Let Me Tell You About Whisky

By David Wishart and Gavin D. Smith

Whisky is the world’s favourite spirit and is enjoying booming sales, especially in the USA and Asia, yet too often it’s shrouded in mystery, myth and complex- sounding terminology. This authoritative beginner’s guide cuts straight through all of this, with simple advice on how to seek out and enjoy the immense diversity of flavours and styles on offer.

The eBook covers not just famous Highland malts, Irish pot still whiskeys and American bourbons, but also whiskies from South East Asia, Japan and Canada, as well as whiskies from many other producing countries, ranging from Wales through to Taiwan. There is advice on how to nose, taste and savour, how to organize a whisky tasting, which glassware to use, as well as a selection of classic whisky cocktails and advice on matching food and whisky. This is a true beginner’s guide providing a clear insight into the modern world of whisky in a way that’s never been done before.

Author Information

Neil Ridley is one of the UK’s new breed of passionate young wine & spirits writers. In 2008 he developed the award-winning whisky & spirits blog Caskstrength.net with his colleague Joel Harrison. Neil writes regularly about a wide range of different drinks for drinks and lifestyle publications. He is also on the judging panel for the World Whisky Awards. In the last 18 months he has hosted over 100 different spirits-based tastings from as far afield as Japan to Lithuania.

Gavin Smith is a professional freelance journalist and author who specialises in the subjects of whisky and beer. Gavin now acts as contributing editor for www.whisky-pages.com, as well as contributing to other leading drinks magazines. He also regularly undertakes commissions for leading drinks companies and hosts whisky events. He is married and lives in the Scottish Borders.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins UK
• Release date: Apr 17, 2013
• ISBN: 9781909108554

David Wishart

David Wishart became interested in malt whisky when he was first introduced to cask-strength Laphroaig by his father. He was Director of Statistics at the Scottish Office and an Honorary Research Fellow in the School of Management at St Andrews University until 2015.

Book preview

INTRODUCTION

If you are reading this book you almost certainly have an interest in whisky, but where does that interest stem from? Many fellow imbibers were introduced to whisky under circumstances not conducive to obtaining anything meaningful from the spirit – I write from experience! An over-indulgent introduction to whisky via the family drinks cabinet often leaves you with a distinctly bad taste in the mouth – as well as a hangover from hell the morning after …

But times and palates change. When shown a little respect, whisky is one of the most eloquent and rewarding of all spirits. For centuries, it has settled scores; influenced the creation of some of the greatest music, art and film; reinforced friendships; instilled us with courage; and given pleasure to countless generations of drinkers.

Today, the perceived barriers to the spirit of old no longer exist and the memories of that first fateful encounter fade quickly when you consider how the world has embraced whisky in the 21st century. From flavoursome and refreshing whisky-based cocktails at sundown to luxurious and warming single malts by the fireside, whisky has a time and a place in any social situation.

What was once seen as exclusively Scottish – and perhaps as traditional as the humble haggis and dear old ‘Nessie’ herself – is now successfully produced in over 27 countries: from newer producers such as New Zealand and Taiwan, to long-established regions such as Scotland, Ireland and Kentucky.

So wherever your initial encounter with this intriguingly complex yet so often misunderstood spirit first led you, it is now time to re-ignite the senses, tune up the taste buds and become acquainted with one of the most exciting and enduring of drinks.

Whisky, wherever you are from, we salute you!

At its most prosaic, whisky is simply distilled grain, but given a dram or two of the stuff itself, the brain is apt to be less literal. Then whisky becomes the greeter of guests, the cementer of friendships, the centrepiece of convivial gatherings, the accompaniment to contemplation.

Formerly seen as the domain of aging, middle- and upper-class males, whisky is now enjoying greater popularity among younger consumers, and is becoming increasingly favoured by women. Just as their parents ‘rebelled’ against whisky as the drink of their fathers, so the latest generation of drinkers have rediscovered whisky.

There are also far fewer social constraints today on the way in which whisky is drunk. As whisky gains new aficionados around the world, so the manner of consumption sometimes changes; for example, many Chinese imbibers favour mixing their whisky with green tea.

Distillers all over the world are innovating in terms of production and maturation practices, and there is a greater choice of styles and brands across a wider range of ‘price points’ than ever before. Scotch whisky alone now sells in more than 200 countries, with emerging markets in Asia offering glittering prizes for distillers.

One significant phenomenon of the last couple of decades has been the extraordinary growth of interest in, and availability of, single malt Scotch whisky, while aged Scotch whisky blends of real quality and provenance are being seen as the equal of good single malts in many countries.

Meanwhile, in the USA the Bourbon industry has responded to the expansion of single malt Scotch with ‘small-batch’ and limited-edition bottlings, while Ireland is seeing a recent renaissance in pot-still Irish whiskey.

