Everything you need to know to sound like an aficionado
Having a comprehensive understanding of whiskey is the hallmark of every classy connoisseur of cocktails. Here’s a brief overview to help you sound like a pro!
It was the Scottish (of course!) and the Irish (naturally!) monks who were the first to disttill alcohol in the early 1100s to create the wonder of whiskey.
The Distilling Process
Whiskey is distilled from grains mixed with yeast for fermentation. During fermentation, starches from the grains are converted to sugar which, in turn, becomes alcohol. Once the distillation process is complete, the whiskey is aged in barrels for years before being sold.
Irish Whiskey
While there are as many varieties of Irish whiskey as the day is long, it is usually blended and is most often triple-distilled from unmalted barley and aged for at least three years. Low temperatures during the distillation process make for a toasty and sweet flavour.
Bourbon
Bourbon is an American whiskey. What makes it unique is that it is aged in new, charred oak barrels for at least two years, distilled to no higher than 160 proof, barreled no higher than 125 proof, and made from at least 51 percent corn. The distillation process imparts notes of vanilla and caramel, while the barrels create an oak flavour.
Scotch
The Scots love to be unique, so they spell their whiskey without the ‘e’. Single malts are made from malted barley or a blended whisky can be made with grain whisky. Scotch has a smoky flavor it gets from drying the malt in the smoke of a fire made with peat.
Where Can I Buy Good Whiskey?
If you need to stock up on your own supplies, catch a free ride on the Booze Bus and save up to 40% on LCBO prices.