The malted barley is made to a wash, that’s fermented after which distillation takes place to a percentage of about 70% ABV. Distillation can be done twice or triple, depending on the production area. After that the raw spirit is matured on oak, mostly in Bourbon or ex-Sherry casks. Maturing is done for at least a regulated time of three years, after which bottling is done. The aging process stops after bottling.

The production process knows several steps. The process starts with wettening the barley to transform it into malt. This process is called malting, after which drying is done above open fire, called kilning. This part of the process has got big influence on the definite taste of the whisky, because of the smoke penetration in the malt. The drying can be done with peat or hot air.  
                                                          

Hereafter during the mashing, the malt is grinded and water is added. In this mash, the starch is transforming to sugar. The next important step in the production process is the fermentation, what creates the alcohol in the mash. The liquid that’s born we call the “wash” and has a alcohol content of about 7 – 8% ABV. The last step is the distillation. The wash is heated in a Copper Pot Still or a stainless steel Column Still to the boiling point of alcohol. The evaporated alcohol is collected and added to other low alcohol wash and the process is repeated up to an ever higher getting alcoholic percentage. This process is repeated two or three times, after which the new spirit is laid on oak barrels for maturation of at least three years. Of course most distillers chose for a much longer maturation time. Good whiskies sometimes reach the age of even 30 years or more.
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