Whiskey/Whisky

Question 1

Definition of Whiskey.

6 examples of grains used.

Answer 1

Distilled product of fermented grains, including unmalted and malted barley, maize, rye, oats, and wheat.

Question 2

What does “Whiskey” mean?

Answer 2

Derived from the Gaelic uisgebeatha “water of life”

Question 3

When was the first written proof of whisky production?

Answer 3

1494 in Scotland

Question 4

What did whiskey have to do with America’s first test of federal power?
When?

Answer 4

1791 excise tax on whiskey led the infant nation to its first major test of federalist power and the

• tax was on production, not the sale, of whiskey. Many refused to pay, particularly on the western front. Whiskey Boys harassed taxmen, and protest led to violence and to insurrection.
• Whiskey Rebellion of 1794 led by George Washington’s invocation of martial law; raised 10,000 men to suppress the whisky protestors; confrontation never happened and tax as repealed anyway.

Question 5

What was an unintended consequence of the Whiskey Rebellion?

Answer 5

Small whiskey producers moved further out of the reach of the federal government and into Native American territory. In areas of Indiana and Kentucky, proper water for whiskey production was found.

Question 6

Who distilled Kentucky’s first whiskey and when?

What was the style called?

Answer 6

Rev. Elijah Craig distilled Kentucky’s first whiskey in 1789.

—style pioneered by Craig became known as Bourbon Whiskey

Question 7

What is the distillation requirement for Bourbon? (4)

Answer 7

—must be distilled from a minimum 51% corn.
—charred new oak casks.
—If aged for at least two years and made without any added coloring or flavoring, it may be labeled as “straight” Bourbon.
—If aged for less than four years, the distiller must also state the length of aging on the bottle.

Question 8

Where is 95% of all bourbon produced?

Name two producers outside of the 95%

Answer 8

Although Bourbon County is located in Kentucky and over 95% of Bourbon Whiskey is produced in the state, it may legally be produced anywhere in the US.

One style of Bourbon, made famous by Jack Daniel’s and George Dickel, is actually produced in Tennessee.

Question 9

What is wheated bourbon?

Answer 9

This is a term that is used to describe Bourbon that has a large proportion of wheat in the mash bill.

Question 10

How are Tennessee bourbon requirements different from standard bourbon requirements?

Answer 10

Tennessee whiskey must be filtered with maple charcoal prior to aging and manufactured in the state of Tennessee. Like Kentucky Bourbon it is made from at least 51% corn and aged in new, charred oak barrels.

Question 11

What is the Tennessee whiskey style?

Answer 11

It is a sour mash whiskey, a style utilized by many Bourbon distillers, in which a portion of spent mash is incorporated into a newly fermenting mash, much like sourdough bread. Offers a sweeter, deeper flavor.

Question 12

What is the Lincoln County Process?

Answer 12

The difference between Tennessee Whiskey (i.e. Jack Daniels) and other bourbon is that after the spirit is distilled it is filtered through sugar-maple charcoal. This filtering process is known as the Lincoln County Process. It must be done to legally make Tennessee whiskey.

Question 13

What is rye whiskey?
Name two producers.
How is it different from bourbon?

Answer 13

Rye Whiskey, distilled from a minimum 51% rye and aged in new charred oak barrels for a minimum of two years. Rye Whiskies, such as Sazerac and Rittenhouse, are more bitter and powerful than Bourbon.

Question 14

What is corn whiskey?

Answer 14

produced from a minimum 80% corn, and may be unaged or aged in used or uncharred new barrels.

Question 15

What does cask strength mean?
What is the ABV range?
Two other names it is also known as?

Answer 15

—A term used to describe a whisky that has not been substantially diluted after its storage in a cask for maturation. Most bottled whisky is diluted with water to reduce its strength to a level that makes it less expensive to produce and more palatable to most consumers – usually about 40% ABV (the statutory minimum in some countries, including the U.S.). The degree of dilution significantly affects the flavor and general drinking experience of the whisky.
—The level of alcohol-by-volume (ABV) strength for a cask strength whisky is typically in the range of 58–66% ABV.
—also known as barrel proof/barrel strength

Question 16

How is Scotch whisky different from American whiskey?

