"Malt does more than Milton can
To justify God’s ways to man."

A.E. Houseman, “A Shropshire Lad”

Well, we might not go that far, but at D&M we do have a passion for Single Malt Scotch Whisky that we can’t help but share. For those who don’t know, most Scotch whisky is produced at various locations and it then goes into blends, like Chivas Regal, Johnnie Walker or Dewars. A Single Malt Scotch Whisky is the product of one distillery, unblended with any other distillery’s make, or with any grain whisky. Most (but not all) of these distilleries are owned by the big liquor companies that own the big blends, and many are rarely seen bottled on their own. Others, Macallan’s is a fine example, are bottled almost exclusively in their unblended state. 

At D&M we keep between two and three hundred different Single Malts on our shelves all the time. Why do we do that? Because each of these whiskies is an individual, and there are times that call for a seriously smoky malt, an Ardbeg, say. Then, there are those bright and pretty mornings when only a delicately ladylike Rosebank will fit the bill. 

The other thing that you should know about these distilleries is that many of them are closed every year. The holy site that once produced Rosebank is now a parking lot. The lamented Port Ellen only serves for floor maltings for other distilleries and the great Speyside distillery of Dallas Dhu is a museum. Some of these wonderful malts will just slip through your fingers if you’re not careful. 

If you have a hankering for Single Malts (and the heart of a Scotsman) you might check out one of our two Single Malt clubs: The D&M Single Malt Aficionado’s Society and the D&M Single Malt Connoisseur’s Club.