Grain selection for grain whisky

[Deleted User] · January 25 2017 at 1:56AM

The Scotch whisky industry currently uses only wheat or corn (and a little malted barley) to produce the grain whiskies used in blends. Room for experimentation would seem to exist for an enterprising distiller who wanted to make grain whisky from rye, triticale, or any number of other cereals. Depending on distillation proof, this could have a profound effect on the flavor of a blend.

I am surprised that one of the new, small, independent distilleries in Scotland hasn't used a small column or hybrid still to experiment and lay down grain whisky for its own blends. Lone Wolf, Arbikie, and Dornoch distilleries have (or will have) the equipment to do this, so perhaps we can look forward to some unusual grain whiskies from them in the future (either in blends or as single grain bottlings).

I would like to try a blend made with peaty malt(s) and a rye grain whisky that was distilled at a lower proof (than the usual 94% or so) to keep more of the rye flavor compounds.

[Deleted User] · January 25 2017 at 11:48PM

@Carlton

In a similar vein, I would like try a single distillery blended scotch that uses only wheat as the grain whisky component. I think that would work well with a lighter, more delicately nuanced single malt as the main flavoring agent. I'm also in agreement with you on the lower distillation proof in order to preserve the character of the wheat.

bedlamborn · January 26 2017 at 7:44PM

@Carlton
This would require an experimental distiller. Who dares wins.

[Deleted User] · January 29 2017 at 12:10AM

@bedlamborn

It's a tremendous idea though: premium blended scotch where the grain whisky component is shown just as much detail as the malt included. Carlton really deserves a lot of credit for showing such ingenuity.

While Compass Box is without a doubt the leader of high-end blends, the distillers could probably do a better job of it themselves and get their share of the profits as a consequence.

If full disclosure of the ingredients were allowed, that would only add the the marketing appeal. Given that the expected quality was sufficient, I'd certainly be a loyal customer.

horst_s_2 · February 4 2017 at 2:22PM

The big distillers switched from corn (maize) to wheat because the yield in ethanol is higher than the higher price of wheat. In the end wheat is the cheaper input for the production of grain whisky. A lot of distilleries omit the barley completely. You are able to split the starch into sugar by heat and pressure.

I do not see a lot of differences in taste by using different species of wheat. Changing to different cereals will result in bigger differences. But big distilleries have a well set up process for the production, which would be disturbed by changing the receipt.

So it is really up to smaller distillers to try different tastes through different cereals.