SPIRITS/COCKTAILS Flashcards by Penny Vine

What is the basic premise that underlays all distillation?

Alcohol has a lower boiling point than water

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What are the three other names for a column still?

Continuous
Coffey
Patent

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What will a continuous still do differently than a pot still?

Remove more impurities through multiple distillations, but therefore also flavour.

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What’s the difference between maceration and infusion?

Maceration is colder and slower, infusion involves heat and is faster.

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What is ‘proof’?

Britain’s original measure of alcohol content. Combustibility of gunpowder when doused in the liquid. Still on American spirit bottles sometimes, it’s twice the ABV.

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What are five possible bases for Vodka

Potato (Wybo & Chopin)
Rye
Grapes
Beets
Molasses

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Name a Russian, French and Polish Vodka, and their bases

Stolichnaya - wheat & rye
Grey Goose - wheat
Belvedere - rye

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What are the main requirements for London Dry Gin

Agricultural, neutral base spirit at least 96%
No artificial additives
All flavours added during distillation, never after
Must be 37.5% minimum ABV

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Apart from London Dry, what are two other regulated gin styles?

Plymouth
Old Tom

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What are three classic gin cocktails?

Gin Martini (London Dry, dry vermouth)
Tom Collins (Old Tom, lemon, sugar, soda)
Martinez (London Dry, Red Vermouth, Maraschino Liqueur)

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What is the correct spelling of the spirit when referring to Scotch?

Whisky
No E

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What is the dominant grain for Bourbon and what is the minumum percentage required?

Corn. 51%

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What are the specific requirements for Tennessee Whiskey?

Sour Mash
Made in Tennessee
EG Jack Daniels

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How is the barrel work different in Bourbon and Whisky?

Bourbon - new charred oak casks with strong flavour impact.
Whisky - older less charred oak, less intense impact.

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What are the five categories of Scotch?

Single Malt
Single Grain
Blended Malt
Blended Grain
Blended

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What are the basic requirements for Scotch production?

Distilled Twice (at least)
Made in Sctoland
Aged at least 3 years
Minimum 40% ABV

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Name the five Scotch regions and give an example of a Scotch from each

Highland - Glenmorangie
Lowland - Bladnoch
Speyside - Glenlivet
Islay - Ardbeg
Campbeltown - Springbank

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What is the major distinguishing feature of Irish whiskey?

Large proportion of un-malted barley, resulting in a lighter end product.

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Name a peated Irish whiskey

Connemarra

What is the EU definition of Brandy?

Distilled wine (not pomace, not grapes or juice) with a minimum ABV of 36%, and minimum 6 months ageing in barrel

What is Pisco?

Brandy, made in Chile and Peru, not typically oak aged, so clear and fruity

What are the two most renowned pomace spirits?

Marc
Grappa

What are the most famous French eau de vie (excluding Calvados)

Mirabelle (plum)
Poire William (pear)
Kirsch (cherry)
Framboise (raspberry)

What are the six Cognac sub-regions in descending order of quality?

Grande Champagne
Petite Champagne
Borderies
Fins Bois
Bons Bois
Bois Ordinaires

What are the Cognac Ageing Designations from youngest to oldest?

VS / Very Special / *** - minimum 2 years in cask VSOP / Very Special (or Superior) Old Pale - minimum 4 years in cask XO / Extra Old - minimum 10 years in cask XXO / Extra Old - minimum 14 years in cask

What variety makes up 98% of the planting area in Cognac?

Ugni Blanc Lesser varieties are Colombard, Folle Blanche, Semillon

What is Fine Champagne?

Cognac made from a blend of wines from Grande (50%) and Petite Champagne regions

What are the three sub-regions of Armagnac?

Haut-Armagnac Bas-Armagnac Armagnac-Tenareze

What varieties are used for Armagnac production?

Ugni Blanc Colombard Folle Blanche Baco Blanc (hybrid) It is usually a blend

What is different between the distillation processes of Cognac and Armagnac?

Cognac distilled twice in copper pot still. Armagnac can be made that way, but almost all of it distilled in a column still.

What are the ageing designations for Armagnac from youngest to oldest?

Blanche Armagnac AOP - three months, clear VS / Very Special / *** - 1-3 years in barrel VSOP / Very Special Old Pale - 4-9 years in barrel XO / Hors d'Age - minimum 10 years

Name three prominent Cognac producers

Remy Martin Courvosier Tesseron

Name three prominent Armagnac producers

Delord Baron de Sigognac Comte de Lamaestre

What are three important French brandies made outside of Cognac and Armagnac?

Fine de Bourgogne Fine de Bordeaux Fine de la Marne

What are the three Calvados AOPs?

Calvados AOC - mininum 2 years ageing Calvados Domfrontais AOC - minimum 30% perry, minimum 3 years ageing Calvados Pays d'Auge - Premium, maximum 30% perry

What is Calvados?

Eau de vie distilled from apple and pear cider, made in Normandy, France

What are the ageing declarations for Calvados?

Fine - less than 3 years Vieux / Reserve - minimum 3 years Vieille Reserve / VSOP - minimum 4 years XO / Hors d'Age / Extra / Napoleon - minimum 6 years

Name three prominent Calvados producers

Adrien Camut Lauriston Victor Gontier

What are the four major styles of rum?

Light Dark Demerara (Guyana) Rhum Agricole (French style, Martinique, sugar cane juice)

What's Cachaca?

Distillate from Brazil made from fermented sugar cane (essentially light rum), base of the Caiprinha cocktail

What is the region that surrounds the town of Tequila?

Jalisco

What is Tequila made from?

Fermented juice of the cooked pina of the blue agave plant (minimum 51%)

What are the ageing designations for Tequila?

Blanco / Silver - Less than 2 months Reposado - 2-12 months Anejo - Minimum 1 year Extra Anejo - Minimum 3 years

What is Mezcal? Where is it mostly produced?

Distilled liquor produced from fermented agave. Oaxaca

Apart from it's origins, what is the biggest difference between Mezcal and Tequila?

Mezcal typically made by heating agave over fire, so has a smoky character. Tequila typically made from steaming blue agave, so generally not smoky.