Beautiful Barley
Barley fields blowing gently in the breeze is one of the most peaceful sights and sounds of the Scottish countryside. Of course, most of the barley used in Single Malt whisky is grown in Scotland often very close to the distilleries. Macallan uses barley from their Easter Elchies estate on the banks of the River Spey. The rest is grown elsewhere in Scotland or the north of England
Scottish barley has qualities that make it perfect for making whisky. In Scotland, the cold winters kill most of the harmful bacteria in the soil so pesticide use is greatly reduced, and the rainfall means that the plants are never short of water and can grow plump, providing the crop survives the harsh winds. Barley for whisky must be very ripe. The adage from maltsters to farmers is ‘Leave the crop till it is absolutely ripe and can’t wait for a second longer then leave it for another three days".
Only the highest quality, the top twenty percent of barley grown is used in the malting process. Barley, like all modern grains, has undergone many changes over the years and as a result, there are many varieties to choose from. Macallan and Glengoyne distilleries use ‘Golden Promise’ a variety that has been available since the ’50s but has now declined, leaving these distillers less of a choice of growers. They are very adamant about tradition and feel strongly that using this particular variety is part of their single malts character. Most other distillers choose from the newer varieties, too numerous to mention, but all prefer barley harvested in winter.
Before the barley can be used in whisky production it has to be partially germinated, each single grain is looked after in a warm moist environment until it sprouts. It is a process that involves seeping in water, allowed to dry then seeping again, several times. Finally, once it has been deemed to be at the perfect stage of germination the grain is dried in a Malting house.
Some distilleries, Balvenie, Highland Park, and Laphroaig among them have kept the traditional malting houses which are long buildings heated using peat fires under a perforated floor. The barley is turned by hand until it is ready to go into the mash tubs to get the whisky-making on the go. Many distilleries now use barley malted off-site and have turned the malting buildings into visitor centers.
Scottish Whisky, Southern Charm tastings are personally designed for each event. Our introduction to Single Malts can give the Single Malt beginner a good grasp of the basics. For the more experienced whisky lover, we offer a variety of other tastings. There is much more than can be contained in a short blog and we would love to share it with you and your friends.
