Whisky Words: Marrying

In the context of making Scotch whisky, "marrying" refers to the process of blending different batches or barrels of whisky together before bottling.

Vic Cameron, one of our whisky lecturers says: “Marrying is a process that we can use before bottling the final expression of whisky. It's really when you take different whiskies and mix them together. It's like blending. So, you take casks and mix them together and then either put them back into other casks or put them into big vats for a period when we say they marry.”

Scotch whisky (even single malt) is often made by blending whiskies from different casks or batches to achieve a desired flavour profile and consistency. Each cask or batch of whisky may have its own unique characteristics due to factors such as aging time, type of cask used, and the environment in which it was aged.

Marrying involves carefully combining these different whiskies to create a balanced and harmonious final product. This process allows the flavours and aromas of the individual whiskies to integrate and meld together, resulting in a smooth and cohesive product that is ready for bottling and consumption.

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