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Whisky for Beginners Billy Abbott Billy's Booze Blog http://bbblog.org @cowfish

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There are many kinds of whisk(e)y from all around the world I'm going to focus on Scotch Whisky as I only have 20 minutes

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What is Scotch whisky? Scotch Whisky has been defined in United Kingdom (UK) law since 1909 and recognised in EU legislation since 1989. The Scotch Whisky Act 1988 and the Orders made under it, which came into effect in June 1990 state "Scotch Whisky" means whisky: (a) which has been produced at a distillery in Scotland from water and malted barley (to which only whole grains of other cereals may be added) all of which have been: 1. processed at that distillery into a mash; 2. converted to a fermentable substrate only by endogenous enzyme systems; and 3. fermented only by the addition of yeast; (b) which has been distilled at an alcoholic strength by volume of less than 94.8% so that the distillate has an aroma and taste derived from the raw materials used in, and the method of, its production; (c) which has been matured in an excise warehouse in Scotland in oak casks of a capacity not exceeding 700 litres, the period of that maturation being not less than three years; (d) which retains the colour, aroma and taste derived from the raw materials used in, and the method of, its production and maturation; and (e) to which no substance other than water and spirit caramel has been added. Both the Scotch Whisky Act and EU legislation specify a minimum bottling strength of 40% by volume. From the Scotch Whisky Association website - http://www.scotch-whisky.org.uk/swa/93.html#Legal

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<ul><li>Make some non-hoppy beer

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Distill it so that it still has some taste

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Mature it in wooden casks for at least 3 years

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Bottle it at a minimum of 40% alcohol

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Do all of that in Scotland </li></ul>

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Types of Scotch whisky <ul><li>Two main types </li><ul><li>Malt

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Grain </li></ul><li>Three main groups </li><ul><li>Single malt

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Blended malt

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Blended whisky </li></ul></ul>

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Regions <ul>From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Scotch_regions.svg under the GNU Free Documentation License </ul>

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Nosing <ul>Richard Paterson and his famous nose, from http://howto.wired.com/wiki/Image:Nose_660.jpg </ul>

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Tasting

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Important things <ul><li>Whisky is to be enjoyed

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Drink it how you want

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If you don't like one, try another... </li></ul>

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<ul>Billy's Booze Blog - http://bbblog.org.uk Sponsor my rubbish moustache by searching for Billy Abbott at movember.com I used to have a beard It's so cold </ul>