Blended Irish Whiskey Flashcards
What is Malt Whiskey?
It’s made from 100% MALTED BARLEY. It’s distillers in a copper pot still. There are two very different types of malted whiskey production in Ireland:
Bushmill’s is a triple distill their Malted Whiskey and promote a lot of reflux. Which means their Malt Whiskey are generally lighter and more fragrant.
Cooley on the other hand double distill their Malt Whiskey and sometimes employ the use of Peat. Meaning it’s got similar qualities to the Scottish style of making Malt Whiskey. They don’t promote to much reflux which means is generally oilier and more aggressive on the palate.
When you add Malt Whiskey to a blend you will notice a lot of citrusy and floral notes.
What is Grain Whiskey?
Maize/corn with a small amount of malted barley added to aid the fermentation process.
It’s distiller in a continuous still which creates an alcohol at high proof.
Due to the maize base and the type of distillation, Grain Whiskey is generally sweet in flavor, soft and can be pretty neutral in flavor.
What is Pot Still Whiskey?
Pot Still Whiskey is made from a blend of malted and un-malted barley. It’s distilled in Copper Pot Stills. The Pot Still category was once the most celebrated style of Whiskey across the world. Famed for its creamy, honey and spicy characteristics. This is due to the un- malted barley component.
What is chill filtration?
Present in the whiskey are fatty acids. When ice is added to alcohol at a relatively low percentage (I.e 40%) these fatty acids can form a cloudy haze. The big Whiskey companies are aware that this can be off putting to the uneducated consumer so they chill filter there Whiskeys to ensure this doesn’t happen.
They chill the Whiskey to 0-1c to form the haze and then filter it out. Whiskey’s above 43% don’t need to be Chilled Filtered as higher the concentration in alcohol offsets the haze formation I.e it stops it from going cloudy.
Jameson Blended Notes:
All Jameson blends are 40%
All Jameson blends are Triple Distilled
All Jameson blends are Chill Filtered
All Jameson blends have ex-bourbon and sherry barrels in their wood maturation program.
All Jameson Whiskeys are a blend of?
Grain and Pot Still at varying levels
Jameson Original 40%
Grain Whiskey dominates in this blend, believe to be around 70% Grain and 30% Pot Still. It’s is triple distilled.
Worlds biggest selling Irish Whiskey accounting for over 75% of US Irish Whiskey sales.
Heavy ex-bourbon barrel wood program with small inclusion with a small inclusion of ex-sherry barrels. Aged between 5-7 years.
Very light and sweet. Great introduction to a low Pot Still blend.
Jameson Black Barrel 40%
Pot Still dominates this blend, believed to be 60% Pot Still and 40% Grain Whiskey. The average age of the Pot Still Whiskey in this blend are around 10-12 years old. The average age go the Grain Whiskey in this blend are around 5 years old.
Contains a heavier char on the ex-bourbon barrels, resulting in a higher amount of vanillin’s.
A proportion of the Whiskey is said to be aged in virgin oak barrels. All this means Black Barrel is spicier, due to the higher Pot Still, and more wood focused, due to the wood program and length of maturation.
It’s the perfect Irish Whiskey for a bourbon or Rye drinker due to the extra vanilla and spice. Triple distilled and chill filtered.
Bushmills Blended Notes
All Bushmills Blends are a Blend of Grain and Malt whiskey at varying levels.
All Bushmills Blends are Tripled distilled and chill filtered.
Bushmills Original
A Grain dominated Malt blend. 55% Grain Whiskey and 45% Malt Whiskey. Aged for 4-5 years in ex-bourbon barrels. Very light and clean with subtle citrusy notes and honey.
Triple distilled and chill filtered. A great introduction to a Malt Blended Irish Whiskey.
Bushmills Black Bush
A Malt heavy Blend. 80% Malt Whiskey which has been aged for 7-8 years. The Malt Whiskey has been aged in ex-sherry barrels. 20% Grain Whiskey which has been aged for 7-8 years in ex-bourbon barrels. Heavy spice and nutty note due to the Malt and sherry aging. great Malt Blended Whiskey. Triple distilled and chill filtered.
Tullamore Dew blended Notes
All Tullamore Blends are triple Blends of Grain, Malt and Pot Still Whiskey
All Tullamore Dew Blends are triple distilled and chill filtered
Tullamore Dew Original 40%
A triple Blended Irish Whiskey. It’s grain heavy Blended and Pot and Malt Whiskey. 70% Grain Whiskey, 20% Pot Still and 10% Malt Whiskey.
The wood maturation is predominantly ex-bourbon with ex-sherry also.
Unique in the Blended category because of triple Blend. One of the most balanced Blends because it has a bit of everything.
Triple Distilled and Chill filtered.
Tullamore Dew Phoenix
A triple Blend Irish Whiskey. It’s Grain heavy Pot and Malt Blend.
55% Grain 35% Pot Still and 10% Malt Whiskey. It’s aged around 7-10 years old.
Ex-bourbon barrels and finished for 2 years in ex-sherry casks.
Limited, TRIPLE distilled and NON chilled filtered.
Powers Gold Lable 43.2%
A Pot Still heavy Blend.
60% Pot Still blended and 40% Grain Whiskey.
Around 6-7 years old. A classic Pot Still Blended Irish Whiskey.
Very spicy and honey driven. Great Blended Irish Whiskey for Marican Whiskey drinkers.
TRIPLE Distilled and NON chill filtered.
