5 - Whisky/Whiskey Flashcards
Name the five major players in whisky production
USA
Canada
Scotland
Ireland
Japan
What do all major whiskies have in common?
They are made from grains
They are matured in oak
How may whiskies be varied in style?
By varying grains, distillation strength and barrels
What are grains?
Seeds produced by a number of different species of grass
What are the most important grains used to make whisky?
Barley
Corn
Wheat
Rye
Can distillers use any grains?
No, this is often regulated by law
How may starch be converted to glucose by a distiller?
Malting or cooking
…is typically malted, while…are cooked and then…
Barley
Other grains
Mixed with malted barley
Describe the first stage of malting
Grains of barley are placed in a warm, damp room and they start to grow
What happens within the barley as it begins to malt?
The new plant unpacks the starch granules from the net they’re stored in and releases enzymes
What happens after a few days of malting?
The new growth within the barley seeds is halted by heating the grains with hot air
What is the malt called once the shoots begin to grow?
Green malt
What are barley grains called after the process of malting is complete?
Malted barley
What’s the next stage after malting is complete? What’s this called?
It’s ground into a course flour and mixed with hot water
Mashing
What’s the purpose of using hot water in scotch making?
It unrolls the starch molecules, which are then able to dissolve in the water
What’s able to happen once the starch molecules have been unrolled in the mash?
The enzymes that were released by the barley during malting are able to convert the starch into glucose
What is wort?
The sweet liquid resulting from mashing
How are non-barley grains usually processed?
They are crushed, mixed with water and cooked at high temperature
What must happen with other whisky grains once they’ve been cooked? Why?
They must be mixed with enzymes, usually from malted barley, but sometimes bought in
While the starch molecules have been ‘unpacked’ by cooking, they still need converting to glucose so that they can be fermented
The use of…enzymes is not permitted in the production of Scotch Whisky
Bought in
What happens once wort has been created?
It is fermented and distilled to produce a spirit
What are the still options for a whisky producer?
Varied, though sometimes limited by local laws
What is the impact on whiskies of being distilled in various ways?
Some have a warming, almost sharp texture with pronounced aromas, others are smoother with a medium or even light intensity
How are whiskies typically matured?
They’re almost always matured in oak barrels for several years
How do distillers look to balance their whisky?
They want to balance the wood flavours with those from the grains
What is the role of blending in whisky?
It is very important
Describe some approaches to blending that a whisky producer may take
Some use only spirits with pronounced flavours and rely on spirits of different ages for complexity
Some blend pronounced spirits with more lightly flavoured spirits that have been distilled to a higher strength
What often dictates blending options available to a distiller?
Local laws
What is another name for whisky blending options with a pronounced character?
Flavouring spirits
What are the names for the liquid once wort has been fermented?
Wash/distiller’s beer
What may occur between whisky maturation and bottling?
Colouring with caramel
What are the three biggest styles of whisky in the USA?
Bourbon
Tennessee Whiskey
Rye Whiskey
Why is rye whiskey so noteworthy?
It’s down to the intensely aromatic nature of rye
Where must bourbon be made?
It can be made anywhere in the USA
Where is the vast majority of bourbon made?
In Kentucky
What is the grain requirement for Bourbon?
Minimum 51% corn
What character does corn have in whiskey?
It gives distinctive sweetcorn aromas
What is the term for other grains used in Bourbon?
Small grains
What are the characters of rye when distilled?
Spicy rye bread aromas
What is the most commonly used small grain in Bourbon?
Rye
What is sometimes used instead of rye in Bourbons?
Wheat
What aromas might be provided to Bourbon by using wheat?
Dough and bread aromas
What is the role of malted barley in Bourbon?
It’s principally used for its enzymes and is used in small amounts
What is the name for the combination of grains used by Bourbon distillers?
The mash bill
How do Bourbon distillers principally influence the style of whiskey they produce?
By varying the mash bill
By blending several mash bills
What happens once Bourbon grains have been malted or cooked?
They are then mixed together for starch conversion
American distillers rely on…to create many of the fruity ester aromas
Fermentation
What are two significant ester aromas created by fermentation for Bourbon?
Banana
Citrus
Most Bourbons are distilled in…
Column stills
How do Bourbon distillers dictate the esters that they want to create?
By using their own unique yeast selection
What is required of the newly distilled Bourbon spirit?
