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WSET Spirits Exam Prep > Whiskey > Flashcards

Whiskey Flashcards

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1
Q

original reason for Scotch Whisky production

A

effective method of using surplus grain and giving farmers alternative source of revenue. Barley and other grains particularly important in less fertile parts of the country

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2
Q

style of proto-whiskey

A

flavored with heather and other herbs sweetened with honey

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3
Q

start of Global Scotch industry

A

Coffey Still in 1827. Malt whisky was an acquired taste but grain was bland. Then in 1860 became legal to blend so Walker, Chivas, and Dewar took advantage and built empires. Then phylloxera wrecked Cognac in 1870s

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4
Q

Global Giants in the Scotch Whisky

A

Diageo and Pernod Ricard

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5
Q

Why Barley?

A

Enzymes that convert starch into fermentable sugar

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6
Q

Malting

A

grains are immersed, steeped in water, drained, repeated for 2-3 days which allows adequate moisture level without drowning barley.

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7
Q

Green Malt

A

once barley starts germinated. Cannot dry out and temperature must be controlled by blowing humidified air and turning the green malt

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8
Q

Malt

A

when all the starch in the green malt is converted, moved to a kiln, heated and dried to stop germination. This is malt. Peat flavor introduced if peat used to fuel kilning

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9
Q

‘Phenolics’

A

from peat. are these really phenols? character of peat is delicate and susceptible to heat so lower heat for kilning produces more aromatic impact

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10
Q

Grist

A

malt is milled into Grist

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11
Q

Mash tun

A

grist is mixed with hot water in the mash tun this reactivates the enzymes which need approx 63-64C

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12
Q

Wort

A

once conversion is completed, sugar solution is called Wort

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13
Q

Washback

A

Fermenter

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14
Q

cloudy wort

A

solids allowed to pass to the washback giving greater,, malty character than if from clear wort

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15
Q

Wash

A

fermented wort. Some distillers leave the wash for a few days to allow development of additional congeners

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16
Q

Wash Still

A

First distillation for Scotch (21-28%) produces low wines

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17
Q

Spirit Still

A

second distillation for Scotch (around 70%). Heads and Tails added to the next batch of low wines

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18
Q

Cut point for Scotch

A

early cut to tails will result in a lighter spirit (fusel oils). Particularly important here because Peat character comes from congeners with low boiling points

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19
Q

Scotch Maturation

A

in oak barrels less than 700l for min. 3 years. generally old bourbon barrels sometimes sherry butts (conditioned with Sherry)

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20
Q

Scotch Finishing

A

Port, Sherry, Madeira, Red Wine, Sweet Wine, …

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21
Q

Scotch Distillation

A

max 94.8%

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22
Q

Scotch Maturation

A

min 3 years in max 700l barrel. only water and caramel can be added

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23
Q

Scotch age statements

A

any age statement indicated the youngest whisky in the blend. If vintage all whisky must have been distilled that year

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24
Q

Region indicated Scotch

A

all must have been distilled in stated region

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25
Q

Islay

A

peat. Ardbeg, Laphroaig, Lagavulin

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26
Q

Highland

A

diverse range from peated style of Highland Park to light citric style of Glenmorangie

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27
Q

Speyside

A

Lighter style typified by Glenfiddich and the Glenlivet or the richer more fruity styles of Macallan and Balvenie

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28
Q

Lowland

A

lighter style e.g. Auchentoshan

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29
Q

Cambeltown

A

three distilleries. Rich and heavy style e.g. Springbank

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30
Q

Mashbill

A

grain whiskies made from a mixture of grains to which a small amount 10% of malted barley is added. This is a mashbill

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31
Q

Pot Distillation in Irish Whiskey

A

Irish initially refused Coffey Still (Coffey was Irish!).

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32
Q

IDL

A

Irish Distillers Limited. by 1975 only two distilleries remained in Ireland both under IDL ownership; Midleton in Co. Cork and Old Bushmills in Co. Antrim

33
Q

Cooley and Kilbeggan

A

1987

34
Q

Bushmills to Diageo

A

2005 IDL then part of Pernod Ricard sold Bushmills to Diageo

35
Q

IDL style

A

has such a dominant market (compared to competitors Bushmills and Cooley/Kilbeggan) share its style synonymous with Irish Whiskey.
-Tripe distilled, unpeated, with unmalted barley.
Busmills and Cooley to an extent deviate from this style

36
Q

Unmalted Barley

A

gives flavor described as spicy, fruity, and oily. initially a way to avoid tax (only malted barley was taxed). Not only was tax bill reduced but increased yield. 20-60% of IDL mashbill

37
Q

Midleton

A

All IDL whiskey is made here (they do not buy in). 20 different brands. 4 huge pot stills, 3-column, and a 2-column

38
Q

Midleton Pot Still distillation

A

produces low wines of 22-50%. This is redistilled in the feints still to 50-78%. Heads and Tails are redistilled with the low wines. the heart is sent to the Spirits still. Heads and tails redistilled with the strong feints heart is collected as new make spirit.

39
Q

Midleton Column Distillation

A

used to create grain whiskeys that typically have a high percentage of corn. Three column still basically “Beer column with rectifier, Hydroselector, and then another rectifier.

