Logic, Like whiskey, loses its beneficial effect when taken in too large quantities. ~ Lord Dunsany
A Dram of Whiskey history
As I’m sure you’ve heard, necessity is the mother of invention, and 1,000 years ago Scotland and Ireland needed a little help on the brewing side. In case you’ve never been to either of those countries–they’re both ruggedly beautiful, but rainy and windy and cool, in large part. This kind of climate is not the traditional environment for commercial wine crops. So, wine was not the best option, at least in the northern parts of the UK. However, according to the Spruce Eats, monks improved the situation when they brought distilling skills, probably by the 14th century.
This opened up medicinal opportunities by using materials at hand (barley), to distill into liquor/whiskey from barley beer. No, they didn’t drink it all. According to Wikipedia, which is supported by other resources in this instance, whiskey was used to treat colic and smallpox. Sadly, distilling was limited to monks and apothecaries for a few centuries. On the flip side–happily–the Irish and Scottish immigrants brought these skills across the pond.
A shot of details
The ingredients for whiskey are fairly consistent across all types: grain, water and yeast. Same goes for the process: mashing, fermenting, distilling, and aging in barrels. However, the devil is in the details, and Whisky Advocate provides more on the journey that the grain takes to convert to a beverage. I won’t restate it all, but here are a few salient points:
- There are a number of grains that can be fermented. Among them are barley, corn, rye, oats, and wheat.
- Malting* is a stage during which the grain is moistened and allowed to begin sprouting, and this step is consistent across most spirits. This facilitates access to sugar via the starch, and don’t we all want that? In full disclosure, grain alcohols do not involve malting.
- Whiskey is aged for a predetermined number of years. Jack Daniel’s ages its whiskey for no less than four years.
- The barrels used for aging are specific to the type/brand. Some whiskeys, such as Jack Daniel’s, are aged in new barrels. Others, such as Scotch and Irish, employ used barrels to facilitate additional “notes”. Insert eye-roll here, but that’s what they call it. When a barrel is used to age a different type of whiskey or the barrel is made of hickory or maple, for example, it changes the taste of the final product.
- There’s a fair amount of variation in the naming of various spirits, and much of this is a function of the geographic location and the desired final product/tradition.
There’s more, but you can read the article, right? You don’t want me to spoon-feed you every week, do you? Let’s move on to the variety.
A flight of whiskey types
There are many, and I won’t cover them all, but I’ll hit the high points of a few outlined by My Bartender.
Scotch – in order to earn the name, this whisky (not whiskey, not in Scotland), must be bottled in Scotland. Shocker, that. Further, it has to be aged at least three years in an oak barrel. Scotch is smokier than most whiskeys (whiskys?), and that is due to the peat used to dry the malted barley.
Irish whiskey – must be the product of three runs. “What are those?” you ask. I’m still asking. I have read The Crafty Cask article, and I remain a bit confused. My interpretation is that it’s a multiple-step process whereby the parts of the spirits that won’t meet the flavor requirements are boiled off.
Bourbon – the mash must contain no less than 51% corn, and must be no less than 80 proof at bottling. New casks with interior charring have to be used for aging.
Canadian – also whisky, not whiskey, and the whole process has to occur in Canada. The barrels can be no larger than 700 liters, but that’s significantly larger than the standard 200 liters in the U.S.
Tennessee – must be distilled in Tennessee and must be charcoal filtered. This whiskey is smooth and is considered less aggressive than Scotch. Yes, I’ve mentioned Tennessee whiskey more than once. I’ve been on the tour in Lynchburg, Tennessee, multiple times, and I highly recommend it. Even for those who never drink anything alcoholic, it’s an educational experience that relays a story of hard work, creativity, and resilience. And, no, you won’t get a sample at the end of the tour. You might be offered lemonade, though.
I was introduced to MacCallan Scotch a few weeks ago, and it was the most expensive drink I’ve ever tasted. Fortunately, it was at a deep discount. I learned about some distinctions between Scotch and some other spirits, the correct way to taste it–no gulping at $30 a shot–and how a taste of chocolate changes the impact and flavor of what you’re drinking. I also learned that expensive Scotch has no discernible impact on your ability to function. Well, it didn’t on mine, and I have witnesses. Apparently, the cheaper the drink, the more likely you are to exhibit unappealing behaviors. Go figure.
Apart from the cost factor, I have control issues, so I don’t drink much. I do love to learn, though. This means I am open to experiences I never imagined a few decades ago. I’m good with that.
You?
For more details, in case you haven’t read enough, go to this site to learn more terms and/or watch the video below.