The law requires that it is relatively low in strength
What must happen after a Bourbon spirit has been distilled?
It must then be matured in new charred-oak barrels
What is the result of Bourbon barrels being new?
The spirit is imparted with lots of flavours such as vanilla, coconut and sweet spice
List the common blending options for a Bourbon producer
Spirits from different mash bills and ages
Spirits matured in different parts of the warehouse
What is the impact on Bourbon from warehouse usually being multi-level?
Spirits get more colour and flavour from oak on the top floor where it is warmer
What can happen between maturation and bottling of a Bourbon
Very little. Colouring and sweetening are not permitted for Bourbon.
In summary, what are the three factors which result in Bourbon’s typically pronounced flavours and warming, sometimes sharp texture?
The legal controls requiring a high percentage of corn, low distillation strength and the use of new oak
What are the main controls unique to Tennessee Whiskey?
It must be made in Tennessee
It must be charcoal filtered
What is the name for filtration through maple charcoal?
The Lincoln County Process
What does the Lincoln County Process do for the resulting whiskey?
It softens and smooths the whiskey
Is the Lincoln County Process mandatory for Tennessee Whiskey?
Yes, for all but one distillery
Does all Whiskey in Tennessee require the Lincoln County Process?
Not if it is not a Tennessee Whiskey
How is Rye whiskey made?
Almost identically to Bourbon, though 51% of the grains used must be rye
What is the result of using such a high percentage of rye in Rye whiskey?
A particularly spicy flavour
Describe the flavour profile of Rye whiskey
Spicy, lemon-zest, rye bread aromas from rye
Vanilla and sweet spice aromas of new oak
To what strength must Bourbon not be distilled above?
80% abv
What is the minimum ageing requirement for Bourbon?
There isn’t one
What is the average amount of time Bourbons are usually aged for?
Four years
What does ‘Straight’ mean on a bottle of Bourbon? What else might this apply to?
That the whiskey has been aged for at least two years in new oak and that no colour or flavour has been added
Rye whiskey
What might ‘Small batch’ mean on a bottle of Bourbon?
It is sometimes used to indicate a higher quality product
It can also indicate a blend from small number of selected casks
What might ‘Single barrel’ indicate on a bottle of USA whiskey?
Made from just one barrel which the producer judges to be exceptional
What are the two main rules around age statements in USA whiskey?
If it contains a whiskey less than four years old, this must be specified
The age must indicate the youngest spirit in the blend whenever shown
How is ‘proof’ calculated?
It is always double the ABV
Why is ‘Straight’ not a necessary term for Tennessee whiskey?
Because they must all comply with these rules anyway
Roughly describe Jack Daniels Old No. 7
Smooth with aromas of sweetcorn, banana and vanilla
What is sour mash?
It is a process whereby the acidic residue in the base of the column still has been added back to the fermenter
What are the key points surrounding the term ‘bottled in bond’?
Made in one distillery in one year
Aged for minimum of four years in wood
Nothing but water can be added
Must be bottled to 100 proof
What is the key difference between most Canadian whiskies and USA whiskies?
Blending tends to happen after maturation in Canada (as opposed to mixing grains during fermentation as is customary in the USA)
What is a particularly common approach to whiskey making in Canada?
To blend distillates
Making a base whiskey (high strength, light intensity, column spirit made from corn)
Making a pronounced, low strength ‘flavouring whiskey’, typically from rye
What are the most important styles of Scotch Whisky?
Single Malt
Blended
What are the legal minimums for creating Scotch?
All must be distilled, matured and bottled in Scotland
Maturation in oak for a minimum of three years
Caramel colour may be added, but they may not be sweetened
What are the main restrictions surrounding Single Malt Whisky?
Must only be made using malted barley
Distilled in pot stills (often double)
Fermented and distilled in a single distillery
…are complex blends made from a mix of older and younger whiskies
Single Malt Scotch Whiskies
What does barley give to a Single Malt Scotch?
A distinct flavour of malt and cereal
What additional flavour may be contributed by barley?
Smoke, from peat
What is peat?
Damp, partly decayed vegetation, found in boggy areas
How is peat treated?
It is cut from the ground, dried and burned
What stage of the distillation process might peat be used for?
To create the heat needed at the end of malting
How might the shape of a pot still affect the flavour/style of a Single Malt Scotch?
