Making whisky is both simple and complex. Its complexity lies not in the distillation process, but in acquiring the skill and experience to finely judge the exact moment to begin and end key stages of that process. And the simplicity of whisky making is best illustrated by its ingredients: golden, sun-ripened barley; pure, soft water; rich, loamy, aromatic peat; and time. Lots and lots of time.

The process of making whisky can be divided into five stages, to which a sixth skill, blending, can also be added. You can follow the process by clicking on each of the barrels in turn.