Whisky – types and brand names.

Definition 

Whisky is a spirit made from the distillation of fermented mash of grain usually barley with wheat or maize or mixture of two, matured in wood. 

Region of Scotland which produce whisky:-

1. The Lowlands
2. The Highlands 
3. Campbeltown
4. Islay

Each produce whisky with individual characters.

Something about whisky:-

The 1870s and 1880s was an era of great confidence in Scotland for whisky. Between 1823 and 1825 the number of licensed distilleries in Scotland rose from 125 to 329.100 of those wouldn't last beyond ten years. Among the first to take out a license was George Smith of Glenlivet, a remote district of Speyside. Most of the new distillers were former smugglers.


From the mid-1860s the vineyards of France was devastated by the pest, Phylloxera vastratrix, and during the 1880s those in Grande Champagne,the vineyards supplying the great Cognac houses, were ruined, thus ceasing the production of cognac. blended whisky was there to exchange it. As whisky became more popular, pubs and spirit shops catering for the poorest classes bought the most cost effective spirits they might lay their hands on and added sihstances to form it more palatable.

During the 1860s many malt whisky’s distilleries were rebuilt and modernized, and production doubled during that decade.

Manufacturing Process–

 Whisky may be a spirit obtained by the distillation of the fermented mash of grain usually barley, maize or rye or a mix of all three in several proportions. it's then aged in wooden casks. The word whisky gets its name from the Gaelic variations namely usquebaugh which suggests strong waters. It should be noted that the Scottish water plays a crucial role in giving scotch its special taste.

Two kinds of whiskys are mixed to produce Scotch. they're malt whiskey which provides Scotch its body and character and grain Whisky which is used for its lightness. Both are blended to offer Scotch its unmistakable taste.

Steps of manufacturing(scotch whisky) :-

Cleaning :-

The barleys goes to receiving room, sieved or passed over screen to separate inferior grain and store the best grain. 

Malting:-

The barley is then soaked in tanks called steeps for 2-3 days. It is removed and then spread out on floor of malting house sprinkled with warm water, allowed to germinate till three-fourth of an inch long sprouts are obtained, the grain is known as green malt. During, this process starches change into diastase which has property of converting balance of starch into sugar - maltose and dextrin - which are ferimentable. 

Drying or Kilning and Milling:-

 The green malt is put into kiln on top of screen directly above peat fire (carbonized vegetable charcoal). It imparts smoky flavour to grain. The dried malt is then ground. 

Mashing:-

 The ground malt is mixed with warm water in a mash tub, vigorously churned to make liquid called wort. In this process the starch is converted into sugar i.e. maltose and dextrin.

Fermentation:-

 The wort is now put into fermentation vats where a small quantity of cultivated pure yeast is added. The yeast acts upon sugar to produce alcohol and carbonic acid gas when fermentation is completed liquid is known as beer or wash.

 Distillation:-

The wash goes into Pot Still for distillation. The first distillation is a distillate of low alcoholic strength, which is known as low wines. The distillation with new charge is carried out second time. The useful spirit, distilled off at between 140 and 142 proof is now known as whisky. It is transferred to casks. At the time of barreling the whisky is reduced in proof to 124 to 126.8 by addition of water.

 Maturation:-

 The whisky is matured in white oak casks with charred staves for minimum 3 years, some may be matured for 20 years or more. 

 Blending:-

The blending is done when whiskies are from 3 to 4 years old, A master blender indicates the right proportion of Highlands, lowlands, Campbeltown and Islay malts. The blending is done in a large vat by rotating paddles and by blowing compressed air from the bottom.

 A poor whisky or one blended poorly will continue to be a poor whisky, regardless of its age. In other words age is not only determing factor for good quality whisky but also the blends; in right proportions.

Scotch whisky:- 

Scotch is name given to the whisky which distilled in Scotland. It is blend of grain whisky distilled in patent still from maize & malt whisky is distilled in pot still from malted barley.

Types of Scotch:-

Malt Whisky: a mixture of whiskies from different casks and of varied ages, but from a similar malt distillery is named Single malt or pure malt whiskey. Examples:- Glenfiddich, Glenlivet, Glenmorangie, Highland Park, Cardhu, Cragganmore, Jura, Macallan ,The Balvenie, Laphroaig, Knockando, Me Callan
Grain Whisky: this is often the product of a combination of malted and unmalted barley which is crushed, fermented and
Blended Whisky: this is often a mixture of both malt and grain whiskies. Example:- Johnnie Walker Red, J&B Rare, Ballentine’s, Chivas Regal, Dewar’s, Grant’s Cutty Sark, Black & White, Vat 69,Teacher’s

OTHER POPULAR BRANDS OF SCOTCH WHISKY :-

Royal Salute, White Horse, Jonny Walker (Blue .Gold, Green, Black Labels, & Red), Swing ,Dimple, Wild goose, Dewars, Teacher’s Highland Cream, Haig & Haig.

AMERICAN WHISKEY- 

All American Whiskies are made up of cereal (generally, a combination of various grains of cereals), distilled mostly in patent still at no quite 90% and aged in oak barrels and bottled at not less than 40 under the influence of alcohol v/v. :-


Bourbon: it's named after the county Bourbon in Kentucky.  Brands:- Jim Beam, Old Grand Dad, Makers Mark, Wild Turkey

Top Most Bourbons are straight whiskies meaning that they are not blended with other spirits or whiskies. Straight Bourbon is bourbon from a single distillery.

•  Blended straight whiskey is a mixture of straight whiskey and other whiskey. 
• Blended American whiskey is a blend of straight whiskey and a neutral spirit.
• Straight or single whiskies are intense and characterful in flavour, while blended whiskies are soft and smooth.

Corn whiskey: American whiskey made from 80 percent corn mash.
Sour Mash whiskey: Some bourbons are made by using sour mash in the distillation process. This is made by using of the spent mash from one fermentation to start next fermentation. It encouras yeast growth during fermentation, reduces bacterial contamination. This will continue flavour and style.
Sweet mash whiskey made from freshly developed cultured yeast.

Tennessee Whiskey:-
it's a sour mash whisky produced from mixture of grain consisting minimum 51 ague grass, distilled in Tennessee. Brand:- Jack Daniel’s, George Dickel

Rye whisky:-
This whisky is produced in Maryland & Pennsylvania. It is made from grain mash which is atleast 51%rye produced by continuous still method E.g. Jim bim.

Canadian whisky:-
Canadian whisky made from cereal,Harley, corn, rye, grain admixtures by continuous still method and aged for atleast six months in charred white oak barrels or casks. Usually canadian whiskies are blended whiskies(light bodied) who predominant components are rye whisky and neutral spirit. e.g. Royal Crown, Canadian Club, Canadian mist, Seagram VO.

Irish Whiskies:-
Old Bush mills, Jameson, The Wild Geese, Dunville’s VR, Midleton, Dunphys Murphy’s, Paddy, JpJiamoreDew


Japanese whisky:-
These are blended whiskies, 20th century phenomenon is modeled on scotch whisky, e.g. Suntory, Yamazaki.

POPULAR DOMESTIC BRANDS:- Mc. dowel. Imperial blue, Royal Challenge, Blender’s Pride, Royal St.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SCOTCH WHISKY & BOURBON WHISKEY:

SCOTCH WHISKY:- 

• Scotch is a whisky from Scotland.
• It is whisky, not whiskey. 
• It's usually made from barley, maize or rye. 

BOURBON WHISKEY:-

• Bourbon is a American whiskey. 
• It is whiskey, not whisky. 
• It's made from corn. 

*(whiskey is American whisky made from corn.)