Answer 16

Scotch whisky relies on used casks for a more subtle interaction between wood and spirit—used Bourbon and Sherry casks are generally employed to age Scotch.

A more dominant character trait of Scotch derives from the process of malting barley for fermentation with the use of peat bogs along with wood burning, bringing the peaty character.

Question 17

Why does Scotch have a peaty characteristic?

Answer 17

A dominant character trait of Scotch derives from the process of malting barley for fermentation and the means of heat required to do so.

• Scotland’s forests are concentrated near the center, and wood burning becomes expensive toward the coast.
• Scotland’s many peat bogs provide another ready source of combustible material, but burning peat produces an oily smoke that infuses the malted barley with its scent and character.
• The peatiness transmits a dominant note in the finished whisky, especially in coastal or island distilleries.

Question 18

What are the five legal categories of Scotch. When were these regulations put into place?

Answer 18

The 2009 Scotch Whisky Regulations established five legal categories of Scotch:

—Single Malt Scotch Whisky
—Single Grain Scotch Whisky
—Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
—Blended Grain Scotch Whisky 
—Blended Scotch Whisky

**required on all labels from 2011 forward.

Question 19

What are the requirements for the following categories:

Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Blended Grain Scotch Whisky 
Blended Scotch Whisky

Answer 19

—Single Malt Scotch Whisky: distilled at a single distillery in a pot still, in one or more batches, from water and malted barley.
—Single Grain Scotch Whisky: any Scotch Whisky distilled at a single distillery that does not qualify as either Single Malt Whisky or Blended Scotch Whisky
—Blended Malt Scotch Whisky: blend of two or more Single Malt Scotch Whiskies that have been produced at more than one distillery (“pure malt” is no longer legally authorized as a synonym for blended malt)
—Blended Grain Scotch Whisky: blend of two or more Single Grain Scotch Whiskies that have been produced at more than one distillery
—Blended Scotch Whisky: blend of one or more Single Malt Whiskies with one or more Single Grain Whiskies

Question 20

Scotch regulations.

What is the minimum alcohol?
Distillation procedures? (4)
Authorized Additives?
Aging Requirements?
Maturation and Export?
Statements of Age?

Answer 20

—40%

1) Scotch Whisky must be produced from a mixture of water, malted barley, and other whole cereal grains
2) Distillation produces a spirit of no more than 94.8% abv
3) Fermentation and Distillation must occur at the same location in Scotland
4) Must be distilled twice (or more)

—Water and caramel coloring
—All Scotch Whisky must be aged for a minimum 3 years in oak casks with a maximum capacity of 700 liters
—Scotch Whisky may only be matured in a permitted excise warehouse in Scotland
-Scotch Whisky may not be exported in oak or wooden vessels (inoxidative containers are legally allowed)
-Single Malt Scotch Whisky must be bottled in Scotland from Nov. 23, 2012 onward
—Year of distillation may not be included on the label unless the year of bottling, period of maturation, or the age (in years) of the whisky is also included.

Question 21

How long my Scotch whisky aged for?

How long are single malts generally aged for?

How long can Scotch age for in barrel?

Answer 21

—All Scotch whisky must be aged for at least three years.
—Single Malt Scotch is generally aged for at least ten years, with some whiskies released at 25 or 30 years of age.
—As Scotch whisky must be at least 40% abv, most whiskies cannot be aged longer than 30 or 32 years in the barrel—evaporation (the “angels’ share”) over time would weaken the spirit too much to meet the legal minimum.

Question 22

What are the six regions of production in Scotland?

Answer 22

Highland
Lowland
Speyside
Islay 
Campbeltown
the Islands (not a GI, under Highland)

Question 23

What is the largest region of production in Scotland?

Best known distilleries (4)

Answer 23

Highland

Oban, Glenmorangie, Dalwhinnie and Dalmore

Question 24

What region often produces the lightest and least smoky scotch?

Best known distilleries (3)

Answer 24

Lowland, an ideal aperitif.

