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Outline of whisky

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Whisky
A late 19th century whisky distillery
Alcohol by volume at least 40%
IngredientsRye, Wheat, Barley, Corn, Malt, Peat, Oak, Water, Sugar maple
An old whisky still
Copper pot stills at Auchentoshan Distillery in Scotland
Malted barley is an ingredient of some whiskies.
Empty oak barrels waiting to be filled with whisky at the White and MacKay distillery in Invergordon
Spirit still at St George's whisky distillery in Norfolk
The Hiram Walker Distillery in Windsor, Ontario. Established in 1858, it is the oldest functioning distillery in the province.
Scotch whisky
Jasper Newton "Jack" Daniel
Glenfiddich Distillery stills
A charred oak barrel used to age whiskey
Inside Sullivans Cove distillery in Tasmania, Australia
Tennessee whiskey aging in charred new oak barrels at the Jack Daniel's distillery
Macallan Distillery production hall
Making charcoal at the Jack Daniel Distillery
Four Roses Distillery
Recently filled barrels of Woodford Reserve bourbon outside of the rickhouse, where they will be stacked and stored during the aging process
Jim Beam Distillery

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to whisky:

Whisky (also "whiskey") – distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Various grains (which may be malted) are used in different varieties, including barley, corn, rye, and wheat. Whisky is typically aged in wooden casks, generally made of charred white oak.

Whisky is a strictly regulated spirit worldwide. It encompasses many national expressions and variations. The typical unifying characteristics of the different expressions and variations are the fermentation of grains, distillation, and aging in wooden barrels.

The spelling whiskey is commonly used in Ireland and the United States, while whisky is used almost exclusively in other whisky-producing countries.[1]

National varieties

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  • American whiskeys are distilled from a fermented mash of cereal grain. It must have the taste, aroma, and other characteristics commonly attributed to whisky. American whisky must be distilled to no more than 80% alcohol by volume, and barrelled at no more than 125 proof. Only water may be added to the final product; the addition of colouring or flavouring is prohibited. These whiskies must be aged in new charred-oak containers, except for corn whisky, which does not have to be aged. If it is aged, it must be in uncharred oak barrels or in used barrels. Corn whisky is usually unaged and sold as a legal version of moonshine.
  • Australian whiskies are mainly produced using a very similar process to that of Scottish whisky; however, the flavour of Australian whisky is subtly different.[2] Although the majority of whisky produced in Australia is in the single malt style, there is more variation than that found overseas, with no strict customs or traditions governing the styles produced. Multiple styles of whisky are produced in Australia, including single malt, rye, wheat and blended whisky.[3]
  • Canadian whiskies are usually blended multi-grain whiskies containing a large percentage of corn spirits, and are typically lighter and smoother than other whisky styles.[4] When Canadian distillers began adding small amounts of highly-flavourful rye grain to their mashes, people began demanding this new rye-flavoured whisky, referring to it simply as "rye". Today, as for the past two centuries, the terms "rye whisky" and "Canadian whisky" are used interchangeably in Canada.
  • English whisky is made from cereal grains, malt and water[5] and includes malt whisky and grain whisky.[6] There are currently 55 whisky distilleries[7] and 20 brands of whisky in England.[8]
  • Finnish whisky
  • French whisky is traditionally made in Brittany from malted buckwheat.
  • Georgian whisky was first made by Georgian wine-maker, co-founder of "Askaneli Brothers", Jimsher Chkhaidze. JIMSHER whisky is made by traditional Scottish method and other Georgia whiskies have followed suit.
  • German whisky resemble those made in Ireland, Scotland and the United States: single malts, blends, wheat, and bourbon-like styles.
  • Indian whiskies are commonly blends based on neutral spirits that are distilled from fermented molasses /Grain with only a small portion consisting of traditional malt whisky, usually about 10 to 12 percent. Outside India, such a drink would more likely be labelled a rum.[9][10] According to the Scotch Whisky Association's 2013 annual report, "there is no compulsory definition of whisky in India, and the Indian voluntary standard does not require whisky to be distilled from cereals or to be matured."[11] Molasses-based blends make up 90 percent of the spirits consumed as "whisky" in India,[12]
  • Irish whiskey is whiskey made on the island of Ireland. The word 'whiskey' (or whisky) comes from the Irish (or 'Gaelic') uisce beatha, meaning water of life. Irish whiskey has a smoother finish as opposed to the smoky, earthy overtones common to Scotch whisky, in part due to peating.[13] Peat is rarely used in the malting process elsewhere. There are notable exceptions to these rules in both countries.
  • Japanese whiskies are both single malt and blended whiskies. The base is a mash of malted barley, dried in kilns fired with a little peat (although less than is used for some peated Scotch whiskies), and is distilled using the pot still method.[14][15]
  • Mexican whisky
  • Scotch whisky (Scottish Gaelic: uisge-beatha na h-Alba; often simply called whisky or Scotch) is malt whisky or grain whisky (or a blend of the two), made in Scotland. It must be made in a manner specified by law.[16] There were 141 Scotch whisky distilleries operating in Scotland.[17]

