Whiskey - SpeedyLook encyclopedia

Etymology

Irish and Scottish disputing the paternity of the whiskey, they also diverge on the etymology from the mot. the Irishmen advance the origin Irish Gaelic Uisce beatha while the Scot evoke Scottish Gaélique uisge baugh , meaning both brandy , in the final analysis copied on the Latin Aqua Vitae .

History

See also: History of the whiskey, Chronology of the whiskey

The history of the whiskey remains buckled in the fogs of the Celtic paddle.

The origin of the whiskey seems to go back to mists of time. The Egyptians practitioner already the Distillation of the perfumes 3 000 years before J. - C., they know moreover the Fermentation of the Orge since they produce Bière. Medieval Islam brought the knowledge of the Distillation and the word for its final solution " alcool" (Arabic Al-kohl).

At the time of excavations carried out on the banks of the Liffey to Dublin, one discovered inscriptions on tanned skins of reindeer going back to before our era. The author was probably a Chaman, a magician or an alchemist - or his Celtic equivalent in these moved back times, which had been tried to distill a mixture of cereals and water. Even if the manuscript of origin is lacunar and by places indecipherable, it were possible to have a rather precise idea about what worried this primitive distiller. this one was called Pah-Dee (approximate translation) and lived on southern bank of Liffey, under a climate seems it very rigorous, since it specifies being vêtu furs. Barry Walsh (main assembler at Irish Distillers) used of poetic license to modernize the text. The description made by Pah-Dee of a " water of feu" passed three times the first attesting document obviously triples it distillation of Irish whiskey constitutes. The plunderers probably came from Scotland, but nothing any more makes it possible to affirm it today.

As from the 12th century the Distillation of brandy is spread gradually in Europe, in particular in Scotland and Ireland, where the Alambic would make its appearance with the Christian missionaries (the legend wants that Saint Patrick himself, patron saint of the Irishmen, introduced it at the 5th century). The practice and know-how develop in the monasteries. However, the 11th century should be waited so that progress in the techniques of condensation makes it possible to produce drinks. The whiskey, then called uisge beatha , has, at that time, a primarily therapeutic function and is used as much in ointment as in drug. At the 12th century the English soldiers who invade Ireland discover the alcoholic drink which then seems to enjoy a notable popularity near the local population. In 1608, Bushmills distilling obtains the first official license of distillation.

The first whiskey trace in Scotland goes up with 1494. It is about a note referring to the production of brandy in an official document Exchequer' S roll which specifies testimony of a practice installed already well. It is generally considered that the monks of Dal Riada made benefit the Scot from their knowledge in the field of distillation when they came évangéliser the Pictes from Calédonie.

The 16th century the development of cooling systems to water allow a clear qualitative improvement which accelerates the economic development of the Scotch whiskey. The Dissolution of the monasteries English then Scottish leads the monks to be melted with the secular population and to communicate their know-how. If the brandy resale in Scotland is licit only for the barbers and surgeons since 1505, it in parallel became a current activity with the farm where any surplus of grain is distilled.

Distillation becomes legal in Scotland only with the Excise Act of 1823.

Starting from this date the clandestine production decreases unrelentingly. In same time the industrial production develops.

In the United States, the president Thomas Jefferson abolished in 1802 the taxation of the whiskey. Many contractors launch out in the production. The priest Baptist Elijah Craig is the first to use barrels of oak to transport his whiskey. The system of filtration through a coal seam is invented in 1825 per Alfred Eaton. This system is always used nowadays (by Jack Daniel' S for example).

The technical improvements support the industrial production: in 1826, one invents in Ireland the system of distillation uninterrupted of grain alcohol, it is the " obvious still". Paradoxically, it is used only in Scotland where it still replaces the pot still of topicality at the 19th century in Ireland.

In 1853 the first Blend is created by Mr. Usher of Glenlivet distilling. It associates different whiskey from malt and whiskey of grain. The arrival of the blend will revolutionize the industry of the whiskey. Its more economic manufacture, its taste less typified and almost reproducible ad infinitum will involve to it quasi disappearance of individual malt during nearly one century and will support the decline of the production Irish and American. Irish distillings refuse to practice the blending. That will involve the closing moreover of two thirds of those (one passes from 160 to 30 distillings of 1850 to 1900). In 1909, after the judgment of a royal commission the blend acquires the right to be marketed under the name of whiskey.

At the beginning of the 20th century 90 % of the production of whiskey in Scotland is done in the form of blend. Rare are distillings which like Caol Ila, Bowmore, Macallan or Glen Grant always propose their individual malt with the sale. It is the golden age of Scottish distillings.

