Whisky

What is whisky?

Whisky is made from grain (primarily barley), but also rye, corn, wheat and other grain types. Whisky production generally consists of five steps: malting, drying, fermentation, distillation, and maturation. Malting is a process where grain is steeped in water and then allowed to germinate. After germination, the grain is dried to prevent the sprout from developing into a plant. However, the germinated grain has managed to convert its starch into the sugar maltose, which yeast converts into alcohol during the fermentation process.

Why does some whisky taste smoky?

When the germinated/malted grain is to be dried, it is often done with peat, which produces a lot of smoke that flavors the grain. The taste of peat smoke – or peatiness – is present in many whiskies and is particularly typical forScottish Islay whisky.

Fermentation, distillation, and maturation of whisky

The fermentation – or attenuation – of the grain takes place in large vats, typically made of spruce or larch wood. Fermentation can also occur in steel tanks, which impart much less flavor but are easier to clean. During fermentation, the sugars in the grain are converted into alcohol. Fermentation takes place over 2-3 days. The fully fermented liquid is similar to beer and has an alcohol content of 8.5%. It must now be distilled.

Whisky is generally double-distilled in pot stills to preserve as many flavors as possible. The first distillation yields approximately 30% ABV (alcohol by volume), while the next distillation reaches approximately 70% ABV.Irish whiskeyis often distilled 3 times.

Whisky must mature for at least 3 years to be called whisky. Maturation takes place in oak casks, and during maturation, the whisky absorbs flavor from the cask. The cask may be new, but mostly the casks have been used for something else before – often for American bourbon whiskey or Spanish sherry. Only for the maturation ofAmerican bourbon whiskeyis it a requirement that the cask is completely new and made of American oak.

Which countries make whisky?

Whisky is produced especially in Scotland, Ireland, and the USA, but whisky is also produced in other latitudes.Whisky from Japanis highly regarded, and countries likeIndiaand Pakistan also produce whisky – and of courseDenmark.

What types of whisky are there?

Whisky is available as single cask, single malt, blended, and grain. Single cask is whisky from a single cask. Single Malt is from one distillery and one grain type. Blend is from a minimum of two distilleries but can also be a mixture of grain whisky and malt whisky from the same distillery. Grain whisky is made from other grain types than just malted barley, especially wheat, corn, and rye.

Malt whisky

Malt whisky is made from malted barley, i.e., barley that has been steeped in water and allowed to germinate. This forms maltose, a sugar that yeast converts into alcohol during the fermentation process.

Single malt whisky

Single malt whisky means that the whisky comes from one distillery and one type of grain. Single malt whisky is typically a blend/vatting of many different casks of different ages from the same distillery.

Blended whisky

Blended whisky is from a minimum of two distilleries but can also be a mixture of grain whisky and malt whisky from the same distillery.

Which Scottish whisky should I choose?

Scotland is divided into 6 different whisky regions, each with its own distinctive character. Which whisky you should choose depends on what you like. Here's a guide:

Speyside whiskyis named after the River Spey, which also provides water for whisky production. Here, a mild and easily accessible whisky is produced, often without smoke.
Islay whiskycomes from the island of Islay, which especially makes whisky with strong peat smoke and a mineral taste.
Highland whiskyis most often full-bodied and complex whiskies with a bit of a bite and often smoke.
Lowland whiskyis often a little milder, more accessible whiskies without as much smoke and salt.
Campbeltown whiskyare classic single malts, which are often dry, lightly smoky, and with a hint of salt.
Island whiskyis from the islands of Arran, Orkney, Mull, Jura, and Skye. Island whisky takes flavor from the harsh nature and the sea but varies greatly in style. However, they often have smoky and salty notes.

What is the difference between Irish and Scottish whisky?

Besides the fact that the Irish (like the Americans) spell "whiskey" instead of the Scottish spelling "whisky," the difference is thatIrish whiskeyis generally more accessible than Scottish. It has no peat smoke, it is distilled 3 times, making it more 'clean' in taste and in larger stills. Nowadays, there are far fewer whiskey distilleries in Ireland than in Scotland.

What is the difference between whisky and bourbon?

Bourbonis an American whisky type, based on corn and mainly produced in the state of Kentucky. Therefore, "Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey" is often written on the bottle. The word "Straight" may only be used for bourbon whiskey that has been aged for a minimum of 2 years. For a bourbon to be called bourbon, it must be made in the USA, based on a minimum of 51% corn, and aged in new American white oak casks that have been charred inside.

What is rye whiskey?

Rye whiskeyis based on rye and is mainly produced in American distilleries. Rye whiskey has become popular in recent years, with Danish Stauning also having success with itsStauning Rye.American rye whiskey must be made from at least 51% rye.

How is the age of whisky indicated?

A whisky is typically blended from many different casks of different ages. It is the youngest of the whiskies in the blend that defines the age to be stated on the bottle. If a whisky states 12 years, it means that the youngest whisky in the blend is 12 years old.

What does NAS mean?

In some cases, NAS (No Age Statement) is written on the label. This means that the whisky has matured for at least 3 years, as prescribed, but may also contain whisky of other ages. NAS makes producers more flexible in being able to release whiskies, even if they may have a deficit of a certain vintage.

What is chill-filtration?

If a whisky is chill-filtered, it means that it has been cooled down and filtered to remove some acids, esters, and oils. Whisky contains a lot of oils which, when stored cold, can become opaque. Many people used to think there was something wrong with the whisky because it became cloudy, so chill-filtration was introduced to remove the oils. However, part of the taste experience is also lost when the oils are filtered out, which is why more producers have started bottling whisky without chill-filtration. To prevent the oils in the whisky from becoming cloudy, the whisky is instead bottled at a higher alcohol percentage of 46% ABV.