Distilling Knowledge Scotch Irish and Japanese Whiskies

Question 1

How is malting started?

Answer 1

Artificially creating the ideal levels of moisture and temperature

Question 2

When do distillers introduce peat flavours?

Answer 2

When all the starch has been modified and the green malt is moved to the kiln.

Question 3

How long does it take peat to form?

Answer 3

10 years for 1cm of peat to accumulate

Question 4

What are some aromas of peat?

Answer 4

These are phenolic compounds with scents of seaweed smoke and tar.

Question 5

What is ‘grist’?

Answer 5

Soluble starch must be dissolved in water and converted into fermentable sugar. This is done by milling the malted barley into a coarse flour

Question 6

What is the ideal water temperature for grist?

Answer 6

63-64C

Question 7

What is the purpose of a mash tun?

Answer 7

Grist is mixed with hot water reactivating the enzymes that carry out out sugar conversion

Question 8

What happens once conversion is completed?

Answer 8

The ‘wort’ is drawn off the bottom of the mash tun cooled and pumped ti a fermenter called a ‘washback’

Question 9

What part can mashing play in the creation of flavor?

Answer 9

Solids can be pulled into the washback creating a cloudy wort that produces a spirit with a greater malty, cereal character than a whisky made from a clear wort

Question 10

How long does fermentation last and how strong is the finished product?

Answer 10

Fermentation is usually completed within 48 hours and yields a ‘wash’ between 7-10abv

Question 11

What distillation method is used for Scotch?

Answer 11

Double distilled in a pot still First product is called low-wines 21-28%abv Second around 70% The heads and tails are distilled with the next batch of low wines Some distillers will use a triple distillation

Question 12

What do cut points affect in Scotch production?

Answer 12

Early cut - lighter flavored spirit If peat is a key flavor this character comes from congeners of low boiling points

Question 13

How do Bourbon barrels influence Scotch?

Answer 13

Made from Q. alba these are heavily charred. They add vanilla coconut pine cherry and spice

Question 14

What do Sherry barrels add to scotch?

Answer 14

these are known as ‘butts’ these are seasoned not charred and add dried fruit christmas cake, clove, resin and orange peel

Question 15

What is the law regarding Scotch maturation?

Answer 15

3 years in Scotland for with a max 700liter only water or caramel added for coloring

Question 16

What is wood finishing?

Answer 16

Moving an aged whisky into a barrel from a different source for a relatively short time prior to bottling

Question 17

What does it mean when you see a location on the label Scotch bottle?

Answer 17

The bottle was distilled there

Question 18

Describe the style of Islay and name 2 producers

Answer 18

Flavor most closely linked to peat

Ardbeg

Laphroaig

Lagavulin

Question 19

Describe the style of Highland and name 2 producers

Answer 19

Ranged from Peated - Highland Park

Rich and Heavy - Dalmore

Light citric - Glenmorangie

Question 20

Describe the style of Speyside and name 2 producers

Answer 20

Lighter - Glenfiddich and Glenlivet

Rich Fruity- Balvenie and The Macallan

Question 21

Describe the style of Lowland

Answer 21

Light only 3 producers

Auchentoshan

Daftmill

Glenkinchie

Question 22

Describe the style of Campbeltown?

Answer 22

Rich and heavy also only 3 producers

Glengyle

Glen Scotia

Springbank

Question 23

What are the two main differences between grain whisky and malt whisky?

Answer 23

Grain whisky is made from a mix of malted barley and other grains. It is distilled in a continuous still.

Question 24

What happens to most grain whisky production?

Answer 24

Used in the creation of Blended Scotch Whisky

Question 25

What is a 'mashbill'?

Answer 25

This is a recipe of percentages of grains including wheat and corn with malted barley added for its enzymes

Question 26

How is the starch hydrolysed in wheat and corn?

Answer 26

It is cooked in a pressure cooker at high temperatures average 144°C

Question 27

Why is malted barley added to grain whisky?

Answer 27

The enzymes convert all of the starches in the wort to sugar

Question 28

Name 3 blended whiskies and describe their style

Answer 28

**Johnnie Walker** - Note of peat from Islay **Chivas** - Lighter Speyside **Cutty Sark** - post-Prohibition style and light

Question 29

Who are the 4 distilleries of Irish whiskey?

