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Bartender Basics > Whiskey Basics > Flashcards

Whiskey Basics Flashcards

Do you know your way around a whiskey shelf? Start enjoying one of the finer pleasures of the Western liquor tradition and embark on the discovery of a lifetime.

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1
Q

What is the difference between “whisky” and “whiskey”?

A
  • Canada, Scotland, and Japan spell it “whisky”
  • The United States and Ireland spell it “whiskey”
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2
Q

Where did the word “whiskey” originate?

A

From the Irish Gaelic uisce beatha or Scottish Gaelic uisge beatha, meaning “water of life”

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3
Q

What does “malting” liquor mean?

A

Malting is a process whereby grains are soaked in water to begin germination, but then removed and either dried or heated to prevent further germination.

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4
Q

What are the defining characteristics of the following type of whiskey?

Malt whiskey

A
  • Made from malted barley
  • Distilled in an onion-shaped pot still
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5
Q

What are the defining characteristics of the following type of whiskey?

Grain whiskey

A
  • Made from malted and unmalted barley
  • Uses other grains in addition to barley
  • Distilled in a Coffey still
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6
Q

What are the defining characteristics of the following type of whiskey?

Vatted malt whiskey

A

A blend of malt whiskies from various distilleries

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7
Q

What are the defining characteristics of the following type of whiskey?

Single malt whiskey

A
  • Malt whiskey from one distillery
  • Usually from several casks and years
  • Meant for the taster to get a well-rounded taste of the distillery
  • Commonly named after the distillery
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8
Q

What are the defining characteristics of the following type of whiskey?

Blended whiskey

A
  • Made from a combination of malt and grain whiskies
  • Usually a blend of whiskies from many distilleries
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9
Q

What are the defining characteristics of the following type of whiskey?

Cask strength whiskey

A
  • Rare
  • Bottled from a single cask
  • Undiluted by water
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10
Q

How is the age of a whiskey determined?

A

The age of a whiskey is the amount of time spent in the cask before bottling.

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11
Q

What are the 6 types of American whiskey?

A
  1. Bourbon
  2. Rye
  3. Wheat
  4. Corn
  5. Tennessee
  6. Blended
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12
Q

What are the defining characteristics of the following type of whiskey?

Bourbon

A
  • Mostly produced in Kentucky
  • Must be made in the USA
  • Must contain at least 51% corn
  • Must be stored for at least two years in new, charred oak casks
  • Cannot be distilled to more than 80% alcohol by volume
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13
Q

What are some popular brands of the following type of whiskey?

Bourbon

A
  • Jim Beam
  • Buffalo Trace
  • Van Winkle
  • Maker’s Mark
  • Woodford Reserve
  • Wild Turkey
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14
Q

What are the defining characteristics of the following type of whiskey?

Tennessee whiskey

A
  • Must be produced in Tennessee
  • Always filtered with sugar-maple charcoal
  • Takes 10 days to filter
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15
Q

What are some popular brands of the following type of whiskey?

Tennessee whiskey

A
  • Jack Daniel’s
  • George Dickel Whiskey
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16
Q

What are the defining characteristics of the following type of whiskey?

Rye whiskey

A
  • Usually blended with other whiskies to add character
  • Must be at least 51% rye
  • Distilled at less than 80% alcohol by volume
  • Stored in new charred oak casks for at least two years
  • Made in Indiana and Kentucky
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17
Q

What are some popular brands of the following type of whiskey?

Rye whiskey

A
  • Wild Turkey Straight Rye Whiskey
  • Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey
  • Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye 13 Year
  • Sazerac Rye Whiskey 18 year
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18
Q

What are the defining characteristics of the following type of whiskey?

Corn whiskey

A
  • Must be at least 80% corn
  • Does not have to be aged in wood
  • Has to be aged in either un-charred or used bourbon barrels
  • One of the harshest, cheapest whiskey types
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19
Q

What are some popular brands of the following type of whiskey?

