Spirits & Liqueurs Flashcards
Min ABV of Vodka?
37.5%
Name some producers of Vodka and their origin
Russia: Stolichnaya, Ikon
Poland: Chopin, Belvedere
Sweden: Absolut
France: Grey Goose
Netherlands: Ketel One
British: Smirnoff
USA: Tito’s (from Texas, made of corn, using pot still)
What is aquavit
Scandinavian liquor made from potato/grain and flavoured with caraway
What is awamori
Okinawa sochu, from long grain indica rice.
Sochu are not charcoal filtered
Some producers of London dry Gin
Beefeater, Tanqueray, Bombay Sapphire, Gordon’s, Boodles
What is genever
Gin, made in pot still. Sweeter but less alcoholic. Made using juniper and malt. May be aged in oak.
Oude (old): with min 15% malt wine (distillate from corn, rye, wheat)
Jonge (young): more neutral, lesser malt
Corewyn (corn wine): cask-aged, with min 51% malt wine
What does Straight Bourbon means?
Bourbon aged more than 2 years, no added colouring/flavouring.
What is Bourbon?
Whiskey, with min 51% corn.
What is Rye?
Whiskey, with min 51% Rye
What makes a Tennessee Whiskey?
Must be produced in Tennessee, and undergo Lincoln County process - filtered with maple charcoal prior to fermentation.
What does Sour Mash means?
Incorporating a portion of spent mash into newly fermented mash
What is Corn Whiskey?
Whiskey, from min 80% corn
What did the 2009 Scotch Whisky Regulations established
5 categories: Single Malt, Single Grain, Blended Malt, Blended Grain, Blended
What is Single Malt Whisky?
Distilled from malted barley in a pot still, at a single distillery.
What is Single Grain Whisky?
May use unmalted barley, wheat, corn. Produced from a single distillery.
What is Blended Malt Whisky?
Blend of malt whiskies
What is Blended Grain Whisky
Whisky produced by 2 or more grain whiskies
What is Blended Whisky
Mixture of malt and grain whiskies, produced at number of different distilleries
Ageing requirement of Bourbon/Rye
2 years in new charred oak
Requirement of Scotch Whiskies
Produced in Scotland, distilled twice, min 3 years ageing, min 40% ABV
What are the region of Scotch Whisky production?
Highland (including Isles of Mull, Isles of Skye, Isles of Jura, Isles of Orkney), Lowland, Speyside, Islay, Campbelltown
What are the only distilleries of Campbeltown?
Glen Scotia, Glengyle, Springbank
Requirement of Irish Whisky
Aged for 3 years. Traditionally triple-distilled in pot still, but nowadays more column still.
Name the producers on the Scotch Islands
Isle of Jura - Isle of Jura
Isle of Arran - Arran
Isle of Orkney - Highland Park, Scappa
Isle of Skye - Talisker
Isle of Mull - Tobermury
Isle of Lewis - Abhainn Dearg
Name some producers from Highland
Oban, Glenmorangie, Dalwhinnie, Dalmore, Ben Nevis
Name some producers from Lowland
Glenkinchie, Auchentoshan, Bladnoch, Rosebank
Producers of Speyside
Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, Macallan, Balvenie
Producers from Islay
Ardbeg, Lagavulin, Laphroaig, Bowmore
Name some Bourbon producers
Elijah Craig, Buffalo Trace, Angel’s Envy
Name some Rye Whiskey producers
Sazerac, Michter’s, Wild Turkey
Subregion of Cognac
Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies, Fine Bois, Bons Bois, Bois Ordinaires
Fine Champagne: min 50% Grande Champagne + Petite Champagne
Smallest district - Borderies
What is the raw material of Cognac?
Ugni Blanc (St Emilion), with Folle Blanche, Colombard and others
Distillation method of Cognac?
Double distilled in Copper Charentais pot still.
First distillation produced brouillis (28% - 32% ABV spirit)
Second distillation (bonne chauffeur) - when multiplied brouillis is added and distilled and divided into heads (tete), hearts (coeur), secondes (second cut), tails (queues)
Labelling term of Cognac
VS (very special)/***: 2 years
VSOP (very special/superior old pale): 4 years
XO: 10 years
Fine Champagne requirement
Distilled from wines produced in Grande Champagne & Petite Champagne. Min 50% Grande Champagne
Subregion of Armagnac
Haut-Armagnac, Bas-Armagnac, Armagnac-Tenareze
Raw material of Armagnac
Wine made from Ugni Blanc, Colombard, Folle Blanche (Picpoul), Baco Blanc
Distillation method of Armagnac
Usually in continuous pot still (Coffey Still)
Labelling term of Armagnac
Blanche Armagnac: Young Armagnac (bottled after 3 months in inert)
VS/***: 1-3 years
VSOP: 4-9 years
XO/Hors d’Age: min 10 years
Name some Cognac producers
Remy Martin, Hennessy, Martell
Name some Armagnac producer
Laberdolive, Chateau Laubade, Delord, Larressingle, Baron de Sigognac, Casterede, Janneau, Samalens (Single de Samalens), Montal, Baron de Lustrac, Darroze (Domaine de Tucom), Marcillac, Domaine d’Aurensan, Laballe
Brandies in Spain
Usually made Jerez - Brandy de Jerez, distilled in pot still (alquitaras) from Airen & Palamino.
