Spirits and Liqueurs Flashcards
What destillation is used for vodka production?
Continuous still
What is Vodka?
neutral, clear liquor
russian word for water
may be distilled from potstoes, rye, grapes, beets, molasses
why is Vodka filtered with charcoal?
to make it ultra-clean
what happens, if vodka is destilled over and over?
the stronger and purer the final spirit will be
in EU, vodka must have a minimum abv?
37,5%
Vodka producers?
Stolichnaya Ikon (both Russia) Chopin Belvedere (both Poland) Grey Goose (France) Ketel One (Holland) Tito's handmade Vodka (Texas 100%corn) Smirnoff (global, Diageo owned; Russian origin-not produced there for a century)
vommon flavors for vodka are:
lemon/citron vanilla orange rasperry blueberry fruits and spices
What is Aquavit?
scandinavian liquor
fermented from potatoes or grain
flavoured with caraway root and other aromatics
(basiclly flavoured vodka)
Soju
korean soju or jamanese shochu, destilled liquor made out of sake-now also made out of grain and potato- similar in style to unflavoured vodka
Awamori?
an Okinawan style of schochi - always destilled from rice
gin?
essentially flavored vodka
production of gin?
neutral grain spirit, flavoured with a range of botanicals - JUNIPER BERRIES are the most important component - and redistilled
What is London Dry Gin?
wide range of botanical flavorings
addition to juniper berries, often contains citrus and spice elements
orange peel, lemon peel, anise, cardamom, coriander, nutmeg, angelica root, …
Popular London Dry Gin brands?
Beefeater, Tanqueray, Bombay Sapphire, Gordon’s, Boodles
Where was gin developed?
Holland
How is Genever produced?
pot still
sweeter, but less alcoholic than London Dry Gin
Juniper and malt are dominant aromatics
min 15% malt wine (destillate of corn, rye and wheat)
Corenwyn?
Corn wine
cask aged Genever
maltwine comprises 51% of destillate
Jonge
cleaner, more neutral Genever
with less malt wine
Oude
traditional Genever
15% maltwine
Plymouth Gin?
just produced by Plymouth, Coates & Co (England)
fuller body than London Dry Gin
very aromatic
(for Pink Gin Cocktail)
What is Old Tom Gin?
English style rarely
lightly sweetened gin
old tom - was 19th century slang for black cat
Gin for the classic Tom Collins Cocktail
Whiskey - Whisky
Whisky prefereef spelling for Scotch
What is Whiskey?
… is distilled product of fermented grains, including unmalted and malted barley, maize, rye, oats, wheat
Where does the word Whiskey comes from?
Uisgebeatha
Gaelic for “Water of Life”
When was the first written proof of Whiskey?
Scotland 1494
When was Americas Whiskey Rebellion held?
1794
Bourbon Whiskey
destilled from min 51% corn
pioneered by Elijah Craig
aged in new oak casks
if aged for less than 4 years- it has do be written on label
Bourbon County is located at Kentucky
95% of Bourbon Whiskey is produced in that state
MAY LEGALLY BE PRODUCED ANYWHERE IN THE US
What is Tennessee Whiskey?
must be produced in Tennessee
currently only product by Jack Daniels and George Dickel
must be filtered with maple charcoal prior to aging
sour mash whiskey (portion of spent mash to neely fermenting mash)
Sour mash?
utilized by many Bourbon destillers
spent mash into newly fermenting mash
What is Rye Whiskey?
destilled from min 51% rye
aged in new charred oak barrels min 2 years
producers: Sazerac, Rittenhouse
more bitter and powerful than Bourbon
Corn Whiskey?
produced min 80% corn
may be unaged or aged
used or uncharred new barrels
labelled STRAIGHT (if spirit spent a minimum of 2 years in appropriate barrel)
Straight Whiskey?
if spirit spent min 2 years in the appropriate barrel
Difference American - Scotch Whiskey?
American: rely on newly charred wood
Scotch: used casks, used Bourbon and Sherry casks
2009 Scotch Whisky Regulation established 5 legal categories of Scotch. Which?
Single Malt Scotch Whisky Single Grain Scotch Whisky Blended Malt Scotch Whisky Blended Grain Scotch Whisky Blended Scotch Whisky
What is Single Malt Scotch Whisky?
destilled from malted barley
pot still at a single distillery
from 2012 all single malts must be bottled in Scotland
What is Single Grain Whiskey?
single destillery
unmalted barley, wheat or corn
What is Blended Malt Scotch Whiskey?
produced from a blend of Malt Whiskies
What is Blended Grain Scotch Whisky?
produced from two or more Grain Whiskies
What is Blended Whisky?