40
Q

IDL Wood

A

research in 1970s resulted in more custom new American oak usage

41
Q

Bushmills

A

only malt. triple distilled following the Midleton method. Wash from 100% malted barley is triple distilled to produce 84% spirit. 10 stills have tall, slender necks that encourage reflux and produce a spirit that is delicate, fruity, and floral. Bourbon and Tennessee whiskey barrels are used for maturation along with custom Oloroso Butts. Nusmills Original and Black Bush are made using grain whisky supplied by Midleton

42
Q

Cooley

A

established in 1987. Pot still whiskeys are double distilled and one of their malt whiskey brands using peated malt. The column stills produce grain whiskey for blends as well as Ireland’s only single-grain whiskey made from corn. Cooley opened and runs Kilbeggan.

43
Q

First Japanese Whisky? made by whom?

A

1923 by Masataka Taketsuru at Suntory’s Yamazaki distillery.

44
Q

Distinctive about Japanese Whisky?

A

Crystal clear worts which have been fermented for a long time with carefully selected yeasts (rarely any maltiness).

45
Q

Mizunara

A

Japanese Oak

46
Q

Wood use for Japanese Whisky?

A

Mainly American, + sherry Butts and Mizunara

47
Q

American Whiskey roots

A

first whiskeys made from European grains mainly rye. Then settled in Kentucky discovered corn was much better to grow there.

48
Q

Temperance Movement

A

by 1914 both Kentucky and Tennessee were dry. Volstead act in 1920.

49
Q

Bourbon Distillation

A

max 160 proof

50
Q

Bourbon Maturation

A

must be stored at a max 125 proof in charred new oak containers

51
Q

Bourbon Finishing

A

must be bottled at 80 proof or more and can be a mix of spirits of different ages

52
Q

Bourbon Labelling requirements

A

no min. Age statements are only mandatory if youngest spirit in the blend is less than four years old. All age statements are determined by the youngest spirit in the blend

53
Q

Straight Whiskey

A

Bourbon, Rye, Wheat, Malt, Rye Malt, and Corn

aged for at least 2 years in the oak required for its category

No coloring or flavoring allowed

54
Q

Makers Mark

A

uses only wheat to produce a softer style

55
Q

Woodford Reserve

A

has a lot of rye

56
Q

Mash

A

In bourbon production the wort is called the mash

57
Q

Enzymes in Bourbon Production

A

if they want

58
Q

Backset/Sour Mashing

A

fermenter is filled with the mash along with backset

59
Q

Backset

A

the acidic liquid residue left at the foot of the beer still. Bourbon and Tennessee whiskey producers need to use backset because they have hard, alkaline water.

adding backset lowers pH, controls microbial attack

backset makes up 20-30% of the fermenter. too much will dilute (and too much acid). Too little and mash is too thick and pH is too high

60
Q

Sour Mash

A

when backset is added to the cooker

61
Q

Yeast in Bourbon production

A

not particularly important to most producers tend to use the same for all brands. Exception is 4 Roses.

62
Q

Bourbon Distillation

A

with one exception, all Bourbons are double distilled. first distillation in a single column still called a beer still. 2nd in a type of pot still known as a doubler or a thumper.

63
Q

Bourbon Beer Still

A

for first distillation. A single continuous Column still.

Produces low wines from 50-60%

64
Q

Doubler or Thumper

A

still for 2nd distillation in Bourbon production

65
Q

Doubler

A

low wines coming off the Bourbon Beer still are condensed and then the liquid is pumped continuously into the doubler. This is to refine congeners usually only a slight rise in abv

66
Q

Thumpers

A

Type of doubler but vapors from Bourbon beer still are no condensed. They are passed directly into the thumper

67
Q

White Dog

A

or High wines the Bourbon new make spirit

68
Q

Strength of High wines in Bourbon production

A

Wild Turkey to 56%, Makers Mark to 65%, Four Roses even higher than that

69
Q

Bourbon Maturation

A

Bourbon must enter the barrel at 62.5% or less. This is in part a practical requirement because alc levels rise during maturation in KY (due to hot and dry conditions.

70
Q

Bourbon Barrels

A

typically 200l

71
Q

Tennessee Whiskey

A

not defined as a separate type of whiskey under federal law. under trade agreements defined as Straight Bourbon Whiskey produced in the State of Tennessee. This prevents a producer from labelling a spirit would fail to qualify as Bourbon as Tennessee Whiskey

72
Q

Lincoln County Process

A

slowly filtering the white dog through a three-metre deeo bed of sugar maple charcoal. The only large Tennessee Whiskey producers Jack and Dickel use it but are not legally required to do so

73
Q

Rye Whiskey

A

Regulations for Rye are the same as for Bourbon except replace corn with Rye (51%)

74
Q

US Blended Whiskey

A

20% straight whiskey blended with whiskey and HRS

75
Q

Canadian Whisky

A

handful of distilleries focused on making blends of base whisky and flavoring whisky. Corn is used for production of nearly all base whisky, wheat is sometimes used. Rye is used for flavoring whisky.

76
Q

Canadian Club and Crown Royal

A

soft character due to high percentage of corn-based base whisky

77
Q

Alberta Distillers

A

makes a range of high percentage and 100% rye whiskies

78
Q

Unique to Canadian Whisky

A

9.09% of the blend can come from a non-whisky source

WSET Spirits Exam Prep (8 decks)

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