There is little bit of confusion, especially amongst Single Malt enthusiasts, about Blending (or Vatting) - when one of more casks of mature whisky are effectively mixed together. 99% of all Single Malts are a blend of more than one cask; this can be anything between two casks and literally dozens of casks.

Artisan scale Whisky makers, like Compass Box Whisky, may select a handful of casks from different distilleries to create a balanced Malt Whisky. Larger producers (Glenfiddich, Macallan, Glenmorangie) will select a large number of casks to mix together so that they can replicate a consistent house style for their Single Malt bottlings.

When the words ‘Single’ and/or ‘Malt’ are absent, then you have what is generally refered to in the UK as whisky, or a blended whisky, while in North America it is referred to simply as Scotch to differentiate it from the local Whiskies such as Rye Whiskey, Bourbon Whiskey or Canadian Whisky.

Blended Scotch Whisky contains, as a rough rule, from between 15% and 45% Single Malts blended with Scotch Grain Whisky - a lighter and more rectified spirit that is distilled in much larger batches using a continuous column spirit still in contrast to the smaller batch pot stills used for Single Malts.