blended Whiskey, and Single Pot Still.

The latter is a specialty particularly associated with Ireland: it notably combines malted and unmalted barley within the same distillery.

The essential whisky vocabulary

Beyond the different categories, certain terms appear regularly on whisky bottles.

Single Cask or Single Barrel

A Single Cask is a whisky that comes from a single cask. The term "Single Barrel" is especially common in the world of Bourbon.

Two casks of the same whisky can show noticeable differences, which often gives Single Cask bottlings a particularly unique character.

Cask Strength

The term Cask Strength, which is generally translated as "straight from the cask", refers to a whisky bottled at a strength close to what it is after aging, with little to no dilution before bottling.

These whiskies typically have a higher alcohol content than the classic versions from the same distillery.

Small Batch

Small Batch literally means "small batch". This term generally indicates that a whisky has been produced or blended from a relatively limited number of casks.

However, there is no universal definition requiring a specific number of casks. The meaning can therefore vary from one producer to another.

Finish or finishing

A finishing involves transferring a whisky, after an initial aging phase, into another type of cask in order to modify or enhance its aromatic profile.

This could be, for example, a former Sherry, Port, Madeira, rum, or even wine cask.

Finishing is therefore different from full maturation in a single type of container.

Age

When an age is indicated on a bottle of whisky, it refers to the age of the youngest whisky included in the blend.

A whisky labeled as 12 years old may therefore contain older spirits, but none can be younger than 12 years.

NAS

NAS stands for "No Age Statement". It simply refers to a whisky whose label does not specify a precise age.

The absence of an age statement is not, in itself, an indicator of higher or lower quality.

Angel's share

The angel's share refers to the portion of spirits that naturally evaporates during cask aging.

Its significance depends in particular on the climate, storage conditions, type of cask, and length of maturation.

Peat

Peat is an organic material that can be used as fuel during the malting process.Its smoke brings to the whisky aromas that can evoke ash, smoke, earth, sea spray, or even certain medicinal notes.

Of course, not all whiskies are peated, and the intensity can vary greatly from one bottle to another.

How to choose between the different types of whisky?

There is no type of whisky that is inherently better than another. The choice depends above all on your aromatic preferences.

A Single Malt can be interesting for discovering the unique style of a distillery. A Blended Malt allows you to explore the art of blending several malt whiskies, while a Single Grain will often offer a different expression, sometimes lighter or more cereal-driven.

Blended Whiskies cover an extremely wide range of styles, from smooth and approachable whiskies to much more complex blends.

If you are looking for more roundness and vanilla notes, certain Bourbons may suit you. Conversely, fans of smoky profiles can turn to peated whiskies.

However, the type of whisky is only a first indicator: the origin, the distillery, the type of cask, the aging period, the alcohol content, and the possible presence of peat also strongly influence the final taste.

The great diversity of the whisky world

Discover our selection of whiskies

You now know the main differences between Single Malt, Blended Malt, Grain Whisky, Blended Whisky, Bourbon, and the other major whisky families.

To move from theory to tasting, explore our whisky selection, featuring a variety of origins, categories, and aromatic profiles.