Way for rum to mimick single malt?

[RonJames]

I recently purchased a bottle of single malt (scotch) for my brother in law who I owed a favor to. Got me thinking though about how most whiskey is blended as is rum. What gives single malt the ability to be unblended and could we do this with rum? Admitedly, I am a scotch idiot and think whiskey in general tastes like paint thinner. Arctic Wolf might have some answers, I think he's a scotch man as well.

[Edward Hamilton]

Scotch is generally distilled to between 65 and 75% abv while most molasses based rum is distilled to slightly less than 95% abv.

There are unblended rums, just as there are unblended Scotch whiskies. But there is no denying that most Scotch, like most rum, is blended.

[Patapouf]

This is interesting. Are there any unblended 'single malt' rums?

[Edward Hamilton]

Many of the single year Scotches like XXX 7 are blended from barrels of the same year. To some people there is a difference between blending and batching. Blending generally refers to mixing spirits aged many different years while batching refers to mixing several barrels of the same year.

And there are single barrel spirits. Some of which have a barrel number on the label.

[scarphe]

This is interesting. Are there any unblended 'single malt' rums?

zacapa has one on the market i think. it looks like the new 23 zacapa with added things and a higher price of course.

[Matusalem]

Wait, in the sense I think you guys mostly mean the terminology - you do realize single malt simply means spirit from 100% malted barley distilled at/by a single distillery. So long as it's comprised of the required malt and made at a single distillery you can blend all the various ages, barrel/cask types, finishes etc. etc. etc. you want and it's "single malt".

[Arctic Wolf]

Matusalem is dead on. My understanding is that most Single Malts are actually blends of different 'whiskies'. They just all come from the same distillery. (The malts do not even have to contain the same varieties of barley.) Even a Vintage Single Malt is a blend, just all of the blend is distilled in the same year at the same distillery.

In fact most single malts, (even vintage single malts) now use a wide variety of barrel types; some from America, which could be any assortment of reused Bourbon and/or Tennessee Whisky barrels; and some from Spain which are usually refill Sherry Casks. The finished blend can in turn be finished in something exotic like a Port Pipe. So these Single malts in some ways contain a more diverse selection of whisky than a typical rum.

There are a few bottlings that use exclusively one type of oak cask, but these are getting hard to find, and even more rare are the bottlings from a single cask. ( Although thankfully I own a small assortment of single cask Scotches bottled by Signatory, Dewars, and Gordon & Macphail.)

I would respectfully suggest that you (RonJames) look no further than the FDC 7, 12, and 18 year which are all comparable to Single malts in the manner in which they are distilled, aged and blended. (and in many ways they surpass the malts in the single mindedness of the final blend)

The only major difference is FDC's policy of topping barrels each year to keep them full, which is not allowed as far as I know by Scottish law. (FDC will refill all barrels to full each year but rather than this being a solera process FDC uses rum of exactly the same age to top the barrel.) This is more economical, and also is supposed to provide fuller contact with the oak for the rum.


(Geez am i long winded some times)

[Matusalem]

The only major difference is FDC's policy of topping barrels each year to keep them full, which is not allowed as far as I know by Scottish law. (FDC will refill all barrels to full each year but rather than this being a solera process FDC uses rum of exactly the same age to top the barrel.) This is more economical, and also is supposed to provide fuller contact with the oak for the rum.


(Geez am i long winded some times)In some whiskey circles, I believe this practice is sometimes called "consolidating".

[Patapouf]

Thanks for clearing that up Arctic and Matusalem.
cheers.gif

[Don Piero]

I believe both Arctic and Matusalem are wrong on Single Malts. This is my understanding.

"Single Malts" refer to malted barley from a single distillery - The age stated is typically the age of the malt. There maybe a blend of the same aged malts from different barrels.

