Spirits

Question 1

Cognac

Answer 1

An oak-aged grape brandy from a delimited region to the north of Bordeaux.
Must be double distilled using a copper pot still.

Question 2

Armagnac

Answer 2

An oak-aged grape brandy that comes from a delimited area to the south of Bordeaux.
All Armagnac is made using a version of the single column still

Question 3

Brandy

Answer 3

Made from distilled fresh grapes. Aged I’m oak and/or coloured with caramel before bottling, so it is brown or amber in colour.

Question 4

VS

Answer 4

Very Special

Question 5

VSOP

Answer 5

Very Superior Old Pale

Question 6

XO

Answer 6

Extra Old

Question 7

VS,VSOP & XO (Napoléon)

Answer 7

Used to indicate the age of a spirit.

Question 8

Whiskies

Answer 8

Whiskies are characterful oak-aged spirits made from grains such as barley, corn and rye.

Question 9

Conversion

Answer 9

The process to turn the insoluble starch into fermentable sugars.

Question 10

Scotch Whisky

Answer 10

Must be both distilled and aged in oak casks in Scotland for at least three years. However, most are aged longer than this.

Question 11

Malt Whisky

Answer 11

Is made using only malted barley. Distillation must take place in copper pot stills.

Question 12

A Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Answer 12

Is a malt whisky that comes from just one distillery.

Question 13

Grain whisky

Answer 13

Is a second kind of Scotch, which is made from a mixture of grains including corn, wheat and malted barley.
It is distilled in a single column, and still produces a spirit that is smoother and lighter in flavour.

Question 14

Irish whiskey

Answer 14

Irish whiskies are generally made from a mixture of malted and unmalted barley, along with other grains, though there are some Irish malt whiskies.

Question 15

North American Whiskies

Answer 15

Kentucky and Tennessee are two key states for whiskey production.
But Whiskey can be made anywhere in the USA.

Question 16

Bourbon

Answer 16

Is made using a mixture of grains, although by law it must contain a minimum of 51% corn.

Question 17

Tennessee whiskey

Answer 17

Can only be produced in the state of Tennessee. It is produced in a similar way to Bourbon. However unlike Bourbon, the new make spirit is filtered through sugar maple charcoal before being put into barrel.

Question 18

Rum

Answer 18

To be classified as rum, the spirit must be made from a sugar cane product, of which molasses is most commonly used, producing rich rums, with flavours of toffee and ripe tropical fruit.

Question 19

Types of Rum

Answer 19

White rum;Golden & Spiced rum; Dark rum

Question 20

White rum

Answer 20

Are the most common style of rum and are a popular cocktail ingredient. Majority are distilled to a high strength. They are light in intensity, yet retain some characteristics from the raw material.

Question 21

Golden & Spiced Rum

Answer 21

Golden rims are usually dry or off-dry, with smooth spirit due to a period of oak ageing.
Spiced rims are typically golden rims that have spice flavourings added.

Question 22

Dark rum

Answer 22

Are generally full bodied and sweet in style, with dried fruit and sweet spice flavours.

Question 23

Tequila

Answer 23

To be called Tequila, the spirit must be produced from 51% blue agave in the delimited Tequila region in Mexico.

Question 24

Agave

Answer 24

A succulent and not a cactus, grows for around seven to 10 years before being harvested at maturity for Tequila production.

Question 25

Tequila styles

Answer 25

Blanco/silver
Joven/Oro/Gold
Resposado
Anejo

Question 26

Blanco/Silver

Answer 26

Dry with intense vegetable and spice flavours.

Question 27

Joven/Oro/Gold

Answer 27

Simply unaged tequilas that have had caramel added to alter the colour and soften the flavour.

Question 28

Resposado

Answer 28

(Rested) aged in oak for a short time.

Question 29

Añejo

Answer 29

Aged longer that resposados.

Question 30

Vodka

Answer 30

Classic raw materials used for the production of vodka are grains such as barley, wheat and rye, but other raw materials, including grapes and potatoes can also be used.