The Role of Water in Scotch Production

The water at Glenlivet travels through granite for decades before it ever touches a grain of barley.

Water is a key ingredient in making Scotch and affects both the process and, according to some, the final flavor of the spirit. 

Throughout production, water serves several important purposes. It is used for production, to cool the condensers, to reduce the strength of the spirit before it goes into a cask, and to generate steam to heat the stills.

Do qualities of the process water used in production, like being peaty, hard, or soft, affect the flavor of whisky? For example, does naturally peaty water on Islay contribute to the taste of an Islay peated whisky?

Many distillers will say yes. Still, this idea has not been proven, and most experts now believe that water does not have a big impact on whisky’s flavor. Instead, it is the raw materials used, production methods, and traditions of each distillery that most impact flavor.

What do you think?