Uh, they're different, not necessarily better. The more distinct characteristics of single malts are A) from the water they use (Islays are peatier, Speys more flowery, for instance), B) if the germinated barley has been peat smoked, C) flavors caused by the shape of the still (which I don't understand) D) and whatever flavors they pick up from the barrels they're aged in and the location they're aged in (like seaside warehoused malts can be saltier or may have seaweed-ish flavoring). They also don't have grain alcohols in them. In short, there's a lot to each distillery that gives its whisky a flavor that makes each distinct; or at least that's what's supposed to happen, but there's a lot that taste more similar, like the Speyside whiskys, which probably take up the majority of the market, like Glenlivet, MacCallan, and Glenfiddich. I think a lot of the Speys have more marketing push behind them, too. For the record I like Jameson a lot. It's solid, smokier, smoother, and doesn't have the bite a lot of other popular Irish whiskeys have. I'm always going to like Powers more, though, because I'm pretty sure it's the last Irish whiskey that's still owned by Irishmen. There's probably differences in the distilling process, too, but I don't know enough about. In essence, I think bourbon, Irish, and Scottish whiskey/whisky are brewed in the same basic way, though. Petulant Child said:
what makes a single malt so much better than say a jameson?
