Scotch Whisky Flashcards
Definition
- made from only cereal grains, water, and yeast
- aged for a minimum of 3 years
- only produced in Scotland
- oak barrels not exceeding 700 liters
- bottles at 40%ABV or higher
Name Origin
-“usquebaugh” from Irish and Scottish Gaelic, “water of Life”
History
- Christian monks brought their distilling skills from Ireland
- “gaugers” were excise men on taxes to Whisky
- Became more prominent due to France’s Phylloxera
George Smith
- Glenlivit Founder
- first man to take a license to distill in 1824 after passing of the Act
Distilleries
-Over 100 Single malt pot still with own individual characteristics
Factors of Style and Flavor
- geography and location of water source
- type of malted barley
- amount of peat
- shape and size of pot stills
- craft traditions and methods of distillations
- type of wood casks
- environment and microclimate of maturation
Styles of Scotch
- Single Malt Scotch Whisky
- Single Grain Scotch Whisky
- Blended Scotch Whisky
- Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
- Blended Grain Scotch Whisky
Single Malt
- Single distillery
- not blended with any other whisky from another distillery
- only made with 100% malted balrey, yeast, and water
- pot distilled and matured in Scotland
- aged in used oak casks for at least 3 years
- bottled no lower than 40%ABV
Single Grain
- Single Distillery
- not blended with any other whisky from any other distillery
- made with 100% malted barley
- distilled in a column still
- aged in oak casks for at least 3 years
- bottled no lower than 40%ABV
Blended Scotch
- a blend of one or more scotch whiskies with one or more Single Grain
- bottled no lower than 40%ABV
Blended Malt Scotch
- blend of only single malt whiskies, coming from more than one distillery
- bottled no lower than 40%ABV
Blended Grain Scotch
- blend of only Single Grain, coming from more than one distillery
- bottled no lowerd than 40%ABV
Malting
- Steeped in water
- Allowed to germinate
- barley is dried in a kiln sometimes using “peat”
Mashing
- once dried the malt is ground and the “grist” is then mixed with hot water in a “mash tun”
- sugars dissolve and create a sugary liquid, “wort”
Fermentation
-wort passes large vessels “washbacks”, fermented by adding yeast, producing a “wash” liquid 8%ABV
Distillation
- wash is distilled twice in distinct copper stills
- hearts, heads, and tails removed in the “spirit safe”
Maturation
-must mature in oak casks for at least 3 years
Scotch Regions
- Islands (Islay & Skye): Peaty & Maritime
- Highlands: Smooth & Floral
- Speyside: Fruity & Delicate
- Lowlands: Light & Fresh
- Campbeltown: Briny & Smoky
Speyside
- heart of Scotch distilling
- more than half of distilleries located there
Blending
- 2 to 50 different whiskies
- once blended the “Master Blender” must marry them in a cask for months before bottling
Color
-deeper hues of amber generally mean longer aging or Sherry wood in maturation
Age Statement
-The year indicates the youngest whisky in the blend
Scotch Nose
- Esters: fruit, flowers, pear-drops
- Phenols: medicinal, peaty, smoky
- Aldehydes: hay, grass, leather
- Sweet: vanilla, toffee, honey, marzipan
- Cereals: malt, bread, wheat
- Oils: butter, hazels, walnuts
- Woods: cedar, pitch-pine, resin, oak
Finishing
- extension of the maturation process
- spirit is filled into previously used casks(wine,fortified wines, or spirits) under 12 months
- cask must be drained before use
Chill-Filtering
-process used to remove particles that cause the cloudy effect when ice is added
Cask-Strength/Full Proof
-when Scotch is bottled at the alcoholic strength of when it entered the cask, without the addition of water
