whisk(e)y

WHISKY

 

DEFINATION

 

• WHISKY IS A SPIRIT MADE BY FERMENTING AND DISTILLING GRAIN.

 

 

USQUEBAUGH

 

• PRONOUNCED AS (WEE SKA BAH).
• MEANING WATER OF LIFE.
• WHISKY FOR SCOTISH AND CANADIAN.
• WHISKEY FOR IRISH AND AMERICAN.

 

TYPES OF WHISKY

 

·         SCOTLAND :– MALTED AND UNMALTED BARLEY WITH SOME CORN.

·         IRELAND: - BOTH MALTED AND UNMALTED BARLEY.

·         U.S.A :– CORN AND RYE.

·         CANADA:–ONLY RYE.

 

PRODUCTION

 

·         POT STILL WHISKY.

·         PATENT STILL WHISKY.

 

·         STEEPING:-BARLIEY SOAK IN WATER UP TO 72 HRS TILL MOISTURECONTENT GOES UPTO 40%.

·         GREEN MALT:- DRAINED GRAIN SPREAD ON FLOOR TO GERMINATE. STARCH TO MALTOSE.

·         KILNING:- GREEN MALT SPREAD ON THE FLOOR HEATED UPTO 51˚C TILL MOISTURE CONTENT IS 3% FOR 72 HRS(PEAT FIRE FOR SCOTCH WHISKY).

·         GRINDING: – GRAINS ARE CRUSHED BY ROLLER MILLS TO FORM WHAT IS CALLED AS GRIST.

·         MASHTUN :– GRIST IS ADDED INTO VESSEL CALLED MASHTUN ALONG WITH WATER WHICH IS HEATED UPTO 65˚C. THIS EXTRACTS THE SUGAR CONTENT FROM GRIST.

·         THE WATER CONTAINING SUGAR IS CALLED WORT.

·         FERMENTATION:- WORT IS COOLED AND FERMENTATION IS DONE FOR 3 DAYS.THE FERMENTED LIQUID IS CALLED AS WASH.

·         THE FERMENTATION TANK IS KNOWN AS WASHBACK.

 

·         DISTILLATION:-POT STILL IN IRELAND ARE MUCH BIGGER THAN IN SCOTLAND.

·         THE FIRST DISTILLATION PRODUCES THREE PARTS

·         HEAD ( FORESHOTS) METHYL ALCOHOL.

·         HEART(LOW WINES) LOW ALCOHOL 40 %.

·         TAIL ( AFTERSHOTS) HEAVIER ALCOHOLS.

·         BOTH  HEAD AND TAIL ARE KNOWN AS FEINTS. 1ST POT STILL KNOWN AS WASHSTILL.

·         SECOND DISTILLATION:-HEAD AND TAILS ARE NOT SUITABLE FOR CONSUMPTION.

·         THEY ARE PUT BACK IN THE FIRST POT STILL FOR REDISTILLATION.

·         THE HEART THEN GOES IN TO A SPIRIT STILL FOR SECOND DISTILLATION.

·         SECOND DISTILLATION AGAIN GIVES

·         HEAD, HEART AND TAILS.

·         HEAD AND TAILS ARE PUT BACK IN TO SPIRIT STILL.

·         HEART IS A REQUIRED SPIRIT WHICH IS WHISKY ALSO KNOWN AS MALT WHISKY ALCOHOL 70% .

 

PATENT STILL

 

·         WHISKY MADE BY THIS METHOD IS KNOWN AS GRAIN WHISKY .

·         GRIAN WHISKY IS ALSO KNOWN AS LIGHT WHISKY AS IT IS ALMOST FREE OF ANY HEAVIER ALCOHOLS.

·         PATENT STILL DOES NOT REQUIRE ANOTHER DISTILLATION GIVES WHISKY AT 80% ALCOHOL.

 

MATURING

 

• WHISKY IS PUT OAK WOOD CASK FOR AGING AFTER REDUCING THE STRENGHT TO 40% WITH SPRING WATER.
• 3YEARS FOR SCOTCH AND 5 YEARS FOR IRISH WHISKY.
• AGING GIVES COLOR AND AROMA TO WHISKY.

 

 

BLENDING

 

·         MALT AND GRAIN WHISKIES ARE MIXED TOGETHER TO GET STANDARD BLEND.

·         AFTER BLENDING WHISKY IS PUT BACK INTO OAK CASKS FOR SOMETIME TO HARMONISE.

·         BLENDING CAN INCLUDES UPTO 70 DIFFERENT WHISKIES.

