Distilling Knowledge Scotch Irish and Japanese Whiskies Flashcards
How is malting started?
Artificially creating the ideal levels of moisture and temperature
When do distillers introduce peat flavours?
When all the starch has been modified and the green malt is moved to the kiln.
How long does it take peat to form?
10 years for 1cm of peat to accumulate
What are some aromas of peat?
These are phenolic compounds with scents of seaweed smoke and tar.
What is ‘grist’?
Soluble starch must be dissolved in water and converted into fermentable sugar. This is done by milling the malted barley into a coarse flour
What is the ideal water temperature for grist?
63-64C
What is the purpose of a mash tun?
Grist is mixed with hot water reactivating the enzymes that carry out out sugar conversion
What happens once conversion is completed?
The ‘wort’ is drawn off the bottom of the mash tun cooled and pumped ti a fermenter called a ‘washback’
What part can mashing play in the creation of flavor?
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
How long does fermentation last and how strong is the finished product?
Fermentation is usually completed within 48 hours and yields a ‘wash’ between 7-10abv
What distillation method is used for Scotch?
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
What do cut points affect in Scotch production?
Early cut - lighter flavored spirit If peat is a key flavor this character comes from congeners of low boiling points
How do Bourbon barrels influence Scotch?
Made from Q. alba these are heavily charred. They add vanilla coconut pine cherry and spice
What do Sherry barrels add to scotch?
these are known as ‘butts’ these are seasoned not charred and add dried fruit christmas cake, clove, resin and orange peel
What is the law regarding Scotch maturation?
3 years in Scotland for with a max 700liter only water or caramel added for coloring
What is wood finishing?
Moving an aged whisky into a barrel from a different source for a relatively short time prior to bottling
What does it mean when you see a location on the label Scotch bottle?
The bottle was distilled there
Describe the style of Islay and name 2 producers
Flavor most closely linked to peat
Ardbeg
Laphroaig
Lagavulin
Describe the style of Highland and name 2 producers
Ranged from Peated - Highland Park
Rich and Heavy - Dalmore
Light citric - Glenmorangie
Describe the style of Speyside and name 2 producers
Lighter - Glenfiddich and Glenlivet
Rich Fruity- Balvenie and The Macallan
Describe the style of Lowland
Light only 3 producers
Auchentoshan
Daftmill
Glenkinchie
Describe the style of Campbeltown?
Rich and heavy also only 3 producers
Glengyle
Glen Scotia
Springbank
What are the two main differences between grain whisky and malt whisky?
Grain whisky is made from a mix of malted barley and other grains. It is distilled in a continuous still.
What happens to most grain whisky production?
Used in the creation of Blended Scotch Whisky
What is a ‘mashbill’?
This is a recipe of percentages of grains including wheat and corn with malted barley added for its enzymes
How is the starch hydrolysed in wheat and corn?
It is cooked in a pressure cooker at high temperatures average 144°C
Why is malted barley added to grain whisky?
The enzymes convert all of the starches in the wort to sugar
Name 3 blended whiskies and describe their style
Johnnie Walker - Note of peat from Islay
Chivas - Lighter Speyside
Cutty Sark - post-Prohibition style and light
Who are the 4 distilleries of Irish whiskey?
Bushmills (owned by Diagio but now Jose Cuervo)
Cooley
Kilbeggan (Owned by Pernod-Ricard)
Midleton (makes Jameson)
What is the IDL?
Irish Distillers Ltd (Midleton and Old Bushmills until 2005)
What is the signature of Irish whiskey?
Use of unmalted barley in the mashbill of the pot-still spirits
What is the range of unmalted barley used in the IDL?
20-60% on the mashbill
What is the distillation method used in Midleton?
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
What parts does a midleton column still consist of
Rectifying colum Hydroselector column Final Rectifying Column
What is the wood policy at the IDL
late 1970s involves greater use of first fill European oak casks and first fill American oak. Some new oak used for Jameson Gold Reserve
What style does Bushmills produce?
Only malt whiskeys. Wash from 100% malted barley triple distilled to 84% following the Midleton template
Describe the 10 stills at bushmills
Slender necks - encourage reflux Produce a spirit that is delicate fruity and floral
What is the aging regime at bushmills?
Former bourbon and Tennessee Whiskey barels along with bespoke Oloroso Sherry casks
What is used in the production of Bushmills Original and Black Bush blended whiskey?
Grain whiskeys supplied by Midleton
What stills does Cooley have?
Two pot stills and a two-column continuous still
How is Cooley different from other distilleries?
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.
What other distillery does Cooley run?
Kilbeggan (formerly Brisalt and Lockes distillery)
Who was the first person to distill in Japan?
Masataka Taketsuru (apprenticed at Hazelburn in Scotland)
What was the first distillery in Japan
Suntory Yamazaki
What flavor does Japanese oak impart
Intense incense like perfume
What is the market of Japanese whisky?
Blend dominated
When was the first whisky distilled in Japan
1923
Where does Japan get their barley?
Imported from Scotland as is peat should they require it
What is a staple of Japanese whisky?
They use a clear wort and do not exchange whiskies. All flavor components must come from their own estates
What are the 5 categories of Scotch?
1) Single Malt Scotch Whisky
2) Single Grain Scotch Whisky
3) Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
4) Blended Grain Scotch Whisky
5) Blended Scotch Whisky
What is Single Malt Scotch Whisky
distilled at a single distillery in a pot still, in one or more batches, from water and malted barley
What is Single Grain Scotch Whisky
any Scotch Whisky distilled at a single distillery that does not qualify as either Single Malt Whisky or Blended Scotch Whisky
What is Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
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)
What is Blended Grain Scotch Whisky
blend of two or more Single Grain Scotch Whiskies that have been produced at more than one distillery
What is Blended Scotch Whisky
blend of one or more Single Malt Whiskies with one or more Single Grain Whiskies
Name 3 whisky products of the IDL?
Jameson
Powers
Redbreast
Paddy
Middleton VR
Greenspot
