With this presentation, I try to give an introduction to the world of whisk(e)y for those who love one of the best spirits in the world. Is important to understand the differences among all types of whiskey or whisky and its characteristics. I provide as well a taste map to differentiate whisky brands depending on their flavours or tastes.

2. INDEX
1. Introduction
2. History
3. Production
4. Types
5. Types: countries
6. Volumes
7. Ways of doing
1. Recipes
8. Kinds of...
9. Taste map
10. Main Brands
11. Cocktails recipes

3. 
 Type of alcoholic distilled beverage made from
fermented grain mash («mezcla de granos fermentados»), as:
 Barley («cebada»)
 Malted barley
 Rye («centeno»)
 Malted rye
 Wheat («trigo»)
 Buckwheat («alforfòn»)
 Corn («maìz»)
 Whisky is tipically aged in wooden casks («barriles de
madera»), made generally of charred white oak («madera de
roble carbonizado»)
Introduction

4. Etymology
Whisky/Whiskey is the
anglicisation of the Gaelic word
«uisceluisge», which means water.
In Latin, distilled alcohol was
known as «aqua vitae», so water of
life.
Spellings
The spelling difference between
«whiskey» and «whisky» is, mainly,
focused on regional language
convention:
WHISKEY WHISKY
Rest of
the
World

5.  The art of alcohol distillation begun in Italy in the 13th century, coming up from wine, and its
use was spread by medieval monasteries, largely for medicinal purposes, such as the
treatment of colic and smallpox («viruela»).
 The first written record of whisky distillation comes from 1405 in Ireland.
 During 1536-1541, King Henry VIII of England dissolved the monasteries, then the monks were
sent out into the general public. Thus, whisky production moved to homes and farms as
newly independent monks needed to find a way to earn money for themselves.
 At the beginning, the whisky distillation was not allowed to age, and the result was raw and
hard compared to today’s whisky.
 Once in Scotland, after de merge with England in 1707 («Acts of Union»), rose up elevated taxes
on it, therefore scottish distillers start to distill homemade whisky by night, raising the name
of «Moonshine» and hiding all the output, forecasting an overall of over the half whisky’s
production as illegal.
 In the USA, during the prohibition era, lasting from 1920 to 1933, all the whisky sales were
banned by the government, being approved just by a doctor prescription and sold through
licensed pharmacies.
History

6. 
 Distillation
 A still («destilador») for making whisky is usually made of copper («cobre») as it
removes the sulfur-based compounds from the alcohol that would make it
unpleasant to drink. The simplest standard distillation apparatus is the pot
still, but column stills are more common to produce american bourbon or
whiskeys. These behave like a series of single pot stills, formed in a long
vertical tube, getting a higher vapour alcohol content (= more pure alcohol,
less flavoured).
 Aging
 Whiskies age only in the casks, not in the bottle, being this the period
between the distillation and the bottling, which gives the idea how important
is the interaction of the cask with the liquid, changing its taste and chemical
makeup. Furthermore, after a decade or two, the aging process could not
necessarily improve the liquid.
 Packaging
 Most whiskies are sold at or near to 40% percentage, which is the minimum
statutory in some countries.
Production

7. 
 Whisky is made, generally of:
 Malted barley («cebada malteada»)  Malt whisky
 Any type of grains  Grain whisky
 Malts and grains are combined in different ways:
 Single Malt Whisky
 Single distillery uses only one particular malted grain. It contains whisky from different casks, and different
years, giving a unique taste recognisable as typical of the distillery, bearing («usar/mostrar») usually the name of
the distillery.
 Blended Malt Whisky
 Mixture of different single malt whiskies from different distilleries. They’re usually labelled «pure malt» or just
«malt».
 Blended Whisky
 Mixture of different types of whisky. The blend («mezcla») may contain whisky from different distilleries,
creating a flavour consistent with the brand. In this case, the name of the distillery is normally omit, being
sold as a part of a blend (most Scotch, Irish and Canadian whiskies).
 Cask strength (or «Barrel proof»)
 Are rare cause just the really best whiskies are bottled in this way. They’re bottled from the cask diluted or
lightly diluted.
 Single cask («Single Barrel»)
 Are botteld from an individual cask, and these bottles are usually labelled with specific barrel and bottle
numbers.
Types