Solera - 3 months ageing
Solera Riserva - 1 year ageing
Solera Gran Riserva - 3 years ageing
What is pomace spirit
Produce from remnants left after pressing.
France - Marc. Best in Champagne, Burgundy, Alsace.
Portugal - Bagaceira
Italy - Grappa
Labelling term of Grappa
Vecchia/Invecchiata - 12 months in wood
Riserva/Stravecchia - 18 months in wood
AOC that produces Calvados
Calvados, Calvados Domfrontais, Calvados Pays d’Auge.
Pays d’Auge - double distilled in pot still, min 2 years in oak
Domfrontais - continuous still, min 3 years in oak, min 30% Pears
Labelling term of Calvados
Fine - 2 years
Vieux/Reserve - 3 years
VO/VSOP/Vielle Reserve - 4 years
Hors d’Age/XO/Tres Vielle Reserve/Tres Vielle Vieux/Extra/Napoleon - 6 years
Name the Eau-de-Vie and the fruits
Black Cherries - Kirsch (Kirschwasser)
Pear - Poire Williams
Raspberry - Framboise
Plum - Slivovitz, Mirabelle, Quetsch, Prunelle
Fig - Boukha
Apricot - Barack Palinka
What are the major styles of Rum
Light Rum - using sugarcane mostly continuous still, including Cachaça (made from fermented Sugarcane)
Dark Rum - using sugarcane double distilled in pot still (In Jamaica), more caramel notes
Demerara Rum - from molasses, made in Guyana
Rhum Agricole - using sugarcane juice, Martinique AOC
Spiced Rum - spice/fruit-flavoured rum
Where can Tequila be produced in Mexico
Jalisco, Guanajuato, Tamaulipas, Nayarit, Michoacán
What are the labelling term of Tequila
Blanco/Silver - max 2 months in oak
Oro/Gold - added caramel colouring
Reposado - 2 months to 1 year in oak
Anejo - 1 year to 3 years in oak
Extra Anejo - more than 3 years in oak
Area of production for Mezcal
Oaxaca, Guerrero, Durango, San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas, Tamaulipas (added in 2003), Michoacán (added in 2012), Guanajuato (added in 2015), Puebla (added in 2016), Sinaloa (added in 2021)
States in Oaxaca for Mezcal
Solá de Vega, Miahuatlán, Yautepec, Santiago Matatlán, Tlacolula, Ocotlán, Ejutla, Zimatlan
Labelling term for Mezcal
Reposado - min 2 months in oak
Anejo - min 1 year in oak
Madurado en Vidrio - min 1 year in glass, in cool dark place
Requirement for Mezcal
Cooking: piña or maguey juices in pit ovens, cement or stainless steel tanks
Milling: stone wheel, mechanical shredder or large mill
Fermentation: wood cask, cement or staining steel tanks
Distillation: alambic still, continuous still, copper still, or stainless steel tanks
Requirement of Mezcal Artesanal
Cooking: Pit ovens or cement
Milling: wooden floor, bats, stone wheel or mechanical shredder
Fermentation: stone vessel, cement, wood, clay, earthenware or animal skins; can include maguey fiber (bagazo)
Distillation: direct fire on alembic, copper, small or large clay vessel; wood; copper or stainless tank; can include maguey fiber (bagazo)
Requirement of Mezcal Ancestral
Cooking: pit ovens
Milling: wooden bats or stone wheel
Fermentation: stone vessel, cement, wood, clay, earthenware or animal skins; must include maguey fiber (bagazo)
Distillation: direct fire on small or large clay vessel; wood; must include maguey fiber (bagazo)
What is Gusano de Maguey
Worm (larva) in mezcal
Bitter Herbal Liqueurs
Italy: Fernet Branca (herbs, roots, spices), Averna (herbs, roots, citrus), Ramazzotti (roots, herbs, orange peel, anise), Cynar (artichoke), Campari (herbs, quinine, rhubarb, orange), Aperol (orange, gentian, rhubarb), Amaro Montenegro (vanilla, orange peel, eucalyptus)