Corn whiskey

A
  • Bush Pilot’s
  • Shine On Georgia Moon
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20
Q

What are the four whiskey types common in Ireland?

A
  1. single malt
  2. single grain
  3. pure pot still
  4. blended
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21
Q

What are the defining characteristics of the following type of whiskey?

Irish whiskey

A
  • Uses barley as a main distilling ingredient
  • A mix of malted and unmalted grains
  • Contains grains distilled in a Coffey still
  • Distilled three times
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22
Q

What are some popular brands of the following type of whiskey?

Irish whiskey blends

A
  • Black Bush
  • Jameson
  • Bushmills Original
  • Inishowen
  • Locke’s Blend
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23
Q

What are some popular brands of the following type of whiskey?

Irish pure pot still whiskeys

A
  • Green Spot
  • Jameson 15 Year Old Pot Still
  • Redbreast
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24
Q

What are some popular brands of the following type of whiskey?

Irish single malt whiskeys

A
  • Bushmills (10, 16, and 21 Years)
  • Connemara Peated Malt (Regular, Cask Strength, and 12 Years)
  • Locke’s Single Malt (8 Year)
  • Tyrconnell
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25
Q

What is a popular brand of the following type of whiskey?

Irish single grain whiskeys

A

Greenore (8 and 10 Years)

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26
Q

What are the defining characteristics of the following type of whiskey?

Scotch whiskey

A
  • Must be distilled and matured in Scotland
  • Must mature in barrels not exceeding a 700 liter maximum
  • Must contain no additives other than water and spirit caramel to preserve the color
  • Must be distilled at less than 94.8% alcohol by volume
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27
Q

What are the 5 types of Scotch whiskey?

A
  1. blended
  2. single grain
  3. single malt
  4. single cask malt
  5. vatted malt
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28
Q

What are the defining characteristics of the following type of whiskey?

Blended Scotch whisky

A
  • The majority of Scotch sold worldwide is blended
  • Averages about 80% grain and 20% malts
  • Can have up to 20 different malts in one whisky
  • Each blend has its own distinguished taste
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29
Q

What are the defining characteristics of the following type of whiskey?

Single grain Scotch whisky

A
  • Made from the whisky of one distillery
  • Contains unmalted barley, corn/wheat, water, and malted barley
  • Rare
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30
Q

What smells and flavors should you detect in the following whiskey?

Single malt scotch

A
  • peat
  • smoky
  • hints of oak
  • citrus
  • hints of maple sugar and tea
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31
Q

What are the defining characteristics of the following type of whiskey?

Single cask scotch whisky

A
  • Bottled from one cask
  • Very rare
  • Sometimes bottled without water dilution
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32
Q

What are the defining characteristics of the following type of whiskey?

Vatted malt scotch

A
  • Made exclusively from malted barley
  • Contains several malt whiskies
  • Never contains any grain whisky
33
Q

What are the defining characteristics of the following type of whiskey?

American whiskey

A
  • Made from a grain mash
  • Distilled at 90% or less alcohol by volume
  • Bottled at 40% or more alcohol by volume
34
Q

What smells and flavors should you detect in the following whiskey?

Bourbon

A
  • fruity
  • sweet
  • peppery
  • nutty
  • woody
35
Q

What smells and flavors should you detect in the following whiskey?

Tennessee whiskey

A
  • smoky flavor
  • woody
  • fruity overtones
  • rich, sweet smell
  • licorice aroma
36
Q

What smells and flavors should you detect in the following whiskey?

Rye whiskey

A
  • molasses and hickory aroma
  • vanilla
  • spiced rum
  • charred oak
  • honey
  • toffee
37
Q

What smells and flavors should you detect in the following whiskey?

Corn whiskey

A
  • No “good” corn whiskey exists
  • Very harsh initial aroma
  • Reminiscent of moonshine
  • Light corn taste
38
Q

What are the defining characteristics of the following type of whiskey?

