Naked Malt FAQs

A blended malt is a blend of two or more single malt Scotch whiskies from different single malt distilleries.

Naked Malt is a Blended Malt Scotch whisky, meaning that our whisky is made up of some of the finest single malts from Scotland.

There are 5 categories of Scotch whisky: Single Malt, Single Grain, Blended Malt, Blended Whisky & Blended Grain.

To make single malt (which is the product of one single distillery) you need malted barley, water, and yeast.

The barley is mashed with hot water, producing a sugary liquid called wort, which is then fermented with yeast into a strong beer called wash (around 9-10% alcohol by volume usually!), the wash is then distilled in copper stills – normally twice – firstly in wash stills, this will increase the percentage of alcohol to around 20-25%, then again in spirit stills, the alcohol content here will be much higher. Distilleries portion off what is known as the ‘middle cut’ – usually 64%-74% alcohol by volume.

This ‘middle cut’ can then be diluted with water (optional) and filled into an oak cask to mature. After 3 years of maturation in a bonded warehouse, legally this can now be called Single Malt Scotch Whisky. Many casks can be married together to create a more harmonious tasting liquid but so long as they were distilled at the same distillery it remains a single malt.

If we take casks of single malt from multiple distilleries and blend them together, we get something like Naked Malt – crafted from some of the finest single malts from across Scotland. Blending only single malts together gives you blended malt.

A Blended Scotch Whisky is a combination of Single Malt and Single Grain whiskies.

Grain Whisky is made on a far larger scale than single malt. Grain whisky is made from whole cereals such as wheat, corn/maize or rye with a portion of malted barley to provide the natural enzymes and is distilled by a continuous column process rather than in pot stills like Single Malt.

Grain Whisky generally also has a lighter flavour profile and forms the base of Blended Scotch whiskies. Single Malts are then added to the Grain Whisky. Within a Blended Scotch Whisky, you could have one Grain Whisky and one Single Malt, or many of each.

A Blended Malt Scotch Whisky is made up of two or more single malts and will not contain any grain whisky. As Naked contains only a blend of single malts, we are a Blended Malt Scotch Whisky.

That depends on where you are in the world. All Scotch whisky (whether it’s from any of the 5 categories!) is ‘whisky’ with no ‘e’. Internationally you will see whisky spelled as ‘whiskey’ – for example in Ireland and the United States.

As Naked Malt is a blend of Single Malt Scotch Whiskies, we say ‘whisky’ without the ‘e’.

We call ourselves Naked as we believe in doing things differently. We aren’t tied to conventional whisky rules. We don’t dress things up for the sake of it – our Naked Malt bottle and packaging liberates our whisky letting the quality shine through.

We believe in ‘Living Naked’ – to do things our own way and to continually embrace the spirit of freedom.

We pride ourselves on the quality of our whisky. The single malts we use are some of the finest from Scotland, and we go the extra mile by maturing our exceptional blend for an additional six months in first-fill sherry casks.

Scotch whisky must be matured inside oak casks and typically those casks will have held another type of liquid before (such as bourbon, red wine, sherry, or beer!)

Sherry casks are very traditional when it comes to Scotch whisky maturation and they’ve been used for hundreds of years; but they also provide a rich and fruity flavour to our whisky as it extra-matures, so that’s why we love them!

We call our first-fill seasoned Sherry Casks ‘Naked’ because they’ve never held whisky before. We extra mature our unique blend of single malts in these casks for six months, which adds a layer of rich and fruity flavour.

Oak casks that are used to mature Scotch whisky be used several times, however, Naked Malt is only ever extra matured in first-fill seasoned sherry casks.

If that cask was used to hold another type of liquid before being used for whisky (i.e sherry) the first filling of whisky into that Sherry cask once the Sherry is emptied from it is known as the ‘first-fill’. This is where we will see maximum colour and flavour coming from the cask.

If you visit the Buy Now section of our website, you will find a list of countries where Naked Malt is available to buy with a recommended retailer and link to purchase.

You can also find Naked Malt in some of the world’s best bars so keep an eye on the cocktail menu and backbar when you next visit your local!

We go the extra mile with our whisky making process and that helps to create a high-quality, versatile blended malt that’s perfect for enjoying however you like it. Whether that’s neat, on the rocks, or as part of cocktail.

Naked Malt is a mainstay in many of the world’s best bars and beloved by bartenders across the globe. Our favourite way to serve it is in one of our signature Naked Sours. A Naked Sour can be innovative and experimental, or something simple and traditional that you can create at home. Check out our Naked Sour recipes for some cocktail inspiration.

Traditionally a whisky sour will contain whisky, lemon juice, sugar, and (optionally) a dash of egg white.

However, there are plenty variations of the Naked Sour that are suitable for everyone. From the simple classics like the Apple Sour to slightly more complex recipes such as our Nude York Sour, to more festive editions like the Naked Mulled Sour, there really is a sour to suit everyone.

These recipes can always be tweaked to suit, including swapping in vegan options. Don’t be scared to get creative and make your own!

Naked Grouse became Naked Malt in May 2021. We changed our name and packaging to reflect the important aspects of our whisky – our use of ‘Naked’ first-fill sherry casks, and ‘Malt’ because we use only the finest single malts for our blend.

On every bottle of Naked Malt, you will find one our trademark ‘Naked’ casks etched into the glass, an homage to the unique extra-maturation process that helps shape the distinctive and versatile whisky inside. Our packaging became 100% recyclable, and to acknowledge the care and craftsmanship that goes into crafting Naked Malt, each bottle now carries the signature of our Master Blender.

The liquid in the bottle remains the same great-tasting, award-winning whisky it always was.

Whisky is made from just 3 simple ingredients: water, barley, and yeast. (Yeast is typically considered a vegan food.) So yes, our whisky is suitable for vegans/those who follow a plant-based diet.

When it comes to our Naked Sours, there are many options that are already vegan and require no tweaking to the recipe such as the Pomegranate, Berry and Apple Sours. However, all of our recipes can be altered to accommodate a plant-based diet – for example, our Naked Affogato, subbing regular ice cream for vegan ice cream, and our Naked Fizz – ensuring that the Prosecco used is vegan-friendly. A few of our recipes include honey or honey syrup, which can be easily swapped for sugar or agave syrup instead.

During the distillation process all gluten is removed from the spirit leaving the spirit gluten-free so Naked Malt can be enjoyed by those with gluten intolerances/coeliac disease.