Whiskey Basics Flashcards
What are the six types of American whiskey?
Bourbon, Rye, Wheat, Corn, Tennessee, Blended
How is the age of a whiskey determined?
The age of a whiskey is the amount of time spent in the cask before bottling.
What is a malt whiskey?
Made from malted barley. Distilled in an onion-shaped pot still.
What is a grain whiskey?
Made from malted and unmalted barley. Uses other grains in addition to barley. Distilled in a Coffey still.
What is a vatted malt whiskey?
A blend of malt whiskies from various distilleries.
What is a single malt whiskey?
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.
What is a blended whiskey?
Made from a combination of malt and grain whiskies. Usually a blend of whiskies from multiple distilleries.
What is a cask strength whiskey?
Rare. Bottled from a single cask. Undiluted from water.
What is a bourbon?
Mostly produced in Kentucky. Must be made in the USA. Must contain at least 50% corn. Must be stored for at least two years in new, charred oak casks. Cannot be distilled to more than 80% alcohol by volume. E.g. Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark
What is Tennessee whiskey?
Must be produced in Tennessee. Always filtered with sugar-maple charcoal. Takes 10 days to filter. E.g. Jack Daniel’s
What is a rye whiskey?
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. E.g. Wild Turkey
What is a corn whiskey?
Must be at least 80% corn. Does not have to be aged in wood. Has to be either in un-charred or used bourbon barrels. One of the harshest, cheapest whiskey types. E.g Bush Pilot’s, Shine On Georgia Moon
What is an Irish whiskey?
Uses barley as a main distilling ingredient. A mix of malted and unmalted grains. Contains grains distilled in a Coffey still. Distilled three times. E.g. Jameson
What is a scotch whiskey?
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.
What are the five types of Scotch whiskey?
Blended, single grain, single malt, single cask malt, vatted malt
