Distinction of the Types of Whisky
Types of whisky in the market might have you stumped. Is it whiskey or whisky?
Malt Whisky is one of the best whiskies, and it’s mostly made in Scotland. It must be distilled in pot stills and can only be manufactured from malted barley. Scotland’s ‘original’ whisky is malt whisky. Only malted barley is used to make malt whiskey, which is produced in two (sometimes three) copper pot stills in a batch procedure. A single malt whisky is produced by a single distillery.
Grain Whisky
is a type of whisky produced in Scotland and Ireland that is not manufactured from malted barley. It can be made out of any type of grain or a blend of grains. Wheat is commonly utilised in Grain Whiskies today since it has a greater utilisation rate than maize, which was previously used for cost reasons. Grain Whisky may be distilled at a higher temperature in column stills than Malt Whisky, but it has less flavours.
Blended Whisky
Can contain any mixture of different Whiskies (malt, grain). These Whiskies differ in type, but especially in their origin, i.e. the distillery they come from. Most Blends contain more Grain Whisky than Malt Whisky. The higher the Malt Whisky ratio, the better the Blend.
Blended Whisky usually comes from Scotland or Ireland.
Single Pot
Ireland has a different type of Whiskey than Scotland: Pot Still Whiskey. It comprises both Malt and Grain Whiskey, although only one of each can be distilled in a Pot Still. However, because the mash contains both malted and unmalted barley, the finished product cannot be named ‘Malt.’ It is, nevertheless, distilled in Pot Stills. If all of the ingredients in the Whisky come from the same distillery, it’s known as a ‘Single Pot Still,’ which is similar to Single Malt.
Bourbon
Although Bourbon can be made anywhere in the United States, the majority of it is made in Kentucky. The state of Tennessee is an exception, as it has the authority to create the category “Tennessee Whiskey.” In terms of the manufacturing method, there are several sorts of Bourbon.
The term “Tennessee whiskey” does not refer to all Tennessee whiskey. Tennessee whiskey must be produced in Tennessee and meet both the legal requirements for bourbon (use a mash of at least 50% corn, be aged in new charred oak barrels, and meet limits on alcohol content, distilling concentration, ageing, and bottling) and the Lincoln County process, which means the whiskey must be steeped in or filtered through maple charcoal chips (often used in the Lincoln County process).
The two largest distillers, Jack Daniel’s and George Dickel, use this process, though there is a legal exception for Benjamin Pritchard’s, which does not use the Lincoln County Process but is still Tennessee whiskey.*
This type of Whiskey was once mostly produced in the United States, and it is still made in Canada today. It must include at least 51 percent rye and be aged for at least two years in oak barrels.
American rye whiskey is comparable to bourbon whiskey, but it must contain at least 51 percent rye grain in the distillation process. Rey is the most infamous of all whiskeys, and it’s a strong drink that may be consumed neat, on the rocks, or in cocktails. Rey, which is made from corn and wheat, has long been a party staple.
Corn Whiskey
Corn
Corn Whiskey comes also from the United States, as corn was the most common grain grown there. To be named Corn Whiskey, it must be made entirely of corn. These Whiskies are typically used in blends since they have a neutral flavour.
Irish Whiskey
Besides being produced in Ireland and having Irish water. It is triple distilled, and peat is never used in its production. Cherry casks are the only ones they use. It is brewed from a blend of malted and unmalted barley and originates from the world’s oldest distillery.
Japanese Whisky
Prior to being matured in wood barrels, Japanese whiskey is doubly distilled using malted and/or peated barley, following the scotch tradition. They come in single malts or blends and are often drier, smokier, and peatier than the sweeter American bourbons and ryes.
Indian Whisky
Scotch whiskey consumption first arrived in India in the nineteenth century, under the British Raj. Edward Dyer relocated from England to Kasauli in the late 1820s to establish the country’s first brewery.
Other Types of Whisky: Oat Whisky, Millet Whisky and Wheat Whisky
There are a few other Whisky varieties, although they are not widely available. Wheat Whiskey is arguably the most well-known type. At least 51% wheat is used in the mash for this type of Whiskey. Woodford Reserve Wheat, for example, contains 52 percent wheat in its mash. This contributes to the Whiskey’s rich and nuanced flavour, which is fruity-spicy and slightly bitter.
