What is a blend?

[Whiskey Pilgrim]

Kaixo Master blenders,
Question is are they blends or Vats???
Check out what has gone before whiskey-trekkers..
Celtic Nations Limited Edition Vatted Malt(70%Cooley,30%Bruichladdich)
The Smooth Sweeter One(70%Cooley-30% Bunnahabhain)
Henry Downs no 9 ( Jameson 12 & Powers ??)

I have a question to put to the panel,by gereric Whisk(e)y law a Blend is a mix of Whiskie´s from different Distillerie´s both Malt & Grain ie 100 Pipers is so called due to the 100 different whiskies used thense a blend,but as most nornal tier Irish are a blend of same house stock ie Jameson,Bushmills,or Kilbeggan,is it truly a blend..i think not and should be catorigzed distinctly,fo me most Irish are Vatted mabey thats why its difficult to see "Blend" actually written on a label.Since the Scots are sorting house as to the liberal use of titles such as vatted malts or Pure Malts etc we should do like wise..how about this for Irish cat,

Irish Vats (Jameson,Bushmills)either double or Trippled Distilled
Pure Pot Still.Redbreast,Greenspot
De Lux Pot Still(Jameson 12yr,18yr or Powers 12yr)This area needs cat bigtime!!
Single Malts,Bushmills,Cooley
Single Grain(Greenore)
Irish Independant Bottlings Single malts(Brogans,Irishman,Merrys,wildhgeese etc)
British Co(Irish " " " " (Cadenhead,Blackadder,Signatory etc)
Vintage Malts(Middleton,Knappogue,)
Cask Strenght (Connemara etc)
Single Cask(The Tyrconnell)
Un Chilled Filtered(Redbreast 15,etc)
Special wood finishes(The Tyrconnell)
But please no "Blends or Grogging"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Keep the Faith,

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

I always feel there is a lot of pomposity put into all this talk about blends and single malts as the truth of the matter is that virtually all whisk(e)y is blended. These terms seem to be used in conversation to highten or lessen the authenticity or goodness of a whiskey but to me it is total B.S. All Blending or Vatting means is basically the mixing of the constituents in a whiskey. This is done in large stainless steel vats.

However this is the acepted meanings of the terms

Simply put a blend is a mix blend or vatting of grain & of single Malt or Pure Pot Still or all 3. All current IDL products are blends except the Redbreast 12yo & Greenspot. Therefore the entire Jameson range is blended.

A whisk(e)y can only be called a Single malts if the malt whiskey is only distilled in the one distillery. However single malts are themselves a blend of a selection of single cask malts. The only true single malt in my eyes is a single cask expression.

A vatted malt is a blend (or vatting as both mean the same) of malts from different distilleries. They term vatting is used so as to try to and dissassociate itself from blends. It has also been described as Pure malt and a couple other frivilous names.


The Single Malt Scotch Whiskey industry has done it's damedest to distance itself from the Blend industry. This is because the blend industry is littered with cheap blends containing small amounts of malt.

However in Ireland we have less of a hang up about blends and most of the top blend brands are much better quality blends in general but it is easier to do so as we have a much smaller product range than the scotts.

Basically what I would prefer is that people take every whiskey on it's merrits and taste rather than letting what is writen on the label colour their judgement. A good whiskey is a good whiskey not matter whether it is a pur epot still, single Malt, vatted malt, Blend or Grain whiskey.

[jcskinner]

Or, for that matter, corn whiskey, wheat whiskey, bourbon, tennessee whiskey, or rye.