Sour mash

A
  • A process of distillation
  • When a previously fermented mash (grain, water, and malt) is added to provoke the fermentation of a new mash
  • This mash hybridization is used to manipulate the level of flavor-altering bacteria
39
Q

What are some popular brands of the following type of whiskey?

Sour mash

A
  • Jack Daniel’s
  • Jim Beam
  • Knob Creek
  • Maker’s Mark
  • Old Crow
  • Old Fitzgerald
  • Wild Turkey
40
Q

What smells and flavors should you detect in the following whiskey?

Blended scotch

A
  • smoky
  • flavorful
  • creamy
  • hint of dried fruit
  • cedar
  • leather
  • peat
41
Q

What are some popular brands of the following type of whiskey?

Blended scotch

A
  • Chivas Regal 12 Year Old
  • Johnnie Walker Gold
  • White Horse 12 Year Old
  • The Famous Grouse Finest
  • Cutty Sark Original
42
Q

What smells and flavors should you detect in the following whiskey?

Single grain scotch

A
  • citrus
  • notes of cut grass
  • woody bitterness
  • coconut aroma
  • peppery
  • hints of chocolate
43
Q

What are some popular brands of the following type of whiskey?

Single grain scotch

A
  • Black Barrel
  • Cameron Bridge
  • Carsebridge 45 Year Old
  • Compass Box Hedonism
  • Invergordon 42 Year Old
  • Loch Lomond Organic
44
Q

What are some popular brands of the following type of whiskey?

Single malt scotch

A
  • Aberlour
  • Balvenie
  • Glenfiddich
  • Glenkinchie
  • Glenlivet
  • Glenmorangie
  • Laphroaig
  • Talisker
45
Q

What smells and flavors should you detect in the following whiskey?

Vatted malt scotch

A
  • pungent
  • oaky
  • peppery
  • gentle smokiness
  • sweet
46
Q

What are some popular brands of the following type of whiskey?

Vatted malt scotch

A
  • Auld Reekie
  • Blaimhor
  • Glencoe
  • Hankey Bannister
  • Johnnie Walker Green Label
  • Monkey Shoulder
  • Old Elgin
47
Q

In which regions of Scotland is whisky produced?

A
  • Islay
  • Lowlands
  • Speyside
  • Highlands
  • Campbeltown
  • Islands
48
Q

Where is Islay located in Scotland?

A

Islay is an island west of the Scottish mainland.

49
Q

What distinguishes Islay whisky?

A
  • smoky
  • peaty
  • salty
  • tangy
50
Q

Where are Lowlands in Scotland?

A

southernmost part

51
Q

What distinguishes Lowlands whisky?

A
  • not very salty
  • flavorful
  • spicy
  • not peaty
  • smooth
52
Q

Where is Speyside in Scotland?

A

northern

53
Q

What distinguishes Speyside whisky?

A
  • rich flavor
  • sweet
  • not peaty
  • hint of carnations
  • reminiscent of cream soda
54
Q

Where are the Highlands in Scotland?

A

northernmost part

55
Q

What distinguishes Highlands whisky?

A
  • very smoky
  • spicy
  • fruity
  • have a dry finish
56
Q

Where is Campbeltown in Scotland?

A

in the southern peninsula

57
Q

What distinguishes Campbeltown whisky?

A
  • nutty
  • crisp
  • creamy
  • salty
  • peaty
  • buttery
58
Q

Where are the Islands in Scotland?

A

north of mainland Scotland

59
Q

What distinguishes Islands whisky?

A
  • marine flavors
  • peaty
  • smoky
  • milder version of Islay whiskies
60
Q

What is “peat” in whisky production?

A
  • Dead vegetation like moss, soil, and grass that has been compacted over thousands of years
  • Burned to heat up barley to stop germination during malting
  • Produces strong smoky flavor in whisky
61
Q

What are the distinguishing characteristics of the following type of whiskey?