8.  American Whiskey
 Fermented mash of cereal grain; types:
 Bourbon whiskey (Tennessee whiskey): mash of, at least, 51% corn
 Corn whiskey: mash of, at least, 80% corn
 Malt whiskey: at least 51% of malted barley
 Rye whiskey: at least 51% rye («centeno»)
 Rye malt whiskey: at least 51% malted rye
 Wheat whiskey: at least 51% wheat («trigo»)
 These types cannot be distilled to no more than 80% of alcohol by volume, and
barrelled at no more than 125 proof («grados de prueba/gradaciòn alcohòlica»)
 Only water can be added to the final product, being colouring and flavouring
prohibited.
 These whiskeys must be aged in new charred-oak barrels, except the Corn
whiskey, while it’s sold as a legal version of «Moonshine» (does not have to be
aged).
 American blended whiskeys combine straight whiskey with Neutral Grain
Spirits (NGS), flavourings and colourings.
Types: Countries

9. 
Canadian Whisky
 Canadian whiskies must be produced and aged in Canada by law.
 Is distilled from a fermented mash of cereal grain, aged in wood
barrels for not less than 3 years.
 They may contain caramel and flavouring in addition to the
distilled mash spirits, and there is no maximum limit on the alcohol
level of the distillation.
Types: Countries

10. 
Irish Whiskey
 Normally distilled three times.
 Traditionally used the distillation in pot stills, the column still is
now used to produce grain whiskey for blends.
 By law, must be produced in Ireland and aged in wooden barrels
for no less than 3 years, although in practice it’s usually three or
four times that period.
 Main types are:
 Single malt
 Single grain
 Blended whiskey
 Pure pot still whiskey
Types: Countries

11. 
Scotch
 Usually distilled twice, although some are distilled three times, and
other even up to 20 times.
 By law, must bear the label «Scotch», be distilled in Scotland and
matured for a minimum of 3 years in oak casks.
 An age statement in the bottle must reflect the age of the youngest
Scotch whisky used to produce that product, being as three years
old if not statement included.
 The distinctive smoky flavour of the Scotch whisky comes up due
to the use of peat («turba») smoke to treat their malt.
 The main five regions of Scotch malt whiskies are Highland,
Lowland, Islay, Speyside e Campbeltown.
Types: Countries

12. Volumes
 Currently, the direct
exports of scotch is well
performing in US, Mexico
and India, falling near to
30% in China.
 The US is the largest
market by value, while
India in terms of volume.
 Good performance but
with difficulties due to
the tax hike since 2012 in
the Spirits.

13. 
 There’s not a single right way to taste the Classic
Malts, eventhough there are surely ways of tasting it
better.
 The main ways are:
Ways of doing
1) With water
It changes the compounds
of the whisky, raising
tastes and aromas.
The best would be filling it
with scotch water (water
coming from the same place
of the distillery), unless with
natural/still water.
2) With ice «On the rocks»
Refreshing the whisky but
it may take aromas and tastes
off the drink.
3) With soda
It may not be the
best way to taste a
single malt, but there
could be different brands
appropriate for this
way of doing (JW Red Label)

14. 
 Before a meal («Aperitivo»)
 They could be a perfect «aperitivo» if drinking the
lighter whisky in aroma, close to recently cut grass
and fresh fruit, to prepare the palate before eating.
 During the meal
 Desserts, (salty) cakes, cheese, and other kind of meals
that could perfectly match a single malt-
 Examples in the next slide
Ways of doing

15. 
 The salmon gets the
control over the
strong aroma
coming from the
single malt,
increasing the other
tastes.
 Good with herbs
and vegetables.
 Cut the salmon in
different parts
 Roll/Wrap each
piece to basilicum,
parsley, and add a
little lemon
squeeze.
Ways of doing: Recipes
 Strong flavours that
match each other
and offers a
magnific duet of
delicacy in the
palate.
 Toast a piece of
bread spiced (with
honey e.g.) making
it crunchy
 Put a slice of
Roquerfort in the
piece of toasted
bread
 Add some ficus
fruit or grapes

16. 
Kinds of...

17. 
Taste map

18. 
Main Brands

19. 
Cocktails recipes

20. 
 Wikipedia
 www.malts.com
Bibliography