Malting is the first stage in whisky-making. The technique involves germinating the barley to obtain what we call malted barley.
To do so, the grains must be soaked in pure Scottish water for two or three days. They are then dried slowly in a malting area.
Whilst drying, the barley is regularly stirred and the temperature is carefully regulated to closely control the germination progress. The duration of this process varies depending on the time of year.
From the distillery, the Scots also observe the change in season. Traditional expertise is at work, allowing the barley to slowly reach the desired degree of germination.
Once perfectly malted, the barley is then dried out in an oven and is ready to be mashed.