Whisky or Whiskey is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Various grains, which may be malted, are used for different varieties, including barley, corn, rye, and wheat. Whisky is typically aged in wooden casks, generally made of charred white oak. Whisky is a strictly regulated spirit worldwide with many classification and types. The typical unifying characteristics of the different classifications and types are the fermentation of grains, distillation, and aging in wooden barrels.
The word whisky is a modernization of the classical Gaelic word uisce ( or uisce) meaning “water.” Distilled alcohol was known in Latin as aqua vitae or “water of life.” Much is made about the word’s two spelling, whisky and whiskey. There are two schools of thought on the matter. One is that the spelling difference is simply a matter of regional language convention for the spelling of the word, like the difference between color and colour; or recognize and recognise; and finally, traveler and traveller. The other thought is that the spelling should depend on the style or origin of the spirit being described. There is general agreement that when quoting the proper name printed on a label, the spelling on the label should not be altered.
The spelling whiskey is common in Ireland and the United States, while whisky is used in all other whisky producing countries. In the US, there are a few prominent American brands that use the whisky spelling on their labels without the “e,” George Dickel, Maker’s Mark and Old Forester. More than likely, the spelling for these brands were grandfathered in prior to the 1960’s introduction to newspaper style guides, which before the guide the spelling for whisky were interchangeably used. I like to think as Americans, we bastardize everything and don’t really give a damn what the rest of the world thinks of us. Case point the amazing types of wines that are produced in the US using grape varietal clones to produce spectacular delicious wines, instead of adhering to traditions and rules as much, like the old world wine producers.
Pro tip: If the country of origin has an “e” in the country name, such as Ir”e”land and Unit”e”d Stat”e”s, then the word whisk”e”y will have an “e”. With the few exceptions listed above. If the country of origin does not have an “e” in the country name, such as Japan, Scotland, and Canada, then the word whisky will not have an “e.” With this rule of thumb, whisky from Australia would not have an “e,” again this is just a rule of thumb. South Korea, Denmark, and Germany do not use an “e” in their spelling of whisky.
Whisky or whisky-like products are produced in most grain growing areas. They differ in base product, alcoholic content, and quality.
Malt whisky is made primarily from malted barley
Grain whisky is made from any type of grain
Malts and grains are combined in various ways:
Single malt whisky is from a single distillery made from a mash that uses only one particular malted grain. Unless the whisky is described as a single cask, it contains whisky from many casks, and different years, so the blender can achieve a taste recognizable as typical of the distillery. In most cases, single malts bear the name of the distillery, with an age statement and perhaps some indication of some special treatments, such as aged in a port wine cask.
Blended malt whisky is a mixture of single malt whiskies from different distilleries. If a whisky is labelled “pure malt” or “malt,” it is almost always a blended malt whisky. This was formerly called a “vatted malt” whisky.
Blended whisky is made from a mixture of different types of whisky. A blend may contain whisky from many distilleries so that the blender can produce a flavor consistent with the brand. Whisky produced in Canada is almost always a blend, even when the spirits are the product of one distillery. American blended whisky may contain neutral spirits.
Cask Strength whisky, also known as barrel proof whisky, are rare and usually only the very best whiskies are bottled in this way. They are bottled from the cask undiluted or only lightly diluted.
Single cask whisky, also known as single barrel whisky, is bottled from an individual cask, and often the bottles are labelled with specific barrel and bottle numbers. The taste of these whiskies may vary substantially from cask to cask within the same brand.
American whiskey is distilled from a fermented mash of cereal grain. It must have the taste, aroma, and other characteristics commonly attributed to whiskey. Some types of whiskey listed in the United States Federal Regulations are:
Bourbon whiskey: Made from mash consisting of at least 51% corn and aged in new charred American oak barrels.
Corn whiskey: Made from mash consisting of at least 80% corn and is not aged, or if aged, is aged in uncharred or used barrels.
Malt whiskey: Made from mash consisting of at least 51% malted barley.
Rye whiskey: Made from mash consisting of at least 51% rye.
Rye malt whiskey: Made from mash consisting of at least 51% malted rye.
Wheat whiskey: Made from mash consisting of at least 51% wheat.
These types of American whiskey must be distilled to no more than 80% alcohol by volume or abv, and barreled at no more than 125 proof. Only water may be added to the final product; the addition of coloring or flavoring is prohibited.
Pro tip: Alcohol proof is a measure of the content of ethanol alcohol in the product. The term was originally used in England and was equal to about 1.821 times the alcohol by volume or ABV for short which is the percentage(%) of alcohol within the product. In the US, alcohol proof is defined as twice the percentage of ABV.
Fun fact: Corn whiskey is usually unaged and sold as a legal version of moonshine.
If one of these whiskey types reaches two years of aging or beyond, it is additionally designated as straight whiskey. A whiskey that fulfils all above requirements but derives from less than 51% of any one specific grain type can be called simply a straight whiskey without naming a grain, i.e. Straight rye whiskey and straight whiskey.
Another important labelling in the marketplace is Tennessee whiskey. Currently, there are only four brands bottled as Tennessee whiskey, Jack Daniels, George Dickel, Collier and McKeel, and Benjamin Prichard’s. The main difference defining a Tennessee whiskey is that it must be filtered through sugar maple charcoal before aging, known as the Lincoln County Process. Benjamin Prichard’s, which is not filtered with the Lincoln County Process, was grandfathered in when the requirement was introduced in 2017. The rest of the distillation process of Tennessee whiskey is identical to bourbon whiskey. Whiskey that is sold as “Tennessee whiskey” is defined as bourbon under NAFTA and at least one other international trade agreement.
5 Fun Facts about Whiskey:
Fun fact: Whiskey is the official state beverage of Alabama.
Fun fact: Jack Daniels learned how to make whiskey from a Lutheran minister at the age of 6.
Fun fact: Nikola Tesla drank whiskey everyday because he believed by doing so, he would live to 150.
Fun fact: Drinking whiskey can prevent cancer and also reduces possibilities of heart diseases.
Fun fact: Whiskey is one of the basic ingredients of Tabasco.
July 27 is celebrated as International Scotch Whisky Day.
World Whisky Day is the third Saturday in May each year; in 2021, it will be May 15th.
National Bourbon Day in the US is always celebrated on June 14Th.
Top 5 Whiskey Bars in Nashville ( minimum of 60 different bottles)
The Oak Bar at the Hermitage Hotel
Yolan @ The Joseph
Bourbon Steak @ JW Marriott Nashville
Whiskey Kitchen
Gertie’s Bar at the 404 Kitchen
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