France: Amer Picon (orange, gentian), Suze (gentian, herbs)
Germany: Boonekamp (herbs, roots, spices), Jaegermeister (herbs, spices, fruits)
Hungary: Unicum/Zwack (herbs, spices)
Fruit Liqueurs
France: Cointreau (orange), Grand Marnier (orange, Cognac based), Chambord (black raspberry), Cassis (blackcurrant)
Netherlands: Curaçao (laraha citrus), Pisang Ambon (banana)
South Africa: Van Der Hum (tangerine)
Croatia: Maraschino (cherry)
Denmark: Cherry Heering (cherry)
Japan: Midori (melon)
Barbados: Malibu (coconut, rum based)
England: Sloe Gin (sloe berries, sweetened Gin based)
Italy: Limoncello (lemon)
Coffee, Cream, Nut, Egg Liqueurs
Advocaat: Netherlands (sweetened egg)
Baileys: Ireland (cream, chocolate)
Amarula: South Africa (cream, marula fruit)
Tia Maria: Jamaica (coffee, rum based)
Kahlua: Mexico (coffee, rum based)
Godiva: Belgium (chocolate)
Frangelico: Italy (hazelnut)
Amaretto: Italy (almond, apricot)
Nocino: Italy (walnut)
Whiskey-Based Liqueurs
Scotch Whisky based: Drambuie (heather honey, herbs), Glen Mist (heather honey, herbs), Glayva (honey, tangerine, spices)
Irish Whiskey based: Irish Mist (honey, herbs)
American whiskey based: Southern Comfort (peach, orange, spice)
Bitters
Angostura Bitters: Originally Venezuela, now Trinidad & Tobago (Gentian, herbs, spices)
Peychaud Bitters: Originally New Orleans, Louisiana, now Kentucky, Buffalo Trace (Gentian, anise)
Other Liqueurs
France: Pernod (anise, fennel), Ricard (anise, liquorice root, thyme), Pastis 51 (anise), Benedictine (herbs, spices), Chartreuse (herbs, plants, roots, spices), B&B (Benedictine, brandy), St Germain (elderflower)
Italy: Sambuca (anise, elderberry), Galliano (anise, herbs, vanilla), Strega (saffron, herbs, spices)
Greece: Ouzo (anise)
Spain: Licor 43 (vanilla, herbs, spices)
Denmark: Kummel (caraway)
Poland: Krupnik (honey)
Others: Creme de Menthe (mint), Creme de Cacao (chocolate), Creme de Mure (blackberry), Creme de Cassis (blackcurrant), Creme de Fraise (strawberry)
What is the regulation for American Single Malt Whiskey?
Updated in 2024. Must be 100% malted barley, aged in oak (no min ageing requirement), min 40% ABV. Can use caramel colour.
American Single Malt Whiskey aged for 2 years can be labeled with “Straight”
What are the types of Calvados?
Acides (tart), Ameres (semi tart), Douces Ameres (semi sweet), Douces (sweet)
Name some producers of Calvados
Pere Magloire, Roger Groult, Adrien Camut, Droin, Lemorton, Boulard, Chateau du Breuil, Famile Dupont, Coquere
What is Chais Jaune d’Or
Separate cellar for Cognac storage
Notable Cognac house
Remy Martin: Louis XIII
Martell: L’Or de Jean Martell 1715, Les Remaquables de Martell
Courvoisier: Mizunara
Camus: Borderies
Delamain: Pale & Dry
Hennesey: Paradis Imperial
Hine: Antique
A.E Dor: Reserve No.5 Louis-Philippe
Frapin: XO - VIP
Croizet: Bonaparte
What are the single villages in Mezcal
Chichicapa, San Luis del Rio, Santo Domingo Albarradas, Minero, Tobala
Name some producers of Rum, and country of origin
Trinidad & Tobago
Angostura, Kraken
Jamaica
Appleton Estate, Captain Morgan
Puerto Rico
Bacardi
Australia
Bundaberg
Cuba
Havana Club
Guadeloupe
Montenello
Barbados
Mount Gay
Guatemala
Ron Zacapa
Guyana
El Dorado
Name some Single Grain Whiskies
Cameron Brig (Cameronbridge, Fife)
Dumbarton (Dumbarton)
North British (Edinburgh)
Invergordon (Invergordon)
Port Dundas (Glasgow)
Name some Irish whiskies
Bushmills, Teeling, Jameson, Dingle