"Vatted Malts" are a blend of single malts. Can be from the same distillery but different aged barrels or can be a blend from different distilleries.
The standard bottling of Glenfiddich for years never stated its age because it was a vatting of different aged whiskies from the same distillery. It is now stated as a 12yr old.

"Blended Whisky" is a blend of grain alcohol and various malt whiskies to achieve the blend. My understanding its a 60-70% grain alcohol plus the blend of single malts.

A Ron Zacapa stated as a 23 yr old comprising a blend of 6-23yrd old rums - would be stated as a 6yr old if it were a whisky.

[Don Piero]

Wait, in the sense I think you guys mostly mean the terminology - you do realize single malt simply means spirit from 100% malted barley distilled at/by a single distillery. So long as it's comprised of the required malt and made at a single distillery you can blend all the various ages, barrel/cask types, finishes etc. etc. etc. you want and it's "single malt".

The different ages is referring to a vatted malt. There is is no Solera aging in an aged stated single malt. Solera aging in whisky would be reffered as a vatted malt.

[rumdog007]

I believe both Arctic and Matusalem are wrong on Single Malts. This is my understanding.

"Single Malts" refer to malted barley from a single distillery - The age stated is typically the age of the malt. There maybe a blend of the same aged malts from different barrels.

"Vatted Malts" are a blend of single malts. Can be from the same distillery but different aged barrels or can be a blend from different distilleries.
The standard bottling of Glenfiddich for years never stated its age because it was a vatting of different aged whiskies from the same distillery. It is now stated as a 12yr old.

A Ron Zacapa stated as a 23 yr old comprising a blend of 6-23yrd old rums - would be stated as a 6yr old if it were a whisky.

No, I believe Mat and AW are correct. (Although, there can be malted rye, wheat, etc., not just barley. But, in the context of Scotch Whisky, he is correct.) Your description of Vatted/Pure Malt would need to include the blending of one single malt (remember, from one distillery) with one from another distillery (...another single malt), or more, to be called a vatted whisky like Johnnie Walker Green Label. A vatted malt must be a marriage of 2 distilleries, at least.

On the ages of the whiskies used in a single malt, Arctic Wolf is correct. I do not believe that the Glenfiddich example proves it to be a vatted/pure malt. In fact it is a single malt and the youngest whisky is 12 years old.

Please let me know if I am misguided.....glass.gif

[Arctic Wolf]

I am pretty sure on this one that I have it right. :)

Here is an excerpt from my blog iwhere i explain the various terms for Scotch Whisky (which I research thoroughly before I posted).

quote

"There are also strict rules for the labeling of specific types of Scotch whisky.

SINGLE MALT WHISKY is a scotch whisky made from 100% malted barley with all of the whiskey coming from the same distillery.

VATTED MALT WHISKY is a whisky made from 100% malted barley with the various malts in the blend coming from more than one distillery.

SINGLE GRAIN WHISKEY is a whisky made from malted barley with the addition of other whole grains in the fermented mash

BLENDED WHISKEY is any whiskey produced by blending any mixture of the other types of whiskey..."

end quote


The mystique of the single malt far outweighs the reality.

And as whiskey stocks dwindle in many distiller's warehouse, we are seeing the term "vintage single malt" disappear as insufficient stocks remain to maintain vintage blending. We are also seeing age statements disappear as more and more younger whisky is being used in the blending to keep up the supply. (The same hold true for many rums.)

This is why I tout FDC as an example of aging, blending and bottling practice which is the equal (if not the superior) of any Single Malt Whisky out there.

[Matusalem]

I believe both Arctic and Matusalem are wrong on Single Malts. This is my understanding.

"Single Malts" refer to malted barley from a single distillery - The age stated is typically the age of the malt. There maybe a blend of the same aged malts from different barrels.

"Vatted Malts" are a blend of single malts. Can be from the same distillery but different aged barrels or can be a blend from different distilleries.
The standard bottling of Glenfiddich for years never stated its age because it was a vatting of different aged whiskies from the same distillery. It is now stated as a 12yr old.

