A blended whiskey (or blended whisky) is a blend of different types of whiskeys and sometimes also neutral spirits, colorings, and flavorings. It is usually a mixture of one or more higher-quality straight or single malt whiskeys with less expensive spirits and other ingredients. It typically priced lower than non-blended whiskies, although there are more expensive "premium" varieties.
Some examples of blended whiskey include Canadian Club, Canadian Mist, Jameson Irish Whiskey, Seagram's Seven, Kessler Whiskey, Hibiki, and Scotch blends such as Johnnie Walker, Ballantine's, Grant's, and Chivas Regal.
Ingredients and uses
Higher proof spirits with less time aging are usually much less expensive to produce than straight whiskeys or single malt whiskeys and are often the primary spirits in blends, along with more premium whiskies and other ingredients added for flavoring.
Most cocktails and mixed drinks that contain whiskey are made using economically priced blended whiskeys rather than higher priced whiskeys, primarily because the presence of the other ingredients makes the subtleties of the taste of the whiskey less critical to the overall taste of the drink.
Age statements
Most blended whiskeys do not list an age, although the regulations governing its production in some countries specify a minimum aging requirement. All spirits in a Canadian, Scottish, or Irish whiskey must be aged at least three years, and any age statement refers to the minimum age of the spirits used in the blend. In the United States, the age statement only refers to the minimum age of the straight whiskey — which must comprise at least 20% of the content — used within the blend. As neutral spirits are not considered whiskeys, they do not have to be aged at all for the production of U.S. blended whiskey.
Other regulations by country
Canada
Most Canadian whiskies are blends. Any grain spirit aged for at least three years in Canada may be called Canadian whisky. Regulations do not specify any distillation limit, although in practice, it differs little from the Scottish and Irish limit of 94.8%, as the purity of neutral grain spirit has a practical limit of approximately that value. Whiskies with a lower distillation proof are also often included for flavor, with rye whisky being characteristically included. Canadian whisky may contain both caramel coloring and flavoring.
Ireland
Irish blended whiskey is defined by the Republic of Ireland's Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine as a blend of two or more different whiskey types among the pot still, malt, and grain whiskey categories. Its production usually includes Irish grain whiskey that is produced from a distillate that "is much less intense in flavor when compared to pot still distillates ... at a strength of 94.5% vol."
Scotland
thumb|150px|[[Johnnie Walker Red Label, the most popular brand of blended Scotch worldwide]]
Under Scotch Whisky Regulations, Blended Malt Scotch Whisky