Whiskey is a truly masculine drink with an impressive history. It was this alcohol that dictated the demand during the Prohibition period and determined the status of the taster. But once it was served in pubs at foundries in Birmingham as one of the most affordable drinks. The article will tell you about the classification of whiskey, as well as the way paved by winemakers for this drink among competitors. Today, a real whiskey is considered a great gift and a great addition to any serious collection of aged alcohol. At the same time, the recipe of the drink has remained relatively unchanged over almost four centuries of history.
What is whiskey
So, the classification of whiskey is impossible without a precise definition of the essence of the drink. Few people know, but many years ago this kind of alcohol was the choice of the poor, while more status tasters preferred wine. Today, whiskey can be defined as a strong alcoholic beverage made from various types of grain using distillation, fermentation, malting and long aging processes in wood barrels, most often oak. The drink may be single malt or made on the basis of several varieties of raw materials. The taste as well as the aroma of the product depends on this. It is the grain that determines what the final drink will be. Among the factors that influence the result, it should be highlighted geolocation, climate, features of the variety.
Brief extracts from history
Irish and Scots competed for a long time for the right to be considered the inventors of whiskey. So, for example, the first mention of this drink appeared in 1405 in Ireland. In Scotland, whiskey began to be prepared later, in 1495. However, it is rather difficult to analyze exactly what kind of drink it was. In 1505, whiskey was registered and licensed as a drug, which was prepared by the Edinburgh Barber and Surgeon Guild. In the form in which it is known to the modern public, as well as for mass production, the drink appeared from the beginning of the 16th century.
Scotch whiskey
Currently, the Scottish Parliament holds the only patent for a drink called whiskey. In fact, only national-made alcohol can be called an authentic drink under the name mentioned. The classification of Scotch whiskey is as follows:
- Malt. It is divided into single malt, which is prepared as part of a single distillery, and blended (Blend). A rather strong drink, the alcohol content of which reaches 47%. It has a bright taste with rich shades of wood; oak or cognac barrels are used for aging.
- Grain. By and large, this is not about original products, but about alcohol, which is prepared for Blended Malt, that is, for a blended malt drink. It can also be made from the distillate of one distillery or several. Gives whiskey independent features, for example, shades of taste or aroma.
- Blended. The result of combining the first two categories. The most popular and affordable version of an authentic drink. The classification of whiskey in this case branches out into a mass of categories, among which there is a criterion for the origin of raw materials and aging. For example, high land or sky land whiskey are two different types of alcohol.
As you can see, there are not many options for real whiskey. The single malt version is considered to be the most “correct” one; it has a soft yellow, less often amber color, bright aroma and rich taste, in which, however, the alcohol is almost not felt or it is carefully masked. The classification of types of whiskey on this can be considered complete, since all other options are just a legacy of the original alcohol.
American whiskey
Of course, in the USA they were obliged to make their own alcohol, which, however, is called whiskey only in everyday life. This is a follower drink, which, however, practically does not differ in taste from the original. In some cases, connoisseurs prefer American whiskey because of more affordable prices. This is dictated by the fact that the market is not limited by a license or a monopoly, and therefore supplies alcohol in large volumes. The classification of American whiskey looks like this:
- Straight Whiskey Heir to single malt whiskey from Scotland. Made from fermented grain wort, diluted with pure water. It is made within the framework of one distillery, it belongs to the status category. Exposure - at least 2 years, divided into several subcategories.
- Blended Whiskey Classification of whiskey from the United States and Scotland has much in common. In this case, it also means a blended drink, in which at least 20% should be from Straight Whiskey, and the rest falls on different raw materials.
- Light Whiskey Classification of whiskey into categories provides not only the origin, but also the features of manufacture. For example, Light Whiskey is distinguished from its “brethren” by aging in previously used barrels, which makes taste features more pronounced.
Each of the categories indicated above has several additional branches. At the same time, whiskey classification is carried out depending on the features of the production cycle, type of raw materials, region and other features. You should consider all of the above in more detail.
Sour Mesh or Sweet Mash
The types and names of whiskey, classification, are also determined by the way the raw materials for the drink fermented. For example, the lion's share of this category of alcohol from the USA is made with part of the yeast from the past cycle (Sour Mash), which speeds up fermentation. In some cases, the company writes that the whiskey is “pure” (Sweet Mash), which means that he wandered longer and with new yeast. However, this feature is almost not advertised.
Depending on the raw material
Only in the United States learned to drive whiskey from corn. As a matter of fact, after this several other mass variants of alcohol appeared, the process of preparation of which took place without wort from wheat. The classification of types of whiskey in this case is as follows:
- Bourbon. Bourbon is driven in a province of the same name (Kentucky), where French soldiers fought during the Civil War. Made from corn, the volume of this wort should be 51%.
- Rye Whiskey Also known as rusty whiskey. Paying attention to the name, it is easy to guess that rye is used as the basis, which should be at least 51% in the drink.
- Wheat Whiskey Wort from wheat in the same volume.
- Korn whiskey. The volume of wort from corn is 81%. Most often, such a drink is made at home for their own use. Also known as dirty whiskey.
- Tennessee Whiskey. The peculiarity of the drink, unlike “light whiskey”, is special carbon filters based on maple wood. Such a drink is made only in the state of the same name.
As you can see, the classification of types of whiskey from the United States is much more voluminous. But in fact, the lion's share of the market is divided between Straight whiskey and Bourbon, since such alcohol is the most popular and in demand in America.
Manufacturing countries of whiskey and drink features
Although whiskey is authentic exclusively from Scotland, it doesn’t stop some other countries from making their own drink. However, it is fair to say that in most cases this happens under license. Whiskey classification will look like this:
- Scotland. According to the review, a “rough” and “honest” drink with woody notes and a bright shade of peat, which is the specificity of the raw material. Most often made from barley and wheat.
- Ireland. There is no smack of peat, single-malt varieties are rare. A distinctive feature is the addition of oats and triple distillation to enhance the taste.
- USA. The brightest drink is bourbon, whiskey from corn, and alcohol from rye wort.
- Canada. Barley, corn, rye and wheat are added to blended whiskey.
- Japan. They work on technology from Scotland, but their raw materials are cleaner, which is why there is no peat flavor in the drink. The youngest, but still licensed whiskey at a fairly high price.
Indeed, Japan produces its own whiskey. However, comparing taste characteristics, as tasters say, everyone immediately determines their drink.
Choice question
Each country has its own characteristics: somewhere, the product is softer, other suppliers cheaper. These are the basic criteria of the various species of whiskey. Unfortunately, there is no classification of whiskey by aging, since it almost always ranges from 16 to 36 months. However, the above options are enough for even the most fastidious connoisseur to be able to choose something of their own.