 

 

FILTERING

·         BLENDED WHISKY IS FILTERED THROUGH ASBESTO AND CARBON SHEETS

·         STRENGHT IS REDUCED BY ADDING WATER AND CARAMEL (FOR COLOUR).

 

BOTTLLING

 

·         BULK-WHISKY :-IS SHIPPED IN BARRELS AND BOTTLED AT DESTINATION. THEY ARE CHEAP AND HAVE MINIMUM MALT TO GRAIN RATIO.

·         BOTTLED AT PLACE OF ORIGIN:-THEY ARE MORE EXPENSIVE THAN BULK AND % OF MAILT IS MORE.

·         NORMALLY DONE FOR SCOTCH AND CANADIAN WHISKY.

 

SCOTCH WHISKY

 

• IT IS TWICE POT STILL DISTILLED WHISKY AND MATURED FOR MINIMUM FOR THREE YEARS.
• MALT OR SINGLE MALT SCOTCH :-MADE FROM ONLY MALTED BARLEY AND FROM SINGLE DISTILLERY.
• BLENDED SCOTCH :-IS MADE FROM BOTH MALT AND GRAIN WHISKY.
• MALT OR SINGLE MALT WHISKY ARE PRODUCED IN FOUR REGIONS
• HIGHLAND
• LOWLAND
• ISLAY (EYE LUH)
• CAMPBELTOWN.

 

SINGLE MALT (BRAND NAMES)

 

 

·         HIGHLAND:- CARDHU GLENFIDDICH,MACALIAN,GLEN MORANGIE.

·         LOWLAND:-ROSEBANK, AUCHENTOSHAN.

·         ISLAY:-LAGAVULLN ,BOWMORE.

·         CAMPBELTOWN:- LAPHROIG, TALLSKAR.

 

 

 

BLENDED SCOTCH TYPES

 

·         REGULAR :-MINIMUM AGE OF YONGEST WHISKY IN BLEND IS 10 TO 12 YEARS.

·         BRAND NAMES:- BALLANTINE ,BELL’S,HAIG, BLACK&WHITEJ&B RARE,JW RED LABLE,TEACHER’S HIGHLAND CREAM, WHITE HORSE, SOMETHIG SPECIAL.

 

·         PREMIUM:- MINIMUM AGE OF YOUNGEST WHISKY IN BLEND IS 12 TO15 YEARS.

·         BRANDS:-CHIVAS REGAL, 100PIPERS,DIMPLE,ROYAL SALUTE ,BLACKDOG, OLD PARR,JW BLACK LABLE.

 

·         DELUXE:- MINIMUM AGE OF YOUNGEST WHISKY IN BLEND IS 20 YEARS.

·         BRANDS :- BALLANTINE 30,AMBASSADOR, JW BLUE LABLE

 

IRISH WHISKY

 

• IT IS TRIPPLED POT STILL DISTILLED  WHISKY AND AGE FOR MINIMUM 5YEARS.
• BRANDS:- PADDY, OLD BUSHMILL MURPHY, POWER’S GOLD LABLE JOHN JAMESON .

 

CANADIAN WHISKY

 

 

• IT IS A PATENT STILL DISTILLED WHISKY WITH MINIMUM 51% RYE AS GRIAN.
• MINIMUM AGING IS FOR 3 YEARS.
• BRANDS:-CANADIAN MIST, CANADIAN CLUB, CROWN ROYAL ,SEAGRAM VO,WINDSOR SUPREME.

 

AMERICAN WHISKY TYPES

 

 

• BOURBON WHISKY:-IT IS MADE WITH ATLEAST 51% CORN IN MASH DISTILLED IN PATENT STILL
• ELTJAH CRAIG MADE IT FOR FIRST TIME WITH SOUR WASH.
• SOUR MASH:- IS A SPENT MASH ADDED TO FRESH BATCH OF MASH TO BE FERMENTED.THIS IS DONE TO ENSURE FLAVOUR AND STYLE . 

 

• BOURBON WHISKY:- MATURED FOR MINIMUM 4 YEARS  IN CHARRED OAK BARRELS.
• BRANDS:- BENCHMARK,JIMBEAM, OLD CROW, OLD GRAND DAD, WILD TURKEY.

 

• TENNESSEE:- IT IS MADE WITH ATLEAST 51% CORN AND DISTILLED IN PATENT STILL.
• MATURED IN MAPPLE WOOD CASKS AND FILTER THROUGH CHARCOAL AFTER DISTILLATION.
• KNOWN AS LINCOLN COUNTY PROCESS.
• BRANDS :- JACK DANIELS,
• GEORGE DICKLES OLD NO 12,