In an effort to recruit more would-be Whiskey fanatics, I offer the following Whiskey primer.
What is Whiskey?
Whiskey is a broad category of spirits produced worldwide. Its origins are found in either Ireland or Scotland, depending on which legend is most appealing to you. Whiskey, in simple terms, is a spirit – alcohol beverage made from distilling a fermented mash of grains, or a single grain, and then aged in wood casks.
What’s with the ‘E’
In short, Scottish Whisky has no ‘e’ while Irish Whiskey does. There are many theories to explain this subtle difference, including the cheeky suggestion that the Scots were too frugal to buy the additional vowel! The most credible explanation is that in the mid-1800s, Scotch Whisky brands saturated the marketplace with loads of cheaply made Whiskey. Producers in Ireland, in an effort to further distinguish their products, adopted the use of the extra vowel. Certainly, this is not a condition that exists today, but the subtle spelling variation endures. In the world of Whiskey, we generally find that Canada, Japan, and Wales follow the Scottish spelling, while the US uses both spellings. In no way should consumers believe that the choice of one spelling over the other is any indication of style.
The World of Whiskey
Scotch Whisky
Scotch Whisky is, of course, made in Scotland, and to legally be called Scotch Whisky, it must be aged in a wood cask for at least three years. In Scotland and the rest of the UK, Scotch Whisky is commonly referred to as Whisky, whereas in the US, it is often simply called Scotch. A classic example of being lost in translation…
To simplify things, we can categorize Scotch Whisky into three main categories: Single Malt, Blended, and Blended Malt.
Single Malt Whisky is the glamour category and the segment that stirs the greatest passions and near academic interest. Single Malt is best understood by a literal interpretation. Single refers to the Whisky being produced at a “single” distillery (such as Glenlivet). Malt refers to the exclusive grain product used, malted barley. Yes, this is the same malted barley you know as the essential, base ingredient of quality beer.
Blended Scotch Whisky is a blend of any number of malt Whiskies with any number of grain Whiskies. About 19 out of 20 bottles of Scotch Whisky sold are blended whiskies. (Popular examples include Johnnie Walker, Dewars, and Chivas Regal.) Many blended Scotch Whiskies consist of roughly one-third malt whisky and two-thirds grain whisky (of course, this is a generalization and not a rule).
Those who genuinely do not understand Whisky will often malign Grain Whisky. Don’t be in that crowd. Grain Whisky, like any other spirit, can be carefully produced and aged or made in a shoddy manner. Whisky aficionados prize their rare bottlings of old, pure grain Whisky.
Blended Malt Scotch Whisky (formerly Vatted Whisky – a better name in my opinion) is a blend of any number of malt Whiskies. While this category has provided some damn tasty Whiskies over the years, it is largely unknown by the casual Whisky drinker.
Irish Whiskey
Whiskey and Ireland are inseparable. This is the birthplace of Whiskey — although some will dispute this claim. Ireland experienced a glorious rise, becoming the world’s top Whiskey maker, only to witness a calamitous fall from grace. As luck would have it, there has been a recent change of fortune, and Irish Whiskey’s comeback story is still being written.
Irish Whiskey follows the exact aging minimum requirements found in Scotland. Irish Whiskey differs from its Scottish counterpart by being triple-distilled, in most cases, as opposed to the double distillation used by most of Scotland’s malt distillers. Like Scotch Whisky, most Irish Whiskey sold is of the blended variety, meaning that it is a blend of malt and grain Whiskey. In Ireland, grain Whiskey is almost always made exclusively with maize and made in column stills (like Bourbon). Much of the malt Whiskey is made in pot stills. True Irish Pot Still Whiskey is crafted with a significant portion of unmalted barley, resulting in a rich, rustic aromatic profile and distinctive flavors.
Single Malts (and Single Grains) are also produced in Ireland and follow the same set of rules described above in the Scotch Whisky section.
As in Scotland, Irish distillers prefer used casks for the maturation of their Whiskey. Most of the casks in Ireland come from the USA, as Bourbon and Tennessee Whiskey makers are required to use new casks.
Bourbon
Bourbon, by law, must be made in the USA, although many are made in the State of Kentucky. (At one time, most Bourbon was produced in Pennsylvania.) It is required to be made with a majority of corn (at least 51%), with rye, wheat, and malted barley used in varying proportions. Bourbon will always be bold in color and robustly wood-influenced, as it is required to be aged in new, charred oak barrels.
There are no minimum age requirements for Bourbon. However, “Straight Bourbon,” a subcategory that encompasses the majority of the quality Bourbon we all love, is required to be aged for a minimum of two years and is typically aged for four years or more.
Consumers tend to choose their favorites based on style, which has a direct correlation to the Bourbon’s recipe. While all Bourbon must be made with at least 51% corn, the portions of wheat and rye used will greatly influence flavor. Bourbon with a large portion of wheat will tend to be sweeter and softer, while those using a substantial portion of rye are more spicy, bold, and somewhat rustic.
American Rye
As we know, Bourbon must be made with at least 51% corn, and Rye Whiskey must be made with at least 51% Rye. There has never been so much interest in Rye as you will find today. This wasn’t always the case as the resurgence of Rye’s popularity in recent years caught distillers off-guard and in short supply of the spicy nectar. Rye Whiskey can be thought of as Bourbon on steroids. Assertive while lush, filled with a mélange of deep spice flavors accented by an omnipresent impression of spicy Rye.
Canadian Whisky
This is a rather broad and often misunderstood category. Most Canadian Whiskies differ little from American Blended Whiskies, relying heavily upon neutral spirits and little on actual flavor. Corn, wheat, and rye are the typical grains used in the production of these whiskies, while rye has always been the backbone of the classic styles. However, things are changing, and there is an increasing number of Canadian Whiskies that steer clear of the neutral spirit.
Canadian Whisky must contain alcohol made from mashed (crushed, mixed with water, yeast, and fermented) and distilled. The distillate must be aged in wood in Canada for a minimum of three years. Again, the rules are straightforward and focused on the keys to Whisky — it’s derived from grain, distilled, and aged in wood.
Today, Canadian Whisky is as good as or better than it has ever been, and we haven’t seen the peak.
The World
Whiskey is made around the globe — it’s no longer the property of Ireland, the UK, and former colonies. In this century, Whiskey production has expanded significantly in Europe, South America, Australia, New Zealand, and throughout Asia. Twenty years ago, the thought of your local Whiskey market’s aisles expanding to include Whiskies from Malaysia, the Netherlands, Nepal, and Denmark would have stretched the imagination.
Japan has gained worldwide respect in the whiskey industry, releasing its first commercial Whisky in the 1920s and, for many years, shaping both distilleries and production methods in the same vein as Scotland. For decades, most Japanese whisky remained local, but international demand has surged recently, causing prices to rise and supply to become limited. Unfortunately, loose regulations have created loopholes: Whisky only needs to be bottled in Japan to be labeled “Japanese,” meaning some products could be imported spirits with questionable origins. This raises concerns about age statements, ingredients, and authenticity, which threaten the reputation of the category as a whole. To their credit, Japanese producers are working together on voluntary standards that are likely to become law, aiming to rebuild trust. Meanwhile, the global whisky scene is thriving. Producers in countries such as France and Taiwan are earning recognition, and more nations are experimenting with various distilling techniques, aging processes, and ingredients. The takeaway: if you come across an interesting Whiskey from an unexpected region at a fair price, it’s definitely worth exploring.
If you have digested this information, you have mastered the basics of Whisky and are ready to experiment and perhaps dig a little deeper into the stimulating world of Whisky.