Answer 29

**Bushmills** (owned by Diagio but now Jose Cuervo) **Cooley** **Kilbeggan** (Owned by Pernod-Ricard) **Midleton** (makes Jameson)

Question 30

What is the IDL?

Answer 30

Irish Distillers Ltd (Midleton and Old Bushmills until 2005)

Question 31

What is the signature of Irish whiskey?

Answer 31

Use of unmalted barley in the mashbill of the pot-still spirits

Question 32

What is the range of unmalted barley used in the IDL?

Answer 32

20-60% on the mashbill

Question 33

What is the distillation method used in Midleton?

Answer 33

Triple distillation First is the wash 22-50% Next this is redistilled in the feints still to 50-78% (split into head hearts and tails) Finally heads and tails redistilled 'weak feints' with low wine while heart (strong feints) is sent to the spirit still

Question 34

What parts does a midleton column still consist of

Answer 34

Rectifying colum Hydroselector column Final Rectifying Column

Question 35

What is the wood policy at the IDL

Answer 35

late 1970s involves greater use of first fill European oak casks and first fill American oak. Some new oak used for Jameson Gold Reserve

Question 36

What style does Bushmills produce?

Answer 36

Only malt whiskeys. Wash from 100% malted barley triple distilled to 84% following the Midleton template

Question 37

Describe the 10 stills at bushmills

Answer 37

Slender necks - encourage reflux Produce a spirit that is delicate fruity and floral

Question 38

What is the aging regime at bushmills?

Answer 38

Former bourbon and Tennessee Whiskey barels along with bespoke Oloroso Sherry casks

Question 39

What is used in the production of Bushmills Original and Black Bush blended whiskey?

Answer 39

Grain whiskeys supplied by Midleton

Question 40

What stills does Cooley have?

Answer 40

Two pot stills and a two-column continuous still

Question 41

How is Cooley different from other distilleries?

Answer 41

Their pot still whiskies are double pot distilled and one of their malt whiskey barnds uses peated malt. The column still produces grain whiskey for Ireland's only single grain whiskey made from corn.

Question 42

What other distillery does Cooley run?

Answer 42

Kilbeggan (formerly Brisalt and Lockes distillery)

Question 43

Who was the first person to distill in Japan?

Answer 43

**Masataka Taketsuru** (apprenticed at Hazelburn in Scotland)

Question 44

What was the first distillery in Japan

Answer 44

Suntory Yamazaki

Question 45

What flavor does Japanese oak impart

Answer 45

Intense incense like perfume

Question 46

What is the market of Japanese whisky?

Answer 46

Blend dominated

Question 47

When was the first whisky distilled in Japan

Answer 47

1923

Question 48

Where does Japan get their barley?

Answer 48

Imported from Scotland as is peat should they require it

Question 49

What is a staple of Japanese whisky?

Answer 49

They use a clear wort and do not exchange whiskies. All flavor components must come from their own estates

Question 50

What are the 5 categories of Scotch?

Answer 50

1) Single Malt Scotch Whisky 2) Single Grain Scotch Whisky 3) Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 4) Blended Grain Scotch Whisky 5) Blended Scotch Whisky

Question 51

What is Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Answer 51

distilled at a single distillery in a pot still, in one or more batches, from water and malted barley

Question 52

What is Single Grain Scotch Whisky

Answer 52

any Scotch Whisky distilled at a single distillery that does not qualify as either Single Malt Whisky or Blended Scotch Whisky

Question 53

What is Blended Malt Scotch Whisky

Answer 53

blend of two or more Single Malt Scotch Whiskies that have been produced at more than one distillery ("pure malt" is no longer legally authorized as a synonym for blended malt)

Question 54

What is Blended Grain Scotch Whisky

Answer 54

blend of two or more Single Grain Scotch Whiskies that have been produced at more than one distillery

Question 55

What is Blended Scotch Whisky

Answer 55

blend of one or more Single Malt Whiskies with one or more Single Grain Whiskies

Question 56

Name 3 whisky products of the IDL?

Answer 56

**Jameson** **Powers** **Redbreast** **Paddy** **Middleton VR** **Greenspot**