Types of whisky

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  • Blended malt whisky is a mixture of single malt whiskies from different distilleries. If a whisky is labelled "pure malt" or just "malt" it is almost certainly a blended malt whisky. This was formerly called a "vatted malt" whisky.
  • Blended whisky is made from a mixture of different types of whisky. A blend may contain whisky from many distilleries so that the blender can produce a flavour consistent with the brand.
  • Bourbon whiskey is made in the United States from mash that consists of at least 51% corn (maize) and is aged in new charred oak barrels.
  • Buckwheat whisky is made entirely or principally from buckwheat.
  • Cask strength (also known as barrel proof) is bottled from the cask undiluted or only lightly diluted.
  • Corn whiskey is made from mash that consists of at least 80% corn and is not aged, or, if aged, is aged in uncharred or used barrels.
  • Four grain whisky
  • Grain whisky (or Light whisky) is made from any type of grain at more than 80% alcohol by volume and stored in used or uncharred new oak containers.
  • Malt whisky is made from mash that consists of at least 51% malted barley.
  • Millet Whisky
  • Oat Whisky is made from a mash of oats.
  • Rye malt whisky is made from mash that consists of at least 51% malted rye.
  • Rye whisky is made from mash that consists of at least 51% rye.
  • Single cask whisky (also known as single barrel) are whiskies bottled from an individual cask.
  • Single malt whisky is whisky from a single distillery made from a mash that uses only one particular malted grain. Unless the whisky is described as single-cask, it contains whisky from many casks, and different years, so the blender can achieve a taste recognisable as typical of the distillery.
  • Spirit whiskey is a mixture of neutral spirits and at least 5% of certain stricter categories of whisky
  • Straight whisky is distilled from a fermented (malted or unmalted) cereal grain mash to a concentration not exceeding 80% alcohol by volume (abv) and aged in new charred oak barrels for at least two years at a concentration not exceeding 62.5% at the start of the aging process.[21]
  • Tennessee whiskey is straight whiskey produced in the U.S. state of Tennessee and uses a filtering step known as the Lincoln County Process.
  • Wheat whiskey is made from mash that consists of at least 51% wheat.
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See also: List of historic whisky distilleries

North American

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Europe

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  • The Old Bushmills Distillery is a distillery in Bushmills, County Antrim, Northern Ireland and is the oldest operating whiskey distillery. The company that originally built the distillery was formed in 1784, although the date 1608 is printed on the label of the brand – referring to an earlier date when a royal licence was granted to a local landowner to distil whiskey in the area.[22][23] After various periods of closure in its subsequent history, the distillery has been in continuous operation since it was rebuilt after a fire in 1885.
  • Scotland was traditionally divided into four regions: The Highlands, The Lowlands, The Isle of Islay, and Campbeltown with a Speyside more recently. The whisky-producing islands other than Islay are not recognised as a distinct region by the Scotch Whisky Association, which groups them into the Highlands region.[a][24]
  • Campbeltown, a small western coastal town, was once home to over 30 distilleries but now has only three in operation.[25]
  • The Islands, an unrecognised sub-region of the Highlands, includes all of the whisky-producing islands but excludes Islay.[26][27]
  • Islay /ˈaɪlə/: is produced on the island of Islay, Scotland.[28]
  • The Highlands: The Highlands is by far the largest region in Scotland both in area and in whisky production. This massive area has over 30 distilleries on the mainland.
  • The Lowlands district covers much of the Central Belt and the South of Scotland including Edinburgh & The Lothians, Glasgow & The Clyde Valley, the Kingdom of Fife, Ayrshire, Dumfries & Galloway and the Scottish Borders.[29]
  • Speyside: Speyside gets its name from the River Spey, which cuts through this region and provides water to many of the distilleries.
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United States

