Locally grown barley is generally used to make Malt Whisky. After it is malted it is coarsely milled and mixed in large vats, or "washbacks", with warmed but pure spring water. Yeast is added and fermentation ensues.

The resulting "wash" is double distilled in traditional copper pot stills. After distillation the young spirit is run off into oak barrels for maturation. By law it cannot be called Scotch Whisky until it has been aged for at least three years. Royal Silk is over five years old.