What is whiskey
Whisk(e)y is a distilled spirit made from fermented grain and typically matured in wooden barrels for some period of time. That is an extremely broad description, so we will go more in depth in this article.
Whiskey can be made anywhere in the world, however countries like Scotland, Ireland and the US have rules and regulations that govern the production.
Whiskey is a general categorical term - like wine. You get different types of wine like Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir, the same as whiskey. Whiskey is the term used to define the type of drink - A grain alcohol, aged. What grain you use changes the name of the whiskey.
Some quick notes:
Traditionally, almost all whiskey is made from 4 grains:
Corn, barley, rye or wheat or any combination of those 4.
A malt whiskey almost always means that only barley is used. For example, when a whiskey is manufactured in Scotland, it has to be all barley if it is called a malt whiskey. In the UK, a grain whiskey just means a mix of different grains, not a single grain.
A whiskey only gets its color when you age it in a wood container. Different countries have rules on whether you are allowed to add additional/fake color.
When you just get started with whiskey, it can all be a bit overwhelming. Terms like single malt, sour mash, cask strength, mash bill, chill filtration and single barrel can all confuse a newbie whiskey drinker. It definitely overwhelmed me at the start.
But don’t worry, this guide will set you on the right path to whiskey discovery. It also definitely elevates the whiskey drinking experience if you know more about where it comes from.
Whiskey terms you need to know:
Alcohol proof and Alcohol by Volume
It is the measure of the content of ethanol (alcohol) in an alcoholic beverage. It was originally used in England and equal to about 1.821 times the percentage alcohol by volume (ABV). In the US, alcohol proof is defined as twice the percentage of ABV.
Mash bill
Mash refers to the mixture of grain, water and yeast that is initially fermented to produce alcohol. Distillers regulate the pH of Mash. The mix of grains used is called the mash bill. Each whiskey distiller has their own unique mash bill per whiskey.
Sour Mash
Sour mash is a term used in the distilling process that uses material from an older batch of mash to start fermentation of a new batch. Distilleries use this to regulate bacterial growth and ensure continuity from batch to batch. It’s more reliable and improves quality.
You can see the term Sour Mash on a Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 label, between the words Tennesee and Whiskey.
Single Malt
This term is usually used when referring to Scotch whiskey but you get single malt in other whiskies as well. The word “Single” refers to the fact that the whisky was distilled at a single distillery using a pot still distillation process. The whisky has not been blended elsewhere with whiskies from other distilleries. The word “Malt” refers to the fact that the mash bill contains only malted barley.
Cask Strength
It can also be referred to as barrel proof or barrel strength. Most whiskey is diluted with water to reduce its ABV before bottling. Cask strength whiskey is not diluted or substantially diluted and usually has an ABV of 52-66%. The degree of dilution significantly affects the flavor and general drinking experience of a whiskey, so whiskey enthusiasts sometimes prefer to drink cask strength whiskies.
Small Batch Whiskey
Whiskey produced by mixing the contents of a relatively small number of selected barrels. The term is most commonly used for American whiskey and bourbon but is sometimes used for other whiskeys as well. There are generally no clear criteria as to what defines a "small batch".
Single Barrel
A single barrel whiskey is usually a premium class of whiskey where each bottle of whiskey comes from an individual barrel. There are a limited number of bottles from each barrel and each barrel has a unique color and taste. In most cases, the label will indicate the barrel number on the bottle.
Chill Filtration
This is a process used to remove fatty acids from the whiskey before being bottled. This is mostly for cosmetic reasons as whiskies that are not chill filtered have the tendency to turn cloudy when cool water is added. A lot of whiskey enthusiasts prefer no chill filtration as the whiskey will convey extra flavor and texture.
The 5 main types of whiskey
Let’s start with the basics. The 5 main types of whiskey are:
- Bourbon - USA
- Scotch - Scotland
- Irish whiskey - Ireland
- Canadian whisky - Canada
- Japanese Whisky - Japan
Quick side note: You will notice that I use “whiskey” and “whisky” interchangeably. So is “whisky” or “whiskey” the correct term? Well it depends on the type of whiskey. In the USA and Ireland, “whiskey” is the correct form of usage and in Scotland, Canada and Japan, whisky is spelled without the “e”. Neither one is right or wrong and it has been used interchangeably throughout the years.
However, there are strict rules and regulations on when you may call a whiskey a Bourbon, Scotch etc. We have separate guides on each of the 5 main whiskeys, but here are short summaries of each:
Bourbon
- For a whiskey to classify as a bourbon, it must be made in the United States. A lot of people think it means it has to be made in Kentucky, but that’s not true. However, about 95% of bourbon is made in Kentucky.
- The mash bill must be at least 51% corn.
- After distillation, bourbon must be aged in new, charred oak containers/barrels.