"Blended Whisky" is a blend of grain alcohol and various malt whiskies to achieve the blend. My understanding its a 60-70% grain alcohol plus the blend of single malts.

A Ron Zacapa stated as a 23 yr old comprising a blend of 6-23yrd old rums - would be stated as a 6yr old if it were a whisky.WRONG. Trust me.

The age statement is the MINIMUM age the whisky must be. Therefore something such as Talisker 10 could possess whisky from casks 10 years old exactly or 10 years and 1 day, 11,12,13, so on and so forth to 114 years old. So long as the whiskey was distilled at the Tali distillery, was 100% malted barley, the finished product would be a SINGLE MALT.

Vatted Malt implies that the whisky meets the single malt requirements up to the point that more than a sole distillery is involved. "Vatted Malt" from a single source would be SINGLE MALT. BTW, the term "Vatted Malt" has all but been done away with too.

The last statement in your quote is correct - if Zacapa was distilling whisk(e)y and their 'blend' contained 6-23 year old produce, the legal age statement would require the product described as 6 years old. Thankfully they make good rum - so no worries there.

[Matusalem]

No, I believe Mat and AW are correct. (Although, there can be malted rye, wheat, etc., not just barley. But, in the context of Scotch Whisky, he is correct.)I believe this is correct outside of the context of the term "Malt" (whether "Single" or "Vatted").

Malt implies 100% malted barley grain is used (there is no allowance for any of the other mentioned grains). Single Malt implies that 100% malted barely was used to produce whisky at a SINGLE location. "Vatted Malt" implies 2 or more Single Malts (a blend of "Malt" from 2 or more distilling sources / locations) were vatted and bottled. I believe the term Malt applies in the same fashion to Irish whiskey as well.

[rumdog007]

I believe this is correct outside of the context of the term "Malt" (whether "Single" or "Vatted").

Malt implies 100% malted barley grain is used (there is no allowance for any of the other mentioned grains). Single Malt implies that 100% malted barely was used to produce whisky at a SINGLE location. "Vatted Malt" implies 2 or more Single Malts (a blend of "Malt" from 2 or more distilling sources / locations) were vatted and bottled. I believe the term Malt applies in the same fashion to Irish whiskey as well.

Yup, Mat!

In my previous post I wanted to highlight the fact that there are Single Malt Ryes, like the ones that Anchor Distilling produce, for example.

But, most of the time the term "single malt" is used we are talking about Scotch whisky made from barley. Anchor applies the term to their spirit in same way which you explain, single type of germinated grain (in this case, rye) from a single distillery. Yes, Irish whisky conforms to the same definition. I know of no single malt wheat whiskeys, though.

[Matusalem]

Yup, Mat!

In my previous post I wanted to highlight the fact that there are Single Malt Ryes, like the ones that Anchor Distilling produce, for example.

But, most of the time the term "single malt" is used we are talking about Scotch whisky made from barley. Anchor applies the term to their spirit in same way which you explain, single type of germinated grain (in this case, rye) from a single distillery. Yes, Irish whisky conforms to the same definition. I know of no single malt wheat whiskeys, though.O.K.

And that's kinda sorta why I prefaced in my initial post something along the lines of "what I think we mostly meant by blending and the topic of single malt"...

Definitely do not mean to lecture anyone. I think my real point was this:

Rum is a genre just as Whisk(e)y is. "Single Malt" is sub component terminology of the whisky genre. Maybe agricole (a sub component of our rum genre) might somehow become comparison worthy to "Single Malt" but the main category "Rum" ~ is eons in terms of constraints and standards from being "Single Malt" or "Kentucky Straight Bourbon". And I'm not saying that's a good or bad thing either - I'm just hoping to illustrate the Golden Gate Bridge you need to put in place to begin to realistic compare "Rum" to "Single Malt". One obvious obstacle is rum production is NOT limited to a governable region where any consistent standard can be applied.