The mash of Oat Whisky is created from oats rather than barley. The Chicago-based distillery’s ‘Koval Oat,’ for example, is rich and creamy with overtones of banana and honey. Oats are particularly important in Irish Whiskey’s history since they were the only affordable grain in the second half of the nineteenth century. Although oats are no longer widely used in the manufacturing of whisky, unique bottlings containing oats do appear from time to time, such as those from Koval or the German distilleries Fitzke or Weidenauer .
Millet is another grain that is occasionally used to produce Whisky. Millet is a prominent foundation for spirits in Nepal and is especially common in Asia and Africa. Koval, an American distillery, also produces millet whisky. Koval Millet is made with grain acquired from a local organic farmers’ organisation in the Midwest of the United States. Millet has small kernels and can be malted in the same way that barley can. The resultant Whisky is bright and aromatic, with complex notes of Asian fruits including dates, ripe bananas, and sweet lychees. A rarity like this may require you to delve a little deeper into your pockets, as is typically the case with true specialties.
Wheat
Wheat whiskey is making a comeback today, and distillers are seizing the opportunity to create their own wheat-based version. Before Prohibition, wheat whiskey was the most popular type of bourbon in America, but corn-based bourbons took its position. Wheat-based whiskey, on the other hand, is making a comeback and now accounts for around 10% of all bourbon sales.
Wheat whiskey is distinguished by its grain bill, which is mostly made up of wheat. The United States government only permits the labelling of a product as “wheat whiskey” if the mash contains at least 51 percent wheat.
Still
Whiskey made in a pot still and matured in barrels is known as pot still whiskey. Pot still whiskey was first produced in the 18th century, and it quickly became more popular than Irish whiskeys after Irish restrictions prohibiting the import of gin were enacted.
Organic Whisky
Whiskey made in a pot still and matured in barrels is known as pot still whiskey. Pot still whiskey was first produced in the 18th century, and it quickly became more popular than Irish whiskeys after Irish restrictions prohibiting the import of gin were enacted. Organic whisky is also certified as having been produced without the use of conventional pesticides, artificial fertilisers, or GMOs. What’s the end result? A spirit manufactured without the use of chemicals from grains farmed without the use of pesticides.
If a non-organic run of spirit has been passed through the stills, then the spirit cannot be certified as organic whiskey.
Ingredients
The principal grain used in Whisky production has traditionally varied according to the country’s geographic location. Whisky was made from the grain that could be cultivated most easily in the area. As a result, good Scotch Whisky and Irish Whiskey are primarily manufactured from barley, but American Bourbon is primarily made from maize. However, a blend of different types of grain is frequently utilised.
Producers are no longer as reliant on local grain as they once were due to industrialisation and reduced transportation costs. As a result, the most affordable Whiskies are manufactured from the cheapest grains on the market. Furthermore, barley output in Scotland and Ireland has long been insufficient to meet local demand, thus a significant amount of barley is imported.
It is important that the grain contains starch that can be converted into the maximum amount of sugar for the alcoholic fermentation to run properly. Here you can learn more about distillation. Nowadays the grain types used most often are barley, corn, wheat and rye, as well as rice in Asia.
The principal grain used in Whisky production has traditionally varied according to the country’s geographic location. Whisky was made from the grain that could be cultivated most easily in the area. As a result, good Scotch Whisky and Irish Whiskey are primarily manufactured from barley, but American Bourbon is primarily made from maize. However, a blend of different types of grain is frequently utilised.
Producers are no longer as reliant on local grain as they once were due to industrialisation and reduced transportation costs. As a result, the most affordable Whiskies are manufactured from the cheapest grains on the market. Furthermore, barley output in Scotland and Ireland has long been insufficient to meet local demand, thus a significant amount of barley is imported.
It is important that the grain contains starch that can be converted into the maximum amount of sugar for the alcoholic fermentation to run properly. Here you can learn more about distillation. Nowadays the grain types used most often are barley, corn, wheat and rye, as well as rice in Asia.
