Whisky / Whiskey

WHISKY / WHISKEY

Defining Whisk(e)y in general

The simplest explanation of what a whisk(e)y is could be broken down into "a grain spirit which has been matured on oak". Some whiskies are made out of only one grain, other whiskies require a specific blend of grains in order to produce the desired character and style. The word itself derives from the Gaelic words 'Uisge Beatha' which translates to 'water of life'. The spelling, adding the 'e' or not, differs from country to country and sometimes even between producers. As with many other spirits whisk(e)y is produced across the world in endless variations. The most common denominator that is covered by most laws and regulations would be the above distinction of a grain spirit matured on oak.

Most whiskies are made up of a blend of different barrels of matured whisk(e)y (note that these blends could be from the same grain or not), either from one distillery or different distilleries. These are mixed to produce the desired character of a whisk(e)y and then bottled. In some cases however the producer chooses to bottle a specific barrel. These are often labeled as 'single cask' or 'single barrel'. There are a lot of other categories and labeling terms that refer to different styles and processes. The different categories and labeling terms will be covered under the relevant type of whisk(e)y in this chapter.

In contrast to many other spirits which often only have one base material whisk(e)y can be made out of barley, corn, wheat, rye or a combination of these. There are also new examples of before untried grains but these are rarities. The grain or grains used will have a significant impact on the end products taste and character. The ageing and maturation will also affect the outcome of the distillate. As discussed in the second chapter the type of wood, climate, charring level of the barrels, time spent on wood will all play their part. The distillation process (cutting points in distillation, type and design of still) will also have an effect on the end product but not nearly as much as the base material and maturation.

Worth mentioning here is malting and especially the use of malted barley. As discussed in the fermentation chapter we have to convert the starches into sugars with the help of conversion. The use of malted barley is more effective than other malted grains (which is seldom used and in fact most often cooked instead of malted). Therefore malted barley is often included to some extent to aid the conversion in many whiskies. Note that even though this is common it doesn't have to be any barley in the product.

Down below you will find different categories of whiskies according to countries and regions. These are often regulated by law to be able to label with certain terms. However it doesn't always mean that producers choose to produce distillates according to these rules. Some go outside the box ignoring traditions or certain labelling terms to break new grounds.

The United States produces a few different styles of whiskies; Bourbon, Wheat, Rye, Corn and Tennessee whiskey. American whiskey in general does not have any minimum requirement when it comes to maturation time but it has to be stored on oak before it can be called 'Whiskey'. There is however a 2 year requirement to use the labeling term 'straight' and when matured for a time less than 4 years the bottle has to state the age on the label whereas age statements above 4 years are optional.

Noteworthy: White Dog or Moonshine are terms used for unaged whiskey. The big difference here except of course for the taste is that these unaged examples aren't actually allowed to be called 'Whiskey' as they haven't been stored on oak at all.

Bourbon

Bourbon must consist (by law) of at least 51 % corn mash (but no more than 79%) to which a small selection of rye (and sometimes wheat) and malted barley (used both as a flavor contributor and for its enzymes) is added. Bourbon can be produced anywhere in the USA but in order to be labeled with "Kentucky" it has to be made in the namesake state.

Depending on what type of grain/grains you choose to combine the corn mash with, and also the amount, the spirit taste will have different outcomes. Corn gives the spirit its signature soft sweetness as well as tight and slightly grainy mouth at a young age, that is mellowed and becomes richer with time. Rye on the other hand gives more punsch, spice, citrus and a dusty mouth when young. It's detected in Bourbon on the middle of the palate with its intense, acidic, oily and spicy bite. Wheat, in the cases in which it is used, contributes with a gentle round mouthfeel as well as notes of honey.

Brand-new and charred barrels have to be used when maturing Bourbon. The new American oak gives the spirit vanillin and lactones and the charred inside is what causes its reddish hue. Notes of vanilla, coconut, pine, sweet spice, chocolate, tobacco and cherry will develop over time. No artificial flavorings or color are allowed to be added at any point of production.

Noteworthy: When discussing American whiskies, especially Bourbon and Tennessee, the term 'sour mash' is usually a subject of misconception and thought to be some sort of special category, which it is not.

Nearly all Bourbon is made using sour mash, which could be described as leaving a part of the used mash for the next batch of whiskey (think sourdough bread). In short, this process improves consistency, quality and taste of the mash and in turn the end product.

Tennessee whiskey has to be produced in the state of Tennessee and according to federal law it also has to be a Bourbon. The state of Tennessee also requires it to go through a maple charcoal filtering, which mellows the whiskey and gives it a sweet and smoky flavor. This process is called the 'Lincoln County Process' and is ultimately what makes these whiskeys stand out from the crowd. But as always there is an exception to the rule which is a single producer exempt from the law who can label its whiskey 'Tennessee' without going through the Lincoln County Process.