Mixture of Malt and Grain Whiskies produced of a number of different distilleries
What is the old term “Pure Malt Scotch Whisky” now called?
Synonym for Blended Malt Whiskies
Where is it allowed to produce Scotch Whisky?
all must be produced in Scotland
destilled twice (or more)
aged for at least three years
How long generally Single Malt Scotch ages?
at least 10 years
some are released at 25 or 30 years of age
Why Scotch Whisky can not be aged longer than 30 or 32 years?
“angles share”
all whiskies must be at least 40%abv
eavporation over time would weaken the spirit too much to meet the legal minimum
six regions on Scotland producing Whisky?
Highlands Lowlands Speyside Islay Campbeltown Islands
What is Scotlands largest Whisky region?
Highlands
Oban
Glenmorangie
Dalwhinnie
Dalmore
Highlands Whisky producers?
Glenmorangie
Oban
Dalwhinnie
Dalmore
What is often the lightest and least smoky Scoch?
Lowlands
Glenkinchie
Auchentoshan
Bladnoch
Lowlands Scoch producers?
Glenkinchie
Auchentoshan
Bladnoch
Where is Spyside?
producers?
former subzone of Highlands
home of a large number of destilleries
Glenlivet
Glenfiddich
Macallan
produced in Speyside with water from the river Spey
generally milder and fruity in character
Name the 3 distilleries of Campbletown?
Glen Scotia
Glengyle
Springbank
Major Scotch producing Islands?
Skye (Talisker) Jura Mull Arran Orkney (Highland Park)
Destilleries of Islay
Ardberg
Lagavulin
Laphroaig
most peaty and smoky style of Scoch
casks used for Single Malts
Port Sherry Madeira Burgundy Sauternes
Name the 2 destilleries who a pioneers of style crafting a softer, fruitier style of Single Malts designed to win converts to the category overall?
Glenmorangie
Balvenie
Name the 3 active Irish Whiskey destilleries?
Old Bushmills
Cooley
New Midleton (Producers of Jameson)
Difference between Scotch and Irish Whiskey?
Irish Whiskey is typically lighter, less smoky and traditionally distilled 3 times in pot still; must be aged at least 3 years prior to release ( in practice they age for at least 7 years)
Where except Ireland, US and Scotland - Whiskey is produced?
Canada & Japan
Japans most famous Whiskey producer?
Suntory
offering blended and single malt Whiskies
Japan Whiskey Style?
admirers of Scotch
produce Whiskey in similar style
What is Canadian Rye Whiskey?
generally blended
must be aged for three years before sale
no legal requirements
Glenora Destillers (Cape Breton Island of Nova Scotia) destills malt whisky in style of Scotch
Brandy?
Counterpart to Whiskey
Brandy used wine as it source material
eau de vie - water of life
EU defination of Brandy?
destillation of wine
with min abv 36%
min oak aging of 6 months
may be produced across the worlds viticultural regions
Where is Brandy produced?
Across the worlds viticultural regions
France, California, Spain, Germany, South America, Eastern Europe
Name the 2 delimated regions of Brandy production in Southwest France?
Cognac
Armagnac
When was Cognac first defined and where is it located?
1909
northeast of Bordeaux
Cognac’s 6 defined regions?
Grande Champagne Petite Champagne Borderies Fins Bois Bons Bois Bois Ordinaires (Bois a Terroirs)
Soils of Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne?
high % of soft chalk
preferred soil for Cognac
Soils of all Cognac regions except Grande & Petite Champagne?
hard limestone
sand
clay
What is Cognac?
destilled from low alcohol, acidic base wine produced from Ugni Blanc (98%), Folle Blanche, Colombard,…
Production of Cognac?
destilled twice
in copper Charaintais pot still
Name of the 2 destillation in Cognac production?
Brouillis (1. destillation - 28-32% alc)
Bonne Chauffe (2. destillation - 70% abv)
Bonne Chauffe (Second destillation at Cognac production) is devided in several parts- which?
tete (head)
coeur (heart)
secondes (second cuts)
queue (tails)
Cognac labels may give an designation of age- which?
VS - very special or *** min 2 years cask
VSOP - very special (superior) old pale min 4 years cask
XO - extra old min 6 years cask
(many are aged 15-20 yrs prior to release)
Do Vintage Cognac exist?
while now legal, are rare
If Grande Champagne is labeled eau de vie originates from…
100% named area
Fine Champagne on the label means?
Cognac is destilled from wines produced in Grande and Petite Champagne regions - Grande Champagne composing at least 50% of blend