A Tipple for Whisky Lovers Article

By: Mathew Tinkham Click author's name for more of his/her articles

Whisky has occupied the imagination of tipplers around the world for over 500 years. It seems to be a simple distillation of fermented grain yet has achieved global notoriety ? to saying nothing of the hundreds of dollars now commanded by a single premium bottle.

Whisky means different things to different people ? even the spelling is not straightforward with US and most Irish producers adding an additional ?e? to make whiskey. Over the years, local styles have evolved in different directions, to the point where a Scottish single malt whisky is only a very distant cousin of a US bourbon whiskey or corn whiskey.

Whilst the subject of some debate, Scottish malt whisky is the oldest style of whisky still produced. The ?malt? refers to malted barley - barley that has been partially germinated after soaking in water (to convert the barley starch into soluble sugars) and then dried to stop the germination process. Historically this drying process was driven by peat fires which imparted the unique flavours and aromas of the local peat into the barley. The barley is then ground and mashed in hot water to produce wort, the basic ingredient to which yeast is added to commence the fermentation process. Fermentation is of course the process by which the yeast breaks down the malt sugars into water, carbon dioxide and most interestingly, alcohol!

The next step is key, that of distillation. The manner of distillation, as with the choice of grain used, is a key differentiating factor in the way whiskys are produced. Scottish malt whisky must be batch distilled using a Pot Still made of copper. The key alternative approach is to use a Coffey Still, considered a more industrial process that allows for continuous distillation and in which some of the subtle pot still characteristics are lost. The distillation process removes the bulk of the water and contaminants from the fermented liquid and concentrates the alcohol to about 70% alcohol by volume, ready for maturation.

Oak barrels are typically used to hold the maturing malt whisky. Generally these barrels have been used before having been sourced from US bourbon producers (who are allowed to use each barrel just once) or European sherry producers. Either way, choice of barrel has an impact on the final product which may be left to mature for between 3 years (the minimum) and up to 10 years and beyond. Just as in winemaking, part of the whisky maker's art is in balancing the type of cask used and the maturation period with all the other inputs such as the barley and peat, the yeast strain and the fermentation method to produce the desired result.

A single malt refers to a malt whiskey that has been distilled at a single distillery and made from water and malted barley only. A single malt must, in addition, be batch distilled using a pot still. It is these restrictions that serve both to explain the unique nature of each different single malt whisky and the high prices that are charged. It is not too difficult to pay several hundred US dollars for a bottle of long matured whisky from one of Scotland's premium brands. The mystique of brands like Laphroaig, Glenmorangie, Lagavulin and Talisker command a strong premium.

Moving beyond single malts, you may see reference to ?Scotch Whisky? - typically this term is used to describe a blend of single malts, often used to produce a more affordable and approachable product. Such whisky might even be made from grains other than malt. This is also the approach used by Bourbon producers whose whisky is made from corn, rather than malt. An extension of this approach is use of sugar maple charcoal to filter the whiskey prior to maturation ? a process that produces the Tennessee whiskey of which Jack Daniels is a well known example.

The Scottish term for whisky translates as ?the water of life?. The above differences in the manner of its production around the world have created local favorites. Nonetheless, whisky has stood the test of time as a drink with global appeal and as such, is well worth getting to know.

Article Source: ABC Article Directory

About The Author: Mathew Tinkham has been tasting whisky fro over 20 years. One of his favourites at the moment is Tomatin Whisky, a single cask single malt whisky.