Recently, for our good friends over at The Whiskey Wash, I wrote a piece looking at several common myths surrounding American bourbon whiskey. That piece went down very well, and if you’ve not yet checked it out, feel free to head on over to TWW and have a look, as I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. 

Because that piece went down so well, I’ve decided to revisit this theme, and one I covered a few years back on the GreatDrams blog, in a little more detail.

Now, this may come as a shock to you, but I love Scotch (I know, crazy, right?) and I feel almost overly protective of it. Not necessarily like an overprotective father, more like an older brother sticking up for his younger sibling if he ever hears somebody badmouthing them. 

Having been in this business for as long as I have, I’ve heard a lot of nonsense surrounding whisky. Some of it has been down to misinformation, and some has been, well, complete bo…. Drivel. I want to set the record straight once and for all. 

With that said, here are 5 more common single malt Scotch whisky myths everyone still believes, yet really shouldn’t. 

Myth 1 – If a Distillery Doesn’t Have a Natural Water Source, the Whisky is Inferior

As you may be aware, there was once a great deal of snobbery surrounding Scotch, and while things are much better nowadays, it never goes away entirely. Snobbery in whisky still remains, even when it comes to the water supply of all things. 

A fairly common myth associated with single malt Scotch production is that if the whisky is not made from a natural water source, the whisky is going to be inferior. This is simply not true at all. Yes, running water from lochs, lakes, streams, and rivers can influence a whisky’s flavour and finish as a result of mineral content etc, but please do not think that whisky made in a distillery that gets its water from a municipal water supply is going to be inferior, because that isn’t necessarily the case at all. 

Water that comes from a mains supply can be treated, filtered, and tinkered with to remove certain minerals and impurities, and can be, and is, used to make a fantastic tasting whisky. 

Myth 2 – Cloudy Whisky is No Good

While the vast majority of single malt Scotch produced every year is typically crystal clear and transparent, there are some drams that are bottled with a hazy, even cloudy appearance. Do you know something? They can be absolutely delicious. 

Far too many people still believe that a cloudy whisky is no good, or that it has spoiled, when in reality there will almost certainly be nothing wrong with it. 

While aesthetically, a hazy or cloudy whisky may not be as easy on the eye, 99.9% of the time, its appearance will have no impact on its nose, flavour, or finish whatsoever. In fact, it’s likely down to what is known as ‘chill haze’. Chill haze affects drams under 46% ABV, and occurs when the whisky comes into contact with a material that is noticeably colder, I.E a chilled glass, cold water, chilled whisky stones, or ice cubes. 

While it can be alarming, or off-putting to watch your whisky turn cloudy, it’s a perfectly normal reaction caused by esters in the whisky sticking together because of the contrast in temperature. Because it can be so off-putting, some whisky producers will employ chill-filtration, in which the whisky will be chilled and filtered to remove this haze. There is evidence to suggest that chill-filtration can leave behind a watery mouthfeel, which is why non-chill-filtered whisky is generally considered a better choice. 

Myth 3 – Scotch Is Never Triple-Distilled

When we think of triple-distilled whisky, Scotch isn’t generally the first whisky that springs to mind. Instead, it’s usually Irish whiskey that we think of, and for good reason. 

Irish whiskey has become almost synonymous with triple-distillation, which is one of the reasons why it is usually smoother and lighter. Just because Irish whiskey is typically associated with a triple-distillation process however, that does not mean that Scotch can never be triple-distilled also. 

Drams such as Hazelburn and Rosebank for example, undergo triple-distillation and taste absolutely phenomenal. While triple distilling a whisky generally makes it smoother and more fruit-forward, there are still plenty of triple-distilled Scottish malts that are crisper, lighter, and sharper too. 

Myth 4 – Independent Bottlers Just Buy Casks and Bottle Them

This is not just a myth surrounding single malt whisky, it’s one of my biggest pet peeves and it is something I wish that everybody would stop believing. 

As independent bottlers, I can’t tell you the number of times people have asked me if we ‘just buy casks and then bottle them under our own label’. No, no, and no, again. Ourselves, and the countless other independent bottlers out there, do so much more than that. 

Releasing a dram as an independent bottler is incredibly complex. We create our own blends, we employ our own finishes, we use different casks with different techniques, and plenty more besides.

Myth 5 – Single Malts All Come from One Barrel

Finally, when it comes to single malt whisky, another very common myth is that single malts get their name from the fact that they’ve come from the one barrel. In truth, a bottle of single malt can be made from a selection of whiskies from different casks.

The confusion around single malt whisky stems from the word ‘single’, which actually refers to the fact that it has come from one single distillery, rather than one single cask. 

A bottle of single malt whisky can quite easily be made from whisky that has come from multiple barrels, providing they were all distilled at the same location. 

If you’d like to learn more about your favourite whiskies, or simply treat yourself to a dram or two in the process, head on over to GreatDrams.com and take a look at the diverse selection of unique whiskies we currently have in stock.

With an impressive selection of limited-edition, rare, and award-winning whisky, as well as heaps of whisky info on our blog, it’s the perfect spot for all you whisky lovers out there.