Whisky · Explainer
What is a blended malt whisky?
A blended malt Scotch whisky is a blend of two or more single malts distilled at more than one distillery, without grain whisky added. That is how it is set out in regulation 3 of the Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009, which recognise five categories of Scotch. Since those same rules, the old designation pure malt has been banned.
In brief
The key figures
| Legal description | Blend of two or more single malt Scotch whiskies from more than one distillery |
|---|---|
| Source | Regulation 3(2), Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 |
| Grain whisky | Not included; with grain whisky it is called blended Scotch whisky |
| Old name | Vatted malt |
| Prohibited term | Pure malt, banned by regulation 11 |
| Distillery name | Only permitted as a brand name if everything was distilled there |
| Age | Refers to the youngest whisky in the blend |
| The five categories | Single Malt, Single Grain, Blended Malt, Blended Grain and Blended Scotch Whisky |
What makes a whisky a blended malt?
A blended malt consists of two or more single malts distilled at different distilleries, and contains no grain whisky.
Regulation 3(2) of the Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 describes the category as a blend of two or more single malt Scotch whiskies, distilled at more than one distillery.
Each component is thus itself a single malt: distilled in pot stills from water and malted barley, without other grains, at a single distillery.
What is the difference with blended Scotch whisky?
Blended Scotch contains grain whisky in addition to malt whisky; a blended malt does not.
The five categories in the rules are Single Malt, Single Grain, Blended Malt, Blended Grain and Blended Scotch Whisky. Only the last combines malt with grain.
Blended grain is the mirror image: a blend of grain whisky from more than one distillery, without malt whisky.
Why is it no longer called pure malt?
Regulation 11 of the Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 prohibits the designation pure malt on Scotch.
The ban also applies to texts in which the word pure belongs to malt as an adjective, even if other words come in between.
Before 2009, vatted malt and pure malt were used interchangeably. Since then, blended malt Scotch whisky has been the only permitted designation for this category.
May a distillery name appear on a blended malt?
No, a distillery name may not be used as a brand name or as part of a brand name unless the whisky has been distilled entirely at that distillery.
Regulation 9 of the Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 prohibits that, and also prohibits any presentation that could lead the public to think the whisky comes from somewhere other than where it was actually distilled.
A blended malt therefore carries its own brand name. The distilleries behind the blend often remain unnamed.
What does the age on a blended malt mean?
An age on the bottle always refers to the youngest whisky in the blend.
Regulation 12 prescribes that an age is expressed in years and refers to the youngest component. A blend with whiskies of eight, twelve and eighteen years is therefore called eight years old.
Without an age statement the whisky has matured for at least three years, because that is the lower limit for Scotch.
From the shop in Bathmen
Which blended malts are stocked in Bathmen?
In the shop in Bathmen there are 50 blended malts from 33 different brands from 3 countries. Prices range from € 22.99 to € 399.99. The alcohol percentage ranges from 40% to 58.6%.
- Berry Bros & Rudd Blended Malt Scotch Whisky Islay Reserve 44.2% · 70 cl · Scotland
- Big Peat 12 Years Old Islay Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 46% 46% · 70 cl · Scotland
- Big Peat Islay Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 46% · 70 cl · Scotland
- Big Peat Peatrichor Islay Blended Malt 58.3% · 70 cl · Scotland
- Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 1989 MM 42.8% · 70 cl · Scotland
- Bonailie Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 40% · 70 cl · Scotland
- Campbeltown Loch Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 46% · 70 cl · Scotland
- Clan Danny Blended Malt 46% · 70 cl · Scotland
- Clan Denny Traditional Islay Blended Malt 40% · 70 cl · Scotland
- Compass Box Orchard House Blended Malt 46% · 70 cl · Scotland
Related questions
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Short answer
Short answers to related questions
- Is blended malt the same as vatted malt?
- Yes, vatted malt is the old name. Since the Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 the designation is blended malt Scotch whisky.
- Is there grain whisky in a blended malt?
- No. As soon as grain whisky is added, it is called blended Scotch whisky.
- How large is the share of blended Scotch in exports?
- According to the Scotch Whisky Association, bottled blended Scotch accounted for 59.4 percent of export value in 2024 and single malt for 31 percent.
- Is a blended malt lesser than a single malt?
- The category says something about origin, not about quality. A blended malt comes from more than one distillery.
- May a blended malt be bottled at cask strength?
- Yes. The category sets requirements for composition, not for strength, with 40 percent as the legal minimum for Scotch.
The reasoning
Sources
- The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009, regulation 3, legislation.gov.uk (accessed 2026-09-07)
- The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009, regulation 11, legislation.gov.uk (accessed 2026-09-07)
- The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009, regulation 9, legislation.gov.uk (accessed 2026-09-07)
- Scotch Whisky Categories, Scotch Whisky Association (accessed 2026-09-07)
This page was written and checked by ’t Bockje Bathmen, wine and spirits shop at Brink 2 in Bathmen. Last updated on 9 September 2026.
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