New! AB Dram Barley is the first non-glycosidic nitrile (non-GN) malt barley to be bred in Canada - opens up greater use of barley in the production of whisky.

AB Dram was produced by the Field Crop Development Centre in Lacombe Alberta. As a malt barley it is suitable for all malt distillation and is comparable to Copeland in yield with a slightly earlier maturity.

Glycosidic nitrile can be produced by germinating barley seeds during the whisky malting process. This is an issue because it is a precursor to ethyl carbamate, a carcinogen. Ethyl carbamate levels in alcoholic beverages is regulated and therefore this is an important issue for whisky maltsters. AB Dram, however, has been bred to not produce any glycosidic nitrile during the malting process, eliminating this concern.

For detailed information on this variety see here.