Caramel malt is what we call the dark, aromatic, roasted malts. But why use caramel malt in whisky? The question may seem odd, but the answer opens up an entire world of flavours and traditions that usually belong more to beer than to whisky.
We not only grow all our grain ourselves, we also malt it ourselves. We’ve designed our malting drums to create an abundance of flavours in ways that are unusual for a classic whisky distillery. But we are not classic, so the real answer is: why not?
From Pale Malt to the Dark Side
All whisky begins with malt. Most people associate malt with whisky in its most classic form: pale, sprouted barley, gently dried so that the starch in the grain can be converted into sugar during mashing. But caramel malt is something else entirely. Here the malt undergoes an extra treatment. By heating the grain while it is still wet, the kernels go through a kind of “built-in mashing,” where natural sugars are formed inside the kernel before it is dried and roasted into a golden or even dark malt. The result is a malt whose flavour is already shaped by sweetness, depth, and a complexity of nuances rarely found in new make spirit – or even in whisky itself.
A Guest from the World of Beer
Caramel malt is best known from brewing. It brings body and colour to everything from dark stouts and porters to rich ales. Here it contributes notes of caramel, toffee, and sometimes lightly toasted bread. In whisky, however, it is a seldom-seen guest. That is partly due to tradition, partly to technical reasons: caramel malt has lower enzyme activity and starch content than regular malt, which means it is less efficient. And no sugar means no alcohol. So it produces a lower yield of spirit – but in return, it offers a greater yield in flavour. Whisky production has historically been optimized for high yield and consistent taste, which is why caramel malt has rarely found its way into a distillery’s mash tun.
When Sweetness Moves In
For us, this is the core of it all. Where ordinary pale malt provides a neutral foundation, caramel malt adds depth and complexity even before the spirit touches the cask. In the whisky, this shows itself as a rich, almost syrupy mouthfeel that lies like a foundation beneath the aromas from the wood. In the glass, it can evoke associations of black tea, freshly roasted coffee, dark chocolate, or the crisp top of a crème brûlée.
New to the Palate and the Habit
Whisky is always built on the character of its raw materials: soil, grain, water, and wood. Choosing caramel malt is therefore a conscious decision to let the grain take center stage as an active agent – and a choice that can divide opinions and challenge habits. For some, the result is a revelation of richness and depth they have rarely encountered before, while others experience it as a break from the classic expression they associate with whisky. That is the nature of innovation: it provokes, challenges, and sparks discussion. Tradition, however, has its own strength, and it is precisely in the meeting of the two that new paths are revealed. For us, it is not about right or wrong, but about exploring the possibilities of the grain we grow and malt ourselves – driven by a curiosity we cannot let go.