Rye

Rye whiskey must be distilled from a mash made out of at least 51 % malted rye and be matured on new and charred oak barrels. Rye produces a drier spirit with more spice, fruit and attack compared to the sweeter, more full-bodied corn-based Bourbon does. Historically rye was the predominant choice is america but after prohibition bourbon nearly wiped the rye market clean. In modern times the amount of rye producers have significantly increased.

Corn

Corn whiskey is the odd sibling of the american whiskies. To be labeled as Corn whiskey the spirit has to be made out of at least 80% corn (maize). Corn whiskey does not have to be stored on oak at all in order to be called Corn whiskey. Furthermore, if the producer should choose to mature Corn whiskey it does not need to be matured in new or charred barrels either.

Wheat

Even though Wheat whiskies might be somewhat rare they still follow the family rules. Wheat whiskey requires a minimum of 51 % wheat based mash bill. And just as with Bourbon and Rye, Wheat whiskey requires new and charred oak barrels.

Noteworthy: As Bourbon, Rye and Wheat whiskies require new barrels for each batch. North America supplies the rest of the world with barrels for aging other spirits. This is well appreciated as the first use of a barrel gives a lot of flavor which isn't always desired in other kinds of spirits.

In 'Canadian whisky', 'Canadian Rye Whisky' or 'Rye Whisky' corn is the most commonly used base material. Flavoring with small batches of rye is common practice and therefore historically earned its name even though Canadian law does not actually demand rye to be used in the product. Most examples of Canadian whiskies are simple and gentle whiskies which by law have to be matured for a minimum of 3 years.

Scotch whisky

Scottish whisky has to be made out of cereal grain, yeast and water. The spirit has to be aged in Scotland in oak casks of no more than 700 liters for at least 3 years and the minimum bottling strength is 40% alcohol by volume. All of the above is regulated in the 'Scotch Whisky Regulations'. The age labeled unit on the bottles refers to the youngest part of the whisky when blending different barrels of the same whisky or different whiskies from different distilleries.

There are a number of different labeling terms used on Scotch whiskies. To make it more comprehensible let us break them down below:

Single Malt Scotch Whisky - This term means that the whisky derives from a single distillery. It is based on 1 00% malted barley and has been distilled in pot stills. When talking about Single malts we often mention the regions in which the whisky is produced. Whisky however is not affected by terroir (the earth in which the grain has grown) as with wine and to some extent even Tequila and Martinique Rhum may be. Although different styles can be seen in different regions this is more due to traditions then the actual terroir. The most notable is the lighter Highland whiskies in contrast to the heavily peated (smoky) Islay whiskies.

Single Grain Scotch Whisky - This term refers to a whisky that derives from a single distillery but has had malted and/or unmalted cereals other than barley added to it. The term 'single' might be confusing here but actually refers to the use of a single distillery not the use of a single type of grain. Single grain is not commonly bottled by itself but most often used in blends.

Blended Scotch Whisky - a blend of at least one Single Malt Scotch Whisky with at least one Single Grain Scotch Whisky. This last category is the most common and actually covers 90% of Scotland’s whisky production.

Blended Malt Scotch Whisky - a blend of at least two Single Malt Scotch Whiskies from different distilleries. This used to be called vatted malt or pure malt, terms that now are prohibited.

Blended Grain Scotch Whisky - a blend of at least two Single Grain Scotch Whiskies.

Irish whiskey is most often distilled thrice and doesn't see much use of peat. The result is a cleaner, smoother finish compared to its neighbor Scotland and their whiskies. As far as we know today Ireland was the first country in the world to produce whiskey.

The Irish Whiskey Act of 1 980 regulates what is and what isn't Irish whiskey. Irish whiskey must be distilled and aged in the State or in Northern Ireland. The spirit must be aged for at least three years on wood holding no more than 700 liters. If the whiskey is made on a combination of two or more different types of grains, the product is labeled 'blended'. As with Scotland, Ireland also produces single malts but there is no regulation on this term in the act.

Japanese whisky

Japan adopted the ways of making whisky from Scotland back in 1 923. Today they have earned their name and place in the world of whiskies especially as a contributor of premium single malts. Japan also produces blends but the big difference here is that all the blends come from a single distillery they never mix with other distilleries. Worth mentioning is also the fact that Japan imports all the barley and peat used for their whiskies from Scotland.

Remember this?

Single Cask / Single Barrel Uisge Beatha Means the content of a bottle derives from a single cask Gaelic word meaning roughly 'water of life'. This word is or barrel. where the word 'whisky' comes from.

American 'Straight' Whiskey Single Malt Whisky The term 'straight' means an american whiskey stored on 1 00% malted barley based whisky from one single oak for at least 4 years. distillery.

Sour Mash Blended Scotch Whisky A method commonly used in the production of American A blend of at least one Single Malt Whisky and at least whiskey and especially Bourbon. one Single Grain Whisky

Lincoln County Process The process of filtering Bourbon through maple charcoal turning it into a Tennessee whiskey.