There are different styles of whisky, each with their own unique taste and jargon.

Straight • Straight whisky must be aged a minimum of two years in charred, new-oak barrels. • Straight whisky must NOT have any added coloring, flavoring or other spirits.

Blended • Blended whisky is the product of blending different types of whiskies and often neutral and near-neutral spirits, coloring and flavorings. • Blended whisky is generally the product of mixing one or more higher-quality straight or single malt whiskies with neutral spirits and water.

Rye THINGS • Rye whisky is made in the USA. EVERYONE • Rye whisky must contain at least 51 percent rye by law. • Rye whisky must be aged in charred, new-oak barrels. SHOULD • Unaged rye and bourbon are commonly called “white dog.” KNOW • Rye whisky that has been aged in charred, new-oak barrels for at least two years may be designated as “straight,” as in “straight rye whisky.” ABOUT • Rye whisky delivers a spicy, fruity flavor. • Rye whisky is sometimes referred to as America’s equivalent of an Islay whisky. WHISKY • Rye essentially disappeared after Prohibition, but is one of the fastest-growing categories of brown spirits today. According to Impact Databank, between 2010 and 2012, rye consumption in the United States more than doubled. The word whisky comes to us from the Bourbon Gaelic “uisce beatha,” meaning “water of • Bourbon whisky is made in the USA. life” or, perhaps more • Bourbon whisky must be comprised of at least 51 percent corn. accurately, “lively • Bourbon whisky is noticeably sweeter than rye whisky due to the higher volume of corn. water.” In Latin, “aqua • By law, Tennessee whisky is required to be “straight” bourbon. vitae” was the name • Bourbon that is labeled as straight that has been aged less than four years must be labeled with given to any distilled the duration of its aging. spirit. What we now • Several terms are used to classify the types of American whiskies known as bourbon and call whisky is really Tennessee whisky: the result of centuries of experimentation, • Sour mash whisky innovation and, to a • To maintain flavor consistency from year to year and to create a healthier great extent, what environment for yeast, a distiller saves some of the spent mash from one might be called batch to include in the next batch. “happy accidents.” • The term is not an indicator of quality, just of the technique. But the basic process • Small batch bourbon of distilling spirits • A modern version of the old pot-still method of making whisky (akin to from fermented mash remains as primal as craft distilling). it was when it was • The term was introduced in the 1980s by the Jim Beam Company. first practiced in the • Bottled from a small group of specially selected barrels that are blended monasteries of Medieval together in a manner similar to reserve wines. Europe in the 13th • Every distiller has his own interpretation of what constitutes a “small century. (“Coppersea batch.” Distillery: Lively Water” by Jeff Crane, Chronogram, (continued on page 2) November 1, 2013) page 1 (continued from page 1)

• Single barrel bourbon • Bottled from one specifically chosen cask. • Obviously, the flavor depends on the distiller’s ability to match the current preference in whisky tastes. • Each bottle from the barrel should state the barrel number on the label.

Irish Whisky • Irish whisky is made in Ireland. • Irish whisky must be aged for at least three years in wooden barrels. • Irish whisky must be distilled to an ABV below 94.8 percent. THINGS Canadian Whisky EVERYONE • Most Canadian whiskies are blended multi-grain liquors containing a large percentage of corn. SHOULD • Canadian whiskies are typically lighter and smoother than other whiskies. KNOW • Whisky made in Canada may contain any ratio of corn to rye. In contract to the US “straight rye whisky,” the Canadian counterpart requires aging for at least three years in wood barrels ABOUT (although not in charred or new oak) in order to be called “Canadian whisky,” “Canadian rye whisky” or “rye whisky.” WHISKY • “Rye whisky” and “Canadian whisky” are used interchangeably in Canada and refer to the exact same product. There are different Scotch spellings of whiskey/ • Scotch whisky is made in Scotland. whisky, typically based • Scotch whisky must be aged for a minimum of three years. upon country of origin. The American and • Whiskies from Scotland fall under two broad categories: single (straight) malt whiskies (one Irish prefer “whiskey/ whisky from a single distillery) and blended whiskies (a mixture of two or more whiskies from whiskeys,” while the two or more distilleries) with five styles: Scots, Canadians • Single malt whisky: One whisky from one distillery, distilled from 100 percent malted and Japanese prefer barley. “whisky/whiskies.” • Single grain whisky: One whisky from one distillery, distilled from one grain or a The “e” was taken mixture of grains, commonly up to 20 percent malted barley and up to 80 percent to the United States in the late 1800s by other grains, such as wheat or corn. Irish immigrants who • Vatted or blended malt whisky: The traditional Scottish blended whisky, consisting wanted to differentiate of single malt whiskies, which may come from more than one distillery. their whiskey from the • Blended grain whisky: Made of a mixture of grain whiskies from more than one then low-quality Scotch distillery. whisky that was being • Blended Scotch whisky: A recent innovation, a blend of whiskies commonly made produced. of 20 to 40 percent single malt whisky plus 60 to 80 percent grain whisky, usually from several distilleries.

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