Whether you spell it the Scottish way, without an ‘e,’ or the Irish and US style, with an ‘e’, whisky is the most diverse and rewarding spirit in the world, with an extraordinarily rich heritage and narrative to explore.

Editorial Note:

Throughout this book the authors have used the spelling ‘whisky’, except when they are referring to an Irish or American liquor, when they have used ‘whiskey’.

PART 1:

WHAT IS WHISKY?

As with any subject, the more you know about whisky, the more you can appreciate and enjoy it. In Let me tell you about whisky we aim to equip you with enough knowledge to be able to find your way around the whisky section of a specialist drinks retailer and to help you feel confident choosing a whisky in a bar or restaurant. At the same time, we don’t intend to blind you with too much science or bog you down in irrelevant facts. We aim to demystify whisky, without taking away the magic.

In this first section, ‘What is whisky?’, we cover a little bit of the story of whisky, where it began and how and we demystify a few common myths about whisky and what it really is from a legal point of view. Then we then move on to whisky-making today, and through simple illustrations explain how the three main types of whisky – single malt, grain whisky and American whiskey – are made.

THE HISTORY OF WHISKY

UISGE BEATHA

Whisky moderately taken, Sloweth age

Strengtheneth youth

Helpeth digestion

Cutteth the phlegm

It cureth the dropsy

It poundeth the stone and repelleth gravel

It preserveth the head from whirling

The tounge from lisping

The teeth from chattering

The throat from rattling

The heart from swelling

The guts from rumbling

The hands from shivering

The sinews from sinking

The veins from crumbling

The bones from aching

And is truly a sovereign liquor if it be orderly taken.

An early reference to whisky, by Raphael Holinshed in his Holinshed’s Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland 1577

Like most things that have resolutely stood the test of time, the history of whisky is shrouded in mystery, intrigue, mythology, legends galore and, undoubtedly, a barrel-load of old wives’ tales! It has traversed continents, inspired songs and been the source of many heated debates about the exact origins of the spirit.

It isn’t possible to pin down precisely when whisky was first produced, but here, we look back on a few key moments which have had a profound influence on the development of whisky. The art of distillation has been practised for over two millennia by alchemists, men of science and those in search of refined medical elixirs. The ancient Greeks are said to have pioneered the use of an alembic still (which has a ‘swan neck’ style of head and which is still used in most of today’s modern pot stills) as far back as the 3rd century AD, but the techniques and reasons for the distillation have not been documented.

Before the Greeks, the Egyptians and Chinese were known to use distillation for extracting essential oils from organic material, but it is unlikely that the art of distilling alcohol for consumption was derived directly from this process. Instead, many historians have looked to the West, almost 800 years later, where strong opinion suggests that it was the Celts who first distilled a drinkable alcohol at a number of European monasteries, using techniques learned from the Moors. Old Celtic ruins near Cashel, in Tipperary, Ireland, include what might well be the remnants of bronze distillation equipment, and around the end of the 12th century, when the English army invaded Ireland, it is claimed that they discovered the inhabitants drinking uisge beatha – the ‘water of life.’

At this time the origins of whisky as we know it begin to take shape. Over time, uisge beatha became corrupted to a more anglicised ‘whiskybae’, eventually being shortened to ‘uishigi’ or ‘whiski’. It is likely (although somewhat contentious, especially for the Scots) that whisky production took place in monasteries on the north coast of Ireland, from whence the process travelled across the sea to the Hebridean islands off the west coast of Scotland. The first recorded documentation of Scotch whisky dates back to 1494, and in particular the Rolls of the Exchequer, which document an order for ‘eight bolls of malt to Friar John Cor wherewith to make aquavitae’, also meaning the ‘water of life’. This elixir was noted for its apparent medicinal effects and used to treat many complaints at the time, including smallpox, but later its heady, intoxicating properties became popular in a much wider social capacity.

Whisky distillation grew at a huge pace, with arguably one of the first licensed distilleries being located in County Antrim, on the north coast of Ireland, in 1608, now home to the old Bushmills distillery. In Scotland, farmers, whose crops of barley were used predominantly to make bread, were also distilling, making beer first, which would then be distilled once, giving the resulting spirit a harsh character with a lower alcohol strength. The spirit was drunk without any maturation time and with little thought to the processes or consistency involved. But as the quality and volume of spirit developed, several laws were passed to enable the collection of tax on whisky, much to the irritation of the farmers and budding distillers. In 1660, the Scottish Parliament began to employ gaugers or excisemen to monitor how much whisky was being produced, pushing the world of whisky-making underground into the nooks, caves and hidden hollows across the Scottish Highlands. Notably, Scotland’s favourite son, the poet Robert Burns, was an exciseman during the latter years of his life, which often influenced his writing.

