Single malt whisky Single malt whisky Single malt whisky is malt whisky from a single distillery, that is, whisky distilled from a fermented mash made with malted barley, as distinguished from unmalted grain. Single malts are typically associated with single malt Scotch, though they are also produced in various other countries. Under Scotch Whisky Regulations, a "Single Malt Scotch Whisky" must be made exclusively from malted barley (although the addition of E150A caramel colouring is allowed), must be distilled using pot stills at a single distillery, and must be aged for at least three years in oak casks of a capacity not exceeding
Scotch whisky bottling. For a variety of reasons, some independent brands do not identify which facility distilled the whisky in the bottle. They may instead identify only the general geographical area of the source, or they simply market the product using their own brand name without identifying their source. This may, in some cases, be simply to give the independent bottling company the flexibility to purchase from multiple distillers without changing their labels. According to the Scotch Whisky Association, Scotch whisky evolved from a Scottish drink called "uisge beatha", which means "water of life". The earliest record of distillation in Scotland occurred