Could a rum producer mimic a single malt producer - yes. How practical is it to do so? I'm not really sure, but I do believe a distiller such as Zacapa (since we've named that one) could buy stock from another producer (Cruzan let's say) - take that other sourced stock, blend it with their own stocks and then bottle as Zacapa with no mention or terminology to disclose multiple sourcing.

A single malt producer that suffers catastrophe on-site is certainly in more of a predicament than say a typical rum brand (agricole could be the exception) or even bourbon. When Heaven Hill's warehouse caught on fire, I believe Beam's product, as well as I know by DSP # some other distillers helped supplement. Wild Turkey had a similar issue and I believe Buffalo Trace + others helped. So long as the product met "bourbon" standards, you can slap the name you choose on the bottle!

Following that thought, a single malt distillery / brand name could not buy "single malt" whisky distilled by/from a friendly source, call it their namesake and state it as "SINGLE MALT". So in that sense, not having the "Single Malt" restraints is a REALLLLLLY good thing (IMHO - of course).

I'll be quiet now.cheers.gif

[rumdog007]

Following that thought, a single malt distillery / brand name could not buy "single malt" whisky distilled by/from a friendly source, call it their namesake and state it as "SINGLE MALT". So in that sense, not having the "Single Malt" restraints is a REALLLLLLY good thing (IMHO - of course).

I'll be quiet now.cheers.gif

That's a great point. Look at the great rums for which we have as evidence.

Albertson's has their own label for spirits called Origine. The Amber Estate Reserve Rum has a statement which references "A blend of 7 craftsman distilled rums, featuring those from centuries old estates, from Demerara and the islands of Barbados, Jamaica, and Trinidad." It is a very nice rum.


cheers.gif

[RonJames]

Wow, I am learning about scotch here! Good posts all the way around. So examples in the rum field...

Pussers=blended, because its from multiple distilleries

Havana Club 7 anos=vatted malt, as it is one distillery (but multiple yrs)

Vintage Agricole Vieux from Martinique=vintage malt, one year one distiller

El dorado single barrel coffey still=Cask (barrel) malt; one distiller, one year, straight from barrel

Do I get it right?oops.gif

[Matusalem]

Wow, I am learning about scotch here! Good posts all the way around. So examples in the rum field...


Havana Club 7 anos=vatted malt, as it is one distillery (but multiple yrs)

Do I get it right?oops.gifQuickly - I'm not sure about but suspect the analogy here is wrong.

Multiple years have nothing to do with "Vatted Malt". Produce of multiple distillers of what individually are "Single Malts" = "Vatted Malt".

So if Havana Club's 7 is produce of ONE distillery, and the produce is consistent with qualifications (multiple years irrelevant) the product would = Single Malt - not Vatted Malt.

EDIT: The simplest thing to do here is to 4GET about "years". There are minimum aging requirements but once you pass those minimums, the age of the spirit and mixture of multiple ages have no bearing in the distinctions Single or Vatted Malt.

[RonJames]

EDIT: The simplest thing to do here is to 4GET about "years".

I find this true for rum as well. Sure its been aged for 20years but...its been aged in a vat thats been topped off with new rum every year. I usually let my taste buds tell me how mature a spirit is and what to designate it as ie..mixer, straight, premium mixer...

[Matusalem]

I find this true for rum as well. Sure its been aged for 20years but...its been aged in a vat thats been topped off with new rum every year. I usually let my taste buds tell me how mature a spirit is and what to designate it as ie..mixer, straight, premium mixer...cheers.gif

I think as a group we were somewhat dabbling in and confusing Minimum + Legal Age Statements for other terminology. Those pose age related hurdles completely separate from terms such as "Single Malt" "Vatted" or "Pure Malt". The latter terms apply more so to provenance & ingredients.

[Don Piero]

Thank you for the explanations. Much appreciated.