A Guide To A Different Types Of Whiskey
So what's the difference between Rye, Scotch or Bourbon? This quick guide will help you comprehend whiskey varieties.
Published 9 years ago in Wow
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So what exactly is whiskey? In the most basic definition, it’s a distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Generally, the mash is aged in wooden casks which gives whiskey that distinct brown color and taste. Some of the more popular brands include, Jack Daniel’s, Maker’s Mark, Bulliet, Johnnie Walker, Macallan and Glenmorangie. However, within the category of “whiskey” lie several confusing subsets, often containing subtle (yet important) differences.
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Most Scottish whiskey is distilled twice, which is where Irish whiskey separates itself. Before it’s bottled, Irish whiskey goes through three rounds of distillation. Compared to the Scottish stuff, Irish whiskey uses a lot of barley and doesn’t have that smoky, burnt-rubber taste that you’ll find from the peat (which is essentially partially decayed vegetables) that’s in Scotch. Fun fact: legally, Irish whiskey must be aged in Ireland for at least three years in wooden casks to be considered whiskey.
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Japanese whiskies were first modelled on Scottish whiskies. Suntory’s first master distiller (Masataka Taketsuru) studied in Scotland and wanted to bring the drink home, so they are produced in much the same way. And they’re doing something right, as Suntory’s Single Malt Sherry Cask 2013 was named the best whiskey in the world last year by Jim Murray’s Whiskey Bible.