During the mid-18th century there were tougher constraints on the production of whisky, but also a greater understanding of the production of a higher-quality spirit, matured in a variety of wood types to give it complexity and balance. Pioneers sought out new territories in which to make whisky, and Welsh distiller Evan Williams emigrated to Kentucky alongside other founding fathers of American whiskey, such as Elijah Craig; these innovators were making whiskey from non-barley grains such as corn and rye. In the 19th century, enduring Scotch distillery names such The Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, Laphroaig and Talisker were established alongside highly successful blended whiskies and their blenders including Johnnie Walker, Dewar’s and Chivas Brothers.

Part of an engraving from a supplement to the New and Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences by J Barrow, published in London in 1754, showing the processes of distilling malt.

Chromolithograph showing the distillery buildings of William Jameson & Co in Marrowbone Lane, Dublin, in 1845. These fine Georgian buildings are now home to the Jameson Experience, and Jameson is Ireland’s best-selling whiskey.

Crowds loot a whiskey store of confiscated liquor in New York. Prohibition came into force across the US in 1920 and consequences for both the American whiskey and wine industries were disastrous. Front page of French newspaper Le Petit Journal Illustré, 1922.

Boom-and-bust periods have changed the equilibrium of the whisky industry, especially during the latter part of the 20th century, when the number of Scottish distilleries was dramatically scaled down, some being mothballed, deactivated or, sadly, demolished. A few distilleries such as Port Ellen and Rosebank have left behind liquid legacies which have matured exceptionally over the past few decades. 

Outside of Scotland, the Japanese established their first distillery in 1923 and quickly began to perfect the art of whisky production. Since the late 20th century whisky distilleries have cropped up all over the world, with varying degrees of acclaim.  In the US, despite an extensive period of Prohibition through the 1920s which threatened to obliterate the country’s spirits and wine markets, many brand names have stood the test of time. New ways to present American whiskey to younger drinkers are developing at a swift pace, and whiskies infused with new flavourings, particularly, honey and cherry, are becoming hugely popular stateside.

Global whisky sales are today at an all-time high, with new markets such as China, Brazil, Russia and Taiwan beginning to enjoy whisky in many forms.  Such is the predicted growth of the spirit that today, huge sums are being invested in Scotch, Irish, Japanese and American distilleries. High-tech distillery operations are opening up all over the world, taking an age-old production technique and bringing it firmly into the 21st century.

Since the development of whisky gathered pace in the 18th century, producers have often suffered from periods of high taxation and economic downturns. Today, however, producers are working in an international market – and it is an exciting one, too.

Advertisement for Johnnie Walker whisky from the 1920s. Johnnie Walker is the world’s best-selling blended whisky and the marketing has always made much of its ‘striding man’ image.

The modern face of whisky production today. Diageo’s Roseisle distillery, opened in 2010, was the first malt distillery of scale to open in Scotland in over 30 years. The distillery pioneered the use of new computer-controlled systems.

THE MOST COMMON MYTHS ABOUT WHISKY

‘Whisky! You stand before us today, charged with some of the most heinous crimes in the drinks world. How do you plead?’

Rather unfairly, the phrase ‘innocent before proven guilty’ has bypassed a few people concerning their first impressions about whisky, mostly based on old wives’ tales, urban myths and previous bad experiences. So rather than see whisky condemned to a grizzly end at the hands of a biased jury, here are a few of the most common myths about whisky.

1 The Scots make the best whisky

Not necessarily. Despite perhaps learning the craft of whisky distillation from the Irish (a hotly debated subject in its own right), there’s no doubt that Scotland has done wonders to promote whisky as a quintessentially Scottish drink. But times have changed over the last few decades. Now a thriving whisky scene exists across the globe, with arguably some of the world’s greatest whiskies being produced in Japan, India and Europe, as well as the USA!

2 Whisky is definitely a man’s drink

Not necessarily. Until the 1970s whisky was the fiery, powerful preserve of the alpha male. You only need to trawl through the outdated and embarrassingly sexist whisky advertisements depicting masculine pursuits and scantily clad women to realize just how far the spirit has come since then. Today, gender is no longer a boundary to discovering whisky, especially in emerging markets such as China and Russia, where whisky is becoming hugely popular with female drinkers.

3 Blended whisky is always an ‘inferior quality’ spirit

Nonsense. Blended whiskies are one of the most important and artisanal elements of the entire whisky business. No doubt there are cheaper, lower-budget blends, but the large majority of reputable blended whiskies are based on recipes dating back to the early 19th century and draw upon a palate of different- aged single malt and grain whiskies. As a result, the whisky blender’s role is one of the most respected jobs in the entire industry.

