2. Whiskey
Type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from
fermented grain mash.
Grains used include barley , malted barley, malted rye ,
rye , wheat and corn.
Aged in wooden casks, made of charred white oak.
4. Etymology
Irish word uisce meaning water.
In Latin distilled alcohol was known as aqua vitae
meaning “water of life’’.
Also named as uisgebeatha (oosh’gee).
Ireland’s stills became “whiskbae”, later “whiskie”,
finally just “whiskey”.
But on any scotch bottle today we find only WHISKY
(not “e”)
5. Moonshine
Illicit distillation-
White lightning
Mountain dew
Hooch
Tennessee white whiskey
These are very high proof(-95% alcohol)
Have many contaminants' like aldehydes, methanol
,lead , glycol , etc
West Bengal has a thriving industry and recently in
December 11 has killed 143 people
6. History
13th century –earliest records of distillation
It was mainly for medicinal purpose
14th century - Ireland , Scotland are known to have first
evidence of whisky production
15th century – James IV of Scotland had great liking of
whisky had purchased a very large amount from
Dundee
16th century – Production moved out of monastic
setting into personal homes and farms.
7. Continued..
But the distillation process was still in infancy
No aging in barrels , so tasted brutal and raw compare
to todays versions.
Renaissance-era – whiskey was still very potent and
not diluted
1608-With a license to distill Irish whiskey , the Old
Bush mills Distillery in Ireland north coast is oldest
licensed whiskey distillery in the world
8. .
1707- the Acts of Union merged England and Scotland,
thereafter taxes on it rose dramatically.
1725- most of Scotland’s distillation was shut down.
Whisky was hidden under altars, in coffins, or any
available space to avoid taxes.
Homemade stills, took to distill whiskey at night, when
darkness would hide the smoke rising from stills. So
drink was known as moonshine.
9. .
1791-Whiskey Rebellion- In America, whiskey was used
as currency during American revolution.
1823-UK passed Excise Act, legalizing distillation for a
fee.
1880- the French brandy industry devasted by
phylloxera pest that ruined the grape crop. Result,
whiskey became primary liquor in many markets.
1920-1933 Prohibition of its sales in U.S.
Only doctor could prescribe it.
10. Maturation
Whiskies mature in cask.
Not in bottles.
Cask interacts with it, changing its chemical makeup
and taste.
Charred oaks are rich in phenolic compounds
Most are sold at or near 40% strength.
11. American whiskey
Bourbon –made from mash that consists of at least
51% corn(maize).
Corn -80% corn.
Malt -51% malted barley
Rye – 51% rye
Coloring and flavoring is prohibited.
Must be aged in new charred oak containers, except for
corn whiskey..
Designated as “straight” if aging reaches two or more
years
12. Australian whiskey
Australian whiskies have won global whisky awards
and medals.
World Whiskies Award.
Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible – “Liquid Gold Awards”.
13. Canadian whiskey
Must be aged in wooden barrels for not less than three
years.
Should possess the aroma, taste and character, may
contain caramel and flavoring.
14. Indian whiskey
Majority are blends with a small amount of grain
whisky blended with neutral spirits distilled from
fermented molasses.
Officer’s Choice, McDowell’s No.1, Bagpiper, Royal
Stag, Old Tavern, Original Choice are some of best
selling in world
15. Scotch
Distilled twice.
Some are distilled a third time and others even up to
twenty times.
Label “Scotch”- to be distilled in Scotland and
matured for a minimum of three years in oak casks.
Scotch without an age statement may, by law, be as
young as three years old.
Those with are known as guaranteed age whisky.
Use peat smoke to treat malt giving its distinctive
smoky flavor.