Aberlour Scotch

A
  • Made in a Sherry cask
  • Sweet, smooth, and rich, without smoke
  • Dessert Scotch
62
Q

What are the distinguishing characteristics of the following type of whiskey?

Balvenie Scotch

A
  • single malt
  • single cask
  • rich and smooth
  • honey taste
63
Q

What are the distinguishing characteristics of the following type of whiskey?

Edradour Scotch

A
  • Single malt
  • Sherry cask
  • Tastes like sugared almonds
  • Smooth, creamy, and light
  • Hint of smokiness
64
Q

What are the distinguishing characteristics of the following type of whiskey?

Glenfiddich Scotch

A
  • single malt
  • fragrant
  • tastes like pear and oak
65
Q

What are the types (colors of label) of Johnnie Walker whiskies in order of quality?

A
  • Red Label (lowest)
  • Black Label
  • Gold Label
  • Green Label
  • Blue Label (highest)
66
Q

What are the distinguishing characteristics of the following type of whiskey?

Johnnie Walker Red Label

A
  • Rich, full-bodied blend
  • According to the Johnnie Walker website, it is a “combination of spicy, smoky malts and lingering, lighter grains”
67
Q

What are the distinguishing characteristics of the following type of whiskey?

Johnnie Walker Black Label

A
  • Blended with over 40 whiskies
  • Has a fruity, earthy, creamy, vanilla taste
68
Q

What are the distinguishing characteristics of the following type of whiskey?

Johnnie Walker Green Label

A
  • Fresh and distinctive blend of single-malt whiskies
  • Pepper, oak, and fruit flavors
69
Q

What are the distinguishing characteristics of the following type of whiskey?

Johnnie Walker Blue Label

A
  • Most exclusive Johnny Walker blend
  • Each bottle is individually numbered
  • Aromatic and smokey
  • Tastes like honey, rose petals, sandalwood, and chocolate
70
Q

What are the distinguishing characteristics of the following type of whiskey?

Johnnie Walker Gold Label

A
  • A blend of rare, aged malts from Scotland’s best distilleries
  • Rich, creamy, honey taste
71
Q

What are the distinguishing characteristics of the following type of whiskey?

Dalwhinnie Scotch

A
  • Single malt
  • Water used in distilling Dalwhinnie is from an exclusive source which lies at a 2,000-foot elevation that no other distillery can use
  • Sweet, clean, malty, and smokey taste
72
Q

What are the distinguishing characteristics of the following type of whiskey?

Chivas Regal Scotch

A
  • A blend of single malt and grain whiskies
  • Rich, smooth, multifaceted, and displays harmony between flavors
73
Q

What are the distinguishing characteristics of the following type of whiskey?

Clynelish Scotch

A
  • single malt
  • crisp, salty, seaweed flavor
  • traces of pungent smokines
74
Q

What are the distinguishing characteristics of the following type of whiskey?

Glenkinchie Scotch

A
  • distilled in an Amontillado cask
  • sweetly dry
  • light and spicy
  • sherry-like finish
75
Q

What are the distinguishing characteristics of the following type of whiskey?

Oban Scotch

A
  • distilled in a Montilla cask
  • smooth and bold
  • zesty
  • fruity and sweet
76
Q

What are the distinguishing characteristics of the following type of whiskey?

Cragganmore Scotch

A
  • spicy
  • smoky
  • complex, yet clean
77
Q

What are the distinguishing characteristics of the following type of whiskey?

Talisker Scotch

A
  • unique and powerful character
  • spicy
  • peppery
  • peaty
  • smooth and smokey
78
Q

What are the distinguishing characteristics of the following type of whiskey?

Caol Ila Scotch

A
  • subtle peaty taste
  • robust
  • sweet
  • smoky
79
Q

What are the distinguishing characteristics of the following type of whiskey?

Lagavulin Scotch

A
  • dense
  • complex and powerful
  • Scotland’s smokiest malt
  • peaty

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