Grain whisky can be overlooked in drinking circles, much like blended whisky, largely due to the fact that it is much cheaper. In this day and age, higher prices equal higher quality, right? Well, not necessarily. In fact, a huge number of styles, including bourbon and rye, can be encompassed under the term ‘grain whisky’. This means that there is a huge variety out there to try.
Today I will be breaking down what you need to know about grain whisky: What is it? How is it different from single malts and blends? And, perhaps most importantly, which ones should you buy?
What Is Grain Whisky?
A single malt scotch has to follow some very specific rules to become a single malt. Produced at one distillery, and made from just three ingredients: malted barley, yeast, and water. The spirit must be distilled through a pot still and then aged in oak for 3 years and one day.
Now, to be called a grain whisky on the label there have to be some rules followed as well. For Scottish grain whiskies, the rules as laid out by the Scotch Whisky Association are as follows:
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“Single Grain Scotch Whisky – A Scotch Whisky distilled at a single distillery from water and malted barley with or without whole grains of other malted or unmalted cereals, and which does not comply with the definition of Single Malt Scotch Whisky.
“Blended Grain Scotch Whisky – A blend of Single Grain Scotch Whiskies, which have been distilled at more than one distillery.”
What About Grain Whiskies From Other Countries?
Of course, grain whisky is not just produced in Scotland. Many other countries have their variations. In the US, the term ‘grain whiskey’ is commonly used to refer to any whiskey that is made from grains other than malted barley. This is more of an encompassing term. For example, bourbon and rye can be considered ‘grain whiskies’.
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According to my research, grain whiskies usually have the following characteristics:
- Typically distilled in a column/Coffey still.
- Typically distilled from corn, but can be any grain as long as it goes through the above still type.
- Typically distilled to a much higher alcohol level than single malt.
- Is the foundation for most blended whiskies, as it’s a little cheaper to make.
Grain Whisky Distilleries In Scotland
Distilleries that produce grain whisky are fewer in number than single malt producers, but the production numbers are shocking by comparison.
The current largest single malt distilleries in Scotland are Glenfiddich and Glenlivet, both producing about 21,000,000 liters of alcohol a year. In comparison to this, the largest grain distilleries in Scotland, and Europe are Cameronbridge and The Girvan. These plants produce an absurd 110,000,000 liters of alcohol a year each.
All in all, we have seven grain distilleries in Scotland:
- Cameronbridge
- Grivan
- North British
- Invergordon
- Strathclyde
- Starlaw
- Loch Lomond (produces single malt and single grain)
Which Grain Whiskies Should You Buy?
Single grain scotch whisky aside, there is no shortage of delicious grain whiskies to try from countries around the world. So, I have put together a list of recommendations for the best from each of three categories: bourbon & rye, single grain scotch whisky, and blended grain scotch whisky.
Bourbon & Rye
I’m a huge fan of both, and despite their own geographical designations and rules, they are both styles of grain whisky. Grain put through stills that aren’t a majority of malted barley.
Due to the use of virgin oak maturation, they can be very sweet and spicy, but are some of the best liquids I’ve ever tried.
If you’ve never tried a bourbon then I’d recommend Woodford Reserve Double Oaked (43.2%, $43) or Wild Turkey 101 (50.5 ABV, $24).
If you’ve never tried a rye, then tuck straight into Rittenhouse Rye 100 Proof (50% ABV, $24) for something of a newer style, or Redwood Empire Emerald Giant Rye (45% ABV, $30) if you want something a little more old school in the way it’s put together.
Single Grain
Much like single malt, these are liquids from just one distillery, normally released as a single cask, but you can get the odd vatting of casks for something more consistent. This world is huge and if you ever get to try anything from the Cambus distillery, please do try it. It’s my favorite, but it sadly closed down many decades ago.
In terms of regular recommendations -The Whisky Shop currently has a Strathclyde 35 Year Old single cask which is just under $280 a bottle – much cheaper than an equivalent single malt, and it’s cask strength!
Loch Lomond produces a single grain whisky called Spearhead at 43% ABV, and it’s normally below $40 a bottle. A great summer drink, a solid mixer, something you can experiment with at home. This is one of these strange experiments from Loch Lomond as it is 100% malted barley, but distilled in a Coffey still.
One bottle of single grain has some infamy to it, but I honestly believe that this has helped people get into whisky, and that is Haig Club (40% ABV, $30).
Produced at the Cameronbridge distillery with a massive marketing campaign around it about a decade ago, it was headed up by David Beckham and had a television advert made by Guy Ritchie.
At the time, this was a huge release and brought a lot of attention to a different style of spirit, but it wasn’t the ‘best’ version of single grain you could try. But it did get people talking about whisky, so it was and is important.
Blended Grain
Now, there is a big release to talk about here, and that is Compass Box Hedonism (43% ABV, $87). This was the whisky that got me into grain, but with the older stocks they were using at Compass Box, they can’t rely on their availability much more, especially as a company that isn’t a distillery. As such, this has become an annual limited release.
This whisky is so rich, dessert-like, and creamy. It’s honestly a delight in a bottle.
Compass Box really cornered the market with this style of whisky. In fact, they invented it in the modern space. So do check them out as a blender because they do make some very good whisky.
Hopefully this should help you get into something a little more unusual for your next whisky purchase!
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