Now that American single-malt has an official definition, it’s been attracting a lot more attention.
Many professional distillers are on board with the TTB’s legal definition of the newest U.S. spirit category, while others are more hesitant to embrace it. However, the new rules don’t touch one element of production: whether American single-malt should be produced on-grain or off-grain.
As we’ve written previously, the differences between producing whiskey on-grain versus off-grain can have a serious effect on both the process and the final flavor of the whiskey. There are advocates on both sides, and you should be aware of the pros and cons of each before deciding what’s best for your distillery.