When our sampling clubs began their respective quests to explore the world of whiskies, the default was Scottish single malt. However both as our determination to track down something ‘unique’ has increased, we’ve expanded our horizons well beyond single malts!
The humble grain, outside of North American, was typically found only as part of blended whiskies, yet is starting to garner attention as a category of its own.
Hence I thought it time to add a new section – focused exclusively on grain whiskies.
For those not familiar, grain whisky is any whisky made from cereal grains other than malted barley – from corn to wheat, buckwheat, rye, oats and millet – even rice, sorghum and quinoa.
Most American and Canadian whiskies are grain whiskies. Sometimes, aged grain whiskies are released as single grain whisky if made at one distillery or blended grain whisky if combining spirits from multiple distilleries.
According to our friends over at Malt Madness, as on 2017 Scotland had only 6 full-fledged grain distilleries:
- Cameronbridge – the oldest & largest grain whisky distillery in the Lowlands, now best known for Haig, opened in 1824, it is owned by Diageo
- Girvan – a Lowland grain distillery built in 1963 by W. Grant & Sons that has recently released a few age statements
- Invergordon from Whyte & Mackay, this Highland grain distillery was founded in 1959, and can primarily be found in Independent bottles
- North British the second largest Scotch grain distillery, founded in 1885 in Edinburgh, it is currently owned by Diageo / Edrington
- Starlaw – another Lowland grain distillery, opened more recently in 2010 and owned by La Martiniquaise
- Strathclyde – founded in 1927 and owned by the Pernod Ricard conglomerate with a few independent bottles of this Lowland grain out there
In addition, some distilleries also produce grain, such as the Loch Lomond Distillery and more recently, Reivers opened in 2020 by Mossburn in the Lowlands.So join us as we explore grain whiskies… in all their variation!
Austria – Waldviertler J.H. 6 year Rye Malt 41%
- Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye 45% + Speed Tasting
- Gooderham & Worts Four Grains Canadian Whisky 44.4% + Revisit Oct 2018
- Shelter Point Montfort District Lot 141 Grain (2018) 46%
- Sheringham William’s White double distilled grain whisky 2015 Batch 1308 45%
Austria – Waldviertler J.H. 6 year Rye Malt 41%
Denmark – Stauning Young Rye (2010/2011) 49.3%
France – Eddu Silver Buckwheat Whisky 40%
Germany – Freimester Kollectiv Rye
- Greenore Single Grain 18 years 46%
- Hyde Single Grain Burgandy Finish 46%
- Teeling Single Grain Wine Cask 46%
- Haig Club 40% (Cameron Bridge Distillery)
- Invergordon Single Grain 28 year DL 11004 56.5% Douglas Laing’s Old Particular
- R+B Distillers – Borders Single Grain 51.7%
- Cambus Single Grain 24 year (1991/2015) Cask 55891 51.9% (Signatory Vintage) + WhiskyLive 2017
- Girvan Single Grain 8 years (2006/2014) Cask 532398 46% Berrys’
- Girvan Patent Still Grain 28 years 42%
- Haig Club 40% (Cameron Bridge)
- Strathclyde Single Grain 25 year (1990/2016) DL11335 51.1% Douglas Laing’s Old Particular
- Strathclyde SMWS G10.10 “Busy buzzing bees” 38 years (23 Nov 1977) 49.6%
- Compass Box – Hedonism 43% + Whisky Ladies 2017 revisit
- The Exceptional Blended Grain Scotch Whisky 43%
South Africa – Bain’s Single Grain 43%*
The Netherlands – Millstone 100 Rye Whisky 50%
- A.D. Laws Four Grain Straight Bourbon (Batch 8) 47.5%
- AD Laws Hordeum Straight Malt 2 year (Batch #1B) 42.5%
- AD Laws Triticum Straight Wheat 2 year (Batch #1B) 50%
- AD Laws Secale Rye 2 year
- Cascadia Rye (Portugues Port Barrels) 43.5%
- Cody Road 100% Rye 40%
- High West Whiskey Double Rye 46%
- Pikesville 110 Proof Straight Rye 55%
- Rough Rider ‘Bull Moose’ Three Barrel Rye 45%
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