Glenkinchie, Auchentoshan, and Bladnoch

Question 25

What region GI of Scotland was once a former sub-zone of the Highlands and produces Scotch that is generally milder and fruity in character?

Best known distilleries (3)

Answer 25

Speyside

Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, and the Macallan are produced in Speyside with water from the river Spey, and are generally milder and fruity in character.

Question 26

What region of Scotland was once-flourshing and now houses only three distilleries?
What are they?

Answer 26

Campbeltown

Glen Scotia, Glengyle, and Springbank

Question 27

What is the character of scotch from the Island distilleries?

Answer 27

A pronounced peatiness and toasted seaweed character.

Question 28

Name five Scotch-producing islands.

Highly regarded island producers (2)

Answer 28

Skye
Jura
Mull
Arran
Orkney

**Highland Park on the Isle of Orkney and Talisker on the Isle of Skye are highly regarded.

Question 29

What region produces the most peaty, smoky style of Scotch whisky?

Best known distilleries (3)

Answer 29

Islay

Ardbeg, Lagavulin, and Laphroaig

Question 30

What is Scotch traditionally aged in?
Why?
Name two distilleries that age their scotch in a different vessel.

Answer 30

Most Scotch is aged in used American bourbon casks. For many years it was aged in Port or Sherry casks, but when those fortifed wines fell outof favor with the Brits, they switched to Bourbon barrels, which allowed was less sweet and lighter in flavor and color; also picking up vanilla and heavy oak tones that are present in most bourbons.
—There are still a few distilleries that age in sherry or port casks, like Dalmore and Macallan, but for the most part they have been reserved for finishing whisky previously aged in the bourbon barrels.

Question 31

What is wood-finished Scotch?

What two distilleries are pioneers of the style?

Answer 31

Scotch whisky transferred to a different cask for the last two or three years of its aging period.
-often transferred from its cask to another that held Port, Sherry, Madeira, Burgundy, or Sauternes

—Glenmorangie and Balvenie are pioneers of the style, crafting a softer, fruitier style of Single Malt designed to win converts to the category overall.

Question 32

In the late 2000s, how many active Irish distilleries were there?

Answer 32

Three

Old Bushmills
Cooley
New Midleton (maker of Jameson)

—Interest is reviving, however, and by 2015 the number of distilleries had tripled, with more coming online each year.

Question 33

What event crafted the difference between Scotch and Irish whiskey?

Answer 33

Taxation. In 1725 England began taxing malting barley (instead of the final product that was being produced underground).

—The Scottish responded by heating their barley at night—the origin of “moonshine”
—Irish moved to using a large proportion of unmalted barley in their whiskies. Thus, Irish whiskey is typically lighter in character.

Question 34

What is an example of peat-fired Irish Whiskey?

Answer 34

The peat-fired, Single Malt Connemara produced by Cooley provides the exception to the rule that Irish Whiskey doesn’t used peat.

Question 35

How is Irish whiskey traditionally produced?

Answer 35

three times in a pot still, although many are today produced in a continuous still.

Question 36

How long must Irish whiskey be aged?

Answer 36

minimum three years prior to release; in practice most whiskies age for at least seven.

Question 37

What kinda of whisky does Canada produce?

How long must it be aged?

Answer 37

Canadian rye whiskies are generally blended, and must be aged for three years before sale.
— There is no legal requirement for rye whisky to contain a high proportion of rye, but most do.

Question 38

What is Japanese scotch flavor profile?

Most famous producer?

Answer 38

• The Japanese, fervent admirers of Scotch, also produce whisky in similar style.
• Suntory is Japan’s most famous producer, offering blended and single malt whiskies.

Question 39

What are the regulations for Bonded American Bourbon

Examples?

Answer 39

• spirit must be the product of one distillation season and one distiller at one distillery.
• must be bottled and stored in federally bonded warehouses under the U.S. government supervision for no less than 4 years.
• label must identify the distillery by DSP number where it was distilled and, if different, where it was bottled.
• *makes the government the guarantor of a spirits authenticity, gave producers a tax incentive for participating.
• *Most bonded spirits are whiskeys.

Rittenhouse Rye
Evan Williams (white label)
Jim Beam Bonded
Old Grand-Dad