5 REASONS TO DRINK SINGLE GRAIN WHISKY

Single Grain Whisky is an under appreciated product. Holding just 2% of the Whisky market share, it is an often-ignored category.

There are some big names in the Grain game, including Haig Club, Cameron Bridge and Teeling Irish Whisky. These brands are getting on the wagon early, with new Grain Whiskies popping up more often than not. With the massive boom in interest in Whisky recently, it only makes sense that people would start to broaden their horizons and turn towards Single Grain. At Great Drams, we love to encourage Whisky enthusiasts to branch out in the Whisky market, so here are our top 5 reasons for embracing Single Grain Whisky.

1. It’ll help you to taste blends

Much of the Grain Whisky in production today goes towards bulking out blends, to mellow the flavour of Single Malts. Therefore, it makes sense to start drinking Single Grain if you want to be able to properly taste and analyse a blend. By getting used to the flavours that come from Single grain Whisky, you can become more aware of them in blends. Single Grain Whiskies tend to be sweet, with caramel hints and lots of cereal notes. Being able to sense these in a blend from the beginning will allow you to focus more on what else is coming through, from the Single Malts.

2. It’s a whole new flavour profile

As just mentioned, Single Grains have sweet, cereal based palates. They are mellower than Single Malts but they do have a distinct flavour. It is not uncommon for Grain Whisky to come with somewhat of a stigma, simply for the fact they are not a bold as Single Malt, but they are a great way to explore different processes in Whisky and how different grains effect flavour. You never know, you might even find that you enjoy Single Grain more than Single Malt!

3. Single Grain is perfect for comparisons

Embracing new things is the perfect way to learn more about why you love Whisky in the first place. Drinking Single Grain will give you more knowledge and a wider understanding of Whisky in general. It is the ideal way to learn different flavours and mouth feels and then make comparisons to Whiskies you already know and love. Single Grain is quite light bodied, so it allows you the chance to learn about what that tastes like and compare it to your favourites.

4. It can be just as interesting

A big criticism of Single Grain is that it is not as complex or bold as Single Malt, however, if you really get into tasting it you can still pull a lot out of it. The same processes go into making Single Grain, and it is matured in the same way, so there is still a lot of flavour and complexity to pull out. It would be naïve to think that Single Grain is very basic, so tasting it and comparing several different expressions is the ideal way to learn more about it and to see that it can be just as interesting and intriguing as Single Malt.

5. It is great for cocktails

Single Grain is perfect for making cocktails. Since it is mellower than Single Malt it allows the flavours of whatever you’re mixing it with to come alive and really express themselves. The cereal notes are great in cocktails such as the Old Fashioned or add a nice twist on something like an espresso martini. Single Grains also have a lot of sweet notes, which are perfect for cocktail mixing.