4 Whisky should always be drunk neat

Nonsense. The golden rule is that there are no rules – it is a hugely versatile and refreshing drink, to be enjoyed on its own or mixed in a variety of ways.

5 Older and more expensive is most definitely better

One part of this myth is correct: older usually means more expensive. But when it comes to age as an indicator of quality, you’re on a different playing field altogether. In recent years, some dazzlingly good (and youthful) whiskies have set the market on fire, but there are some pretty substandard old ones, too.

LEGAL DEFINITIONS

Essentially, making whisky is the same the world over, with distillers all using the ‘holy trinity’ of grain, water and yeast. But there are significant variations concerning grain varieties, methods of distillation and minimum legal maturation periods. Here are essential definitions of some of the main types of whisky being made today.

Scotland

There are five legally defined categories of Scotch whisky. To bear the name all Scotch whisky must be matured in Scotland in oak casks for a minimum period of three years.

Single malt is a Scotch whisky distilled at a single distillery from water and malted barley without the addition of any other cereals, and by batch distillation in pot stills. Single malt Scotch whisky must be bottled in Scotland. Contrary to opinion, there is no such thing as a ‘double malt’, but there are single malts that have been matured in two types of cask.

Single grain is a Scotch whisky distilled at a single distillery from water and malted barley, with or without whole grains of other malted or unmalted cereals, so it therefore does not comply with the definition of single malt Scotch whisky.

Blended Scotch whisky is a blend of one or more single malt Scotch whiskies with one or more single grain Scotch whiskies. Most blends are age-old recipes, expertly balanced by a master blender to keep the perfect consistency.

Blended malt Scotch whisky is a blend of single malt Scotch whiskies that have been distilled at more than one distillery.

Blended grain Scotch whisky is a blend of single grain Scotch whiskies that have been distilled at more than one distillery.

Ireland

The legal definition of Irish whiskey states that the spirit must be distilled in Ireland from a ‘mash of cereals’, and then matured for a minimum of three years in Ireland. Although triple distillation is often regarded as one of the traditional characteristics of the style, there is no legal requirement to say that Irish whiskey must be triple distilled. Most Irish whiskey is a blend of patent still and pot still spirit, made using a mix of malted and unmalted barley. ‘Pot still’ Irish whiskey is triple-distilled in pot stills from a mash of malted and unmalted barley, and Irish distillers now use the term ‘single pot still’ for a range of such whiskeys. Just to confuse matters even more, single malt Irish whiskey is also produced by Cooley Distillery, using the Scotch whisky method of a pair of stills and malted barley.

Between 1866 and 1868, New York City newspapers were full of reports of seized distilleries due to the necessary duties not having been paid. The illustration depicts a conflict in 1869, when General Pleasanton led a force of 1500 infantry and marines to destroy illicit stills and barrels of illegal whiskey.

The US and Canada

Bourbon whiskey production must take place within the US, but Bourbon can be made in any state, not just Kentucky, as is sometimes mistakenly thought. By law it must be made from a mash of not less than 51% corn grain and matured in new, white oak barrels that have previously been charred, or thermally degraded. No minimum maturation period is specified, but Bourbon has to be aged for more than two years before it can be labelled as ‘straight Bourbon’.

Rye whiskey is produced in the US and Canada. In the US, rye whiskey by definition has to be produced from a grain mash of not less than 51% rye grain. In Canada, there is no such stipulation. The Canadian regulations merely state that Canadian whisky (Canadian rye whisky or rye whisky) should be distilled in Canada, and should possess the aroma, taste and character generally attributed to Canadian whisky.

Corn whiskey is a generic term for a rural, unsophisticated form of US whiskey, which has strong associations with ‘moonshine’ and is considered to improve very little with any aging. Legally, it must contain a minimum of 80% corn grain.

Tennessee whiskey is a Bourbon-style whiskey only produced within the state of Tennessee and subjected to a process of charcoal filtration – commonly known as ‘the Lincoln County Process’.

Rest of the world

The rules governing whisky production around the world are not as strict as those of Scotland, Ireland and the US, and allow different grains, cask sizes and wood types to be used to great effect from as far afield as Austria to South Africa.

WHISKY-MAKING TODAY

A look around any modern whisky distillery today will tell you two key things. First, very little has changed in the way of the actual production methods and the tools required to make whisky, from the mash tuns to the gleaming copper stills. Take a snapshot from 1900 and chances are the picture will look reasonably similar to any photo taken today. But if you take a closer look, you’ll see a number of more recent changes – signs that production in the 21st century has embraced the digital age.

Except for the smallest artisanal operations, practically every distillery now uses some element of computer control. Stillmen sit at a computer console, monitoring temperatures and timings of spirit cut points and looking for any potential faults or changes to the production process. Use of the computer in the distillery has destroyed any romantic notion that whisky is still