Individual single malts have their own distinctive flavors and attributes. These variations basically come about from each distiller's own unique combination of barley, water, and peat. Every distillery has its own water source and supply of barley. During the malting process, peat is added to the fire, which results in the smoky flavor of scotch whiskey. Water is the one single ingredient that gives each single malt its distinctive character.
Water sources differ on the amount of peat, granite and heather they contain.
These factors come together to give each scotch its own uniqueness and flavor. There are five basic steps in the making of single malts. These consist of malting, mashing, fermentation, distillation and maturation. Barley is first screened to weed out any foreign particles, and then it is soaked in water tanks for about three days. Some distillers will then place it on concrete malting floors from one to two weeks until partial germination.