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Creating Whisky

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Main article: Production of whisky

Ingredients

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Chemistry

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Processes

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Equipment

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Production

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Distillers

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Lists of distillers
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Brands

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Laws and regulations

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Community

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Events and tourism

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Publications

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Magazines

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Books

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Whisky Lists

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See also: Lists of Distillers

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Although only five regions are specified, any Scottish locale may be used to describe a whisky if it is distilled entirely within that place; for example a single malt whisky distilled on Orkney could be described as Orkney Single Malt Scotch Whisky instead of as an Island whisky.

References

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  1. ^ Zandona, Eric; et al. (March 2013). A World Guide to Whisk(e)y Distilleries. Hayward: White Mule Press. ISBN 978-0983638940.
  2. ^ Middleton, Chris (2011). "Australian Whisky: Whisky Phoenix Rises - a Short History of Australian Whisky Distillation". Chemistry in Australia. 78: 18–22.
  3. ^ "The rise of the craft Australian distilleries - Part 1". www.diffordsguide.com. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  4. ^ "What is Canadian Whisky?". whisky.com).
  5. ^ "Everything you need to know about English whisky". Travel. 12 May 2024. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  6. ^ "English whisky's Indie heroes". Barley. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  7. ^ "The English Whisky Map - 6th Edition". Inside the Cask. 30 April 2023. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  8. ^ "Brands - Whiskybase - Ratings and reviews for whisky". www.whiskybase.com. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  9. ^ "Where 'Whisky' Can Be Rum", from The Wall Street Journal, 26 August 2006. Retrieved 27 January 2012. (subscription required)
  10. ^ Peachey, Paul (3 March 2006). "Battle for the world's largest whisky market – India". South Africa Mail & Guardian. Archived from the original on 1 June 2008. Retrieved 14 May 2014.
  11. ^ "Scotch whisky makers threaten action against Indian blends". Business Standard. PTI. 12 May 2014. Retrieved 12 May 2014.
  12. ^ "India stretches whisky market lead", Beverage Daily, 13 January 2004. Retrieved 25 June 2007
  13. ^ "The Difference Between Scotch and whisky". www.theirishplace.com.
  14. ^ "5 Things You Need To Know About Japanese Whisky". Time. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  15. ^ Staff, words: VinePair. "Japanese Whisky Guide | Learn About Japanese Whisky". VinePair. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  16. ^ "Scotch Whisky Regulations". Government of the United Kingdom.
  17. ^ "Facts & Figures". The Scotch Whisky Association. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
  18. ^ "How Single Malt Whisky Is Made - Whisky.com". www.whisky.com.
  19. ^ "Scotch Whisky FAQs". Scotch Whisky Association.
  20. ^ "How is Whisky Made?". 2 October 2019.
  21. ^ "Standards of Identity for Distilled Spirits, Title 27 Code of Federal Regulations, Pt. 5.22(1)(iii)" (PDF). Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  22. ^ Old Bushmills History (official website)
  23. ^ Alternative Whisky Academy
  24. ^ "Whisky Regions & Tours". Scotch Whisky Association. Archived from the original on 26 July 2018. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
  25. ^ "Campbeltown Whisky Distilleries – Map & Tours". VisitScotland.
  26. ^ "Scotch Whisky Regions". Scotch Whisky Association.
  27. ^ Powell, Tom (31 July 2018). "The beginner's guide to scotch whisky". Foodism.
  28. ^ "Islay Malt Whisky and Islay Whisky Distilleries Map". www.islayinfo.com. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  29. ^ "Lowland Whisky – Map & Distillery Tours Near Edinburgh & Glasgow". VisitScotland.
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