A taller still allows for more reflux in the swan neck, causing heavier fractions to fall back in and a lighter spirit to result
In a shorter still there is…reflux
Creating spirits with…aromas
Less
More pronounced
New oak is…used in Scotland
Rarely
What kinds of barrels are preferred in Scotland?
Used barrels which have been used by another distiller or winemaker
T or F: Scotch producers tend to only use their barrels once
False
They tend to re-use their barrels several times
Where are the majority of Scotch barrels from?
The American whiskey industry
What kinds of flavours might be imparted by a used American whiskey barrel?
Subtle coconut, vanilla and spice
Where else might Scotch producers be likely to source their barrels?
Jerez
What might impact a Scotch in relation to Sherry barrels?
Flavour and colour
What are the flavours most commonly linked with using Sherry barrels to mature Scotch?
Dried fruit and orange peel
How might barrel choices contribute to complexity in a Scotch whisky?
Sherry and Bourbon barrel types and ages may be used
What is wood finishing? What does it do?
An optional final stage of barrel maturation used in Scotch production
It adds flavour and sometimes colour to the Whisky
Where might finishing barrels most likely have come from?
Sherry or Port
What is a Blended Scotch Whisky?
A blend of at least one Single Malt Whisky and one Single Grain Whisky
What is a Single Grain Whisky?
Typically made from malted barley with either corn or wheat
Distilled to a high strength in a column still
Light flavour intensity
For what purpose are the majority of grain whiskies sold?
Use in Blended Scotch Whisky
How are blended whiskies typically composed?
From different single grains and single malts
Most blended whiskies are typically little more than…old
Three years
Some of the most expensive Scotch Whiskies in the world are…
Blended
Name Scotland’s Whisky regions in order from South to North
Lowland
Campbelltown
Islay
Highland
Speyside
…are rarely shown on the labels of blended whiskies
Regions
What is the only relatively reliable region-indicator as regards Scotch Whisky style?
Islay
Mostly smoky
What does Cask Strength mean on a bottle of Whisky?
It means the Whisky is undiluted with water
What is the Irish style of whiskey?
It can vary from characterful pot still styles, to lighter column-distilled whiskeys dominated by corn or wheat
What is the name for an Irish whiskey making use of different styles?
Irish Blended Whiskey
The use of…is much less common in Irish Whiskey
Peat
There are…types of pot-distilled whiskey in Ireland…
Two
Irish Malt Whiskey and Irish Pot Still Whiskey
What is Irish Malt Whiskey?
It is made from 100% malted barley
What is Irish Pot Still Whiskey?
It must be made using unmalted barley as part of the mash bill
Describe the flavour of unmalted barley and its role in Irish whiskey
Has a distinct nutty and oily character
Important part of the Irish distilling tradition
What is a key difference in the distilling of Irish whiskey?
Triple pot still distillation
What is the effect of a third distillation in Irish whiskey?
It produces a lighter, purer style of whiskey
T or F: Distillers are NOT required to use triple distillation in making Irish whiskey
True
Double pot distillation is also still used
Whisky making in Japan is directly inspired by…
The Scottish production model
In Japan, distillers produce grain whiskies in…and malt whiskies in…
Column stills
Pot stills
What kind of Whisky does Japan produce?
Malt whiskies AND blended whiskies
What is a key missing attribute of the whisky industry in Japan, which differentiates it from other whisky producing countries? What is the result?
There is no trade between distilleries
Each distillery has to produce all of the spirits they need
What is the typical difference in flavour between whiskies of Japan and those of Scotland?
Japanese whiskys are traditionally purer in style with fewer of the overt malty cereal flavours found in Scotch Whisky
What is the new generation of distillers in Japan producing?
A much wider spectrum of styles and flavours
…are not defined by Japanese law?
Many of the familiar labelling terms for Whisky
T or F: All Japanese whiskies must be made in Japan?
False
Many are composed of whiskies made outside of Japan
What is the JSLMA?
Japanese Spirits and Liqueurs Makers Association
What has the JSLMA done for Japanese Whisky?
Created a definition of Japanese Whisky, stating that it must be made and matured in Japan
When did the JSLMA create their rule? To be implemented by when?
2021
The end of March 2024
To whom does JSLMA’s ruling apply?
Only members of the JSLMA (though this includes all major producers)