- It must be distilled to no more than 160 proof (80%).
- The barrel entry proof of Bourbon may be no more than 125 proof.
- It must be bottled at no less than 80 proof (40%).
- There is no aging requirement for bourbon, however anything less than 4 years old must disclose its age on the label.
Scotch Whisky
To be called a Scotch, the whisky needs to adhere to all regulations stipulated by the Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009:
- Is fully matured in an excise (bonded) warehouse in Scotland oak casks not exceeding 700 liters (185 US gal) for at least 3 years.
- The minimum bottling strength should be 40% alcohol.
- Contains no added substances, other than water and plain (E150A) caramel colouring
- Is produced at a distillery in Scotland from water and malted barley (to which only whole grains of other cereals may be added).
- Retains the color, aroma, and taste of the raw materials used in, and the method of, its production and maturation
Quite a mouthful, I know.
Irish Whiskey
- Be distilled and matured on the island of Ireland (comprising the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland) from a mash of malted cereals with or without whole grains of other cereals
- Retain the color, aroma and taste derived from the production process referred to above
- Have a minimum alcoholic by volume content of 40%
- Any age statement must refer to the age of the youngest whiskey used
Canadian Whisky
Canadian whisky is a type of whisky produced in Canada. Most Canadian whiskies are blended multi-grain liquors containing a large percentage of corn spirits, and are typically lighter and smoother than other whisky styles.
To qualify as Canadian Whisky, the following requirements must be met:
- mashed, distilled and aged in Canada
- be aged in small wood vessels for not less than three years
- contain not less than 40 per cent alcohol by volume
- may contain caramel and flavoring
Japanese Whisky
Japanese whisky is, broadly speaking, more similar to that of Scotch whisky than other major styles of whiskey.
By 2024, products labeled as Japanese Whisky need to conform to new regulations:
- It must be fermented, distilled, and aged, and bottled in Japan
- It must use some portion of malted grain in its mash
- It must use water sourced from Japan
Interesting Whiskey Facts
As explained earlier, when the term single is used in naming a whiskey, like single malt, the word single simply means that the whiskey only comes from one single distillery. Malt and grain refers to the recipe of grains used. Malt in Scotland means it is all barley. The term grain means it is a mixture of grains. If it is blended, it means different whiskeys were used from different distilleries.
So, if a whiskey is called single grain, it comes from a single distillery and uses a mixture of grains.
If a whiskey is classified as a Rye whiskey, it uses at least 51% rye in the grain mixture.
There is also the curious case of new whiskey startups. Because whiskey is an aged alcohol, does it mean a new whiskey startup has to wait 3-4 years for their whiskey to age to start selling?
Well, no. They usually start with other alcohols like vodka, gin or rum while waiting for their own whiskey to age, or they buy already aged whiskey from bulk producers or other distilleries and age it a little bit longer in different barrels. Then they bottle and sell the whiskeys under their own name. A company called MGP located in Indiana is responsible for about half the bourbons on the shelves.
Whisky does not mature once bottled, so if no age statement is provided, one may calculate the age of the whisky if both the distillation date and bottling date are given.
Interesting fact: Jack Daniels is not classified as a bourbon. It qualifies as a bourbon and follows all the steps in manufacturing to be called a bourbon, but Jack Daniels actually took steps to prevent it being called a bourbon. They argued the case with the government and after long negotiations, the government allowed them to call it whiskey instead of Bourbon. Read more here: https://thewhiskeywash.com/whiskey-styles/american-whiskey/jack-daniels-bourbon-definitive-answer/
How is whiskey made?
To make a whiskey, you first need to distill it and then after distillation, it is aged in wooden containers/barrels. The distillation process varies from distillery to distillery but generally follows the following steps:
- Malting: Grains are treated to access its sugars
- Mashing: The sugars are extracted
- Fermentation: The mash is combined with yeast to convert the sugars to alcohol
- Distillation: Distilling increases the alcohol content of the liquid. Two different types of stills are commonly used: pot stills and column stills
- Maturation: The whiskey is aged in barrels, usually oak. All types of whiskeys have different aging requirements.
- Bottling: After maturation, the whiskey is bottled at a minimum of 40% ABV. It can also be chill-filtered or filtered in another way to prevent it from becoming cloudy when cold water or ice is added.
The above is a brief explanation of the process to make a whiskey. We will have an in-depth guide soon.
Conclusion
I hope this gives you a small glimpse into the realm of whiskey and provides the necessary nudge to kickstart your journey into becoming a whiskey enthusiast.
To elevate your whiskey drinking experience even further, why not get our beautiful leather whiskey carrier that takes your favorite bottle of whiskey and 4 glasses to share with whoever you please.
Feel free to browse through our other articles to learn more about the different types of whiskey as well as a deeper dive into other whiskey topics.
