Malts

Malt whisky can be one of the great pleasures in life and volumes have been written on the subject of the production, care, tasting skills and history of one of the great pleasures in life.

Malts range geographically across the country - from the legendary peatiness of the Islays to the softer, sweeter versions of the Lowlands. Equally, they vary in taste, strength and suitability. Some malts are "work a day" in style - malts to enjoy virtually anytime, anyplace, anywhere. Others are there for the special occassions in life when something outstanding is required. That's not to say that the most expensive, oldest malt will fit the bill. There will never be any guarantee that simply choosing the most expensive or the most talked about malt will fit the bill. Malt whisky is a matter of personal taste and (obviously enough) what suits one drinker will not necessarily suit another. That can even be the case within a distillery itself where a difference in age will create a difference in reception and attachment. Probably more than any other kind of drink, the only sure fire way to come to understand and enjoy the world of Malt whisky is to experiment and keep an open mind. The notes that follow form no definitive recommendation of the best in the world but hopefully they will at least do some pointing in the right direction.