[Whiskey Pilgrim]

Kaixo,
I agree with Adrian in principle,but when you see million dollar lawsuits and serious court cases such as the Carhdu Pure versus single malt affair(although in all fair trade fairness its a bit of a dupe if you pay the same for Single &Pure malt Carhdu)the aul distilleries are taking liberties...
Or the "Glen" row in Canada..its all BS but serious money BS..PUT SIMPLY yes all whiskey should be graded on its merit,but also two the publics interest has to be protected against unscruoplous(dodgey spelling again) products.IF we go down the route like wine with distinct and controlled applilations the industry will win more kudos and when it comes to collecting ,whiskey will be a more interesting valuable and worth while investment.
This is more important with the Irish Whiskeys which has suffered in the Public Relations stakes in terms as being taken seriously...
In Short in pratice i disagree with Adrian,we need to protect Irish whiskey fledge-ling new revival by trusted measures pratices etc and not repeat the Irish whiskey history blunders of the past.........

Take life,Politics,religion with a pintch of salt,but Whiskey the holy grail..take seriously !!!!

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

I wasn't sure what you were getting at but now see what you mean. However all I can say is that categories will always be misused and abused no matter how you do them and it is usually by the big boys that do the most damage. And blends are the worst. It is clear the categories like Luxury Blend, Premium Blend or even super Premium blend are already abused. We see a gluth of cheap blends marketed as Premium with premium prices but they are often no better than standard blends and Super Premium blends are pure just fantasy half the time.

However it would be nice that Irish Whiskey took itself more seriously and properly looked at the market and even try to create new markets like they did with Midleton. Midleton is a good whiskey, easy drinking that will offend very few, but it is priced as an aspirational drink rather than what it is worth the same with Johnny Walker Blue but it worked. Jameson did come out with the unbelieveable Jameson Rarest also but the initial costs where immense compared to the rest of the range and these may never become collectable because of the Company's direction. IDL are in over drive with Jameson regular and are currently selling circa 2.3 million cases a year and hope to double this by 2012 The collectablity of Irish Whiskey I feel will always be held back by the Jameson noose because it is the Face of Irish Whiskey and it concentration on world domination with a regular blend is never going to instill a pashion for a whiskey and of course IDL does not really entertain collectable bottles. Therefore the lack of collectablity from Jameson possibly over 2/3rds of the Irish Whiskey market holds back the rest.

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

.... The collectablity of Irish Whiskey I feel will always be held back by the Jameson noose because it is the Face of Irish Whiskey and it concentration on world domination with a regular blend is never going to instill a pashion for a whiskey and of course IDL does not really entertain collectable bottles. Therefore the lack of collectablity from Jameson possibly over 2/3rds of the Irish Whiskey market holds back the rest.

However in saying that ... if the dramatic growth in the Irish whiskey world predicted comes true it may change the land scape as Cooley and Bushmills will get bigger and possibly more dedicated audiences ...

2008 saw 4.5 million cases (12x70cl) of Irish Whiskey sold world wide.

It is predicted that this will nearly double to 8million cases in 2012. Which is phenomenal growth.

Just have to keep the fingers crossed.

[Whiskey Pilgrim]

Kaixo Chico´s,
More reason to clear up our labels, Have a read of what Jim Murray has to say on the subject in his Whisk(e)y Bible.
Agur,Slain y Slainte !!

[Luke Gough]

Last years "Single Cask from Midleton" from CWS is a blend of Single Cask Pure Pot Still and Grain Whiskey finished in the same cask - how's that for confusion!

That said, I'd be surprised to see anyone turn their nose up to it on the basis that it's a blend (I have two bottles stashed! )

My point is that a well balanced blend with grain or vatting of malt can be equally satisfying. Snobbery be damned!

The Society's meeting next Wednesday should be good fun and, hopefully, some good blends will be in evidence!

[JohnM]

Last years "Single Cask from Midleton" from CWS is a blend of Single Cask Pure Pot Still and Grain Whiskey finished in the same cask - how's that for confusion!

That said, I'd be surprised to see anyone turn their nose up to it on the basis that it's a blend (I have two bottles stashed! )

My point is that a well balanced blend with grain or vatting of malt can be equally satisfying. Snobbery be damned!

I agree with that 100%, Luke.