This period, (one counts more than 160 official distillings in Scotland in 1890) one period of Récession succeeds. The alcohol overproduction involves the total closure or temporary of a great number of distillings.

In the United States, the industry of the whiskey starts to be threatened with creations of the first leagues anti-alcohol at the end of the 19th century. After a first fall of the consumption of whiskey during the American Civil War, the Prohibition, of 1920 to 1933, durably puts at evil industry whiskey in the United States. The bourbons will start to raise the head only starting from the Années 1980.

In Ireland, the whiskey is him also put at evil at the 20th century. The arrival of the blends Scottish then the civil war and the partition of Ireland in years 1920 go chambouler the market of the whiskey. It loses its principal zone of sale: the United Kingdom. Fortunately the Irish diaspora in North America will allow to run out the production. After the Second world war, there will remain only 4 distillings in activity in Ireland (Bushmills, Cork Distillery, Jameson and Power). Later the three last gathered their production center on only one site: Midleton. With the result that at the beginning of the 21e century, Ireland counts nothing any more but three distillings in activity (Bushmills, Midleton and Cooley created in 1987).

Years 1980 will mark the beginning of a new phase in the history of the whiskey. A phase of revival opens with the advent of the Single malt whiskey. This whiskey, almost forgotten since the end of the 19th century and which was marketed more only by one very small number of distillings, remade surface while following the example of Glenfidich which it first had made large advertizing campaigns in order to promote its individual malt. At the same time, at the United States, the large distillers of whiskey like Jim Beam, Maker' S Mark or Buffalo Trace start to improve quality of their productions in order to again be able to compete with the blends Scottish which held the US market. Thanks to these efforts, the bourbon reconquers great market shares in its country and increases also its notoriety and thus its sales in the world.

Various types of whiskey

Different the whiskeys

the word whiskey is generally employed to indicate the Scottish productions, Canadian and Japanese.

In Scotland, to be able to be qualified of Scotch Whiskey , the degree of alcohol must be equal or higher than 40° to make it possible to obtain the name of whiskey and an ageing was of at least three years on the Scottish territory is essential so that this one is described as Scotch tape .

In Ireland, one speaks about whiskey or Irish whiskey , in the same way in the United States one finds the American whiskey , family in particular including the bourbon (containing corn) and the rye (containing rye). These various names correspond very to different compositions:

* the Irish whiskey is mainly made up of Orge Malt E, added with Seigle;

* the bourbon is primarily manufactured starting from Maïs (between 51 and 80 % of corn, the remainder being other cereals);

* the rye as for him is containing rye (the presence of rye is explained by the fact that the distillers followed their customers at the time of the vagueness of Irish immigration of the 19th century, mainly towards the Canada);

* the whiskey of Scottish malt is only elaborate starting from malted barley;

* the corn whiskey is as for him made up of more than 80 % of corn.

Development

Making of a whiskey must last three years at least; if ageing were of oak is lower than three years, it is impossible to confer the whiskey name to him. One distinguishes five stages in his manufacture.

''' malting: ''' to obtain malt, it is of use to extend the barley and to humidify it so that it germinates. This operation lasts one or two weeks. During germination, the grain manufactures a Enzyme, the maltase, able to cut out fermentable the sugar starch molecule. For making of grain alcohol, an enzyme of synthesis is added, making it possible to remove the operation of malting. The product is scented also definitely less. One puts an end to malting by drying seeds above a furnace, generally supplied with Tourbe, which gives to some whiskeys their tastes particular. When it is dry, the malt is crushed, which produces a kind of flour called the grist .

the Mixing: the grist is then mixed with warm water. This water will typify the whiskey, according to the grounds which it crossed, giving of the dug peat, mineral flavors or of ground of heather.

The purpose of this operation is to transform the Amidon contained in malt into fermentable sugars under the action of enzymes. It takes place in large buckets out of wooden called “mash tun”. The product of this mixing is called “wort”.

the Fermentation: must sweetened thus obtained is added with Levure S and the alcoholic Fermentation occurs then. This process is similar to that of the manufacture of the Bière but the following stage is specific to the whiskey.

the Distillation: the beer thus obtained undergoes a double distillation, from which the goal is to separate water from alcohol. The first distillation takes place in large copper stills at broad base called “wash stills”; those are gradually heated, the alcohol vapors are collected, then cooled in condensers before being introduced into the second still more frayed called “spirit stills” where the process is repeated. The first emanations (the first third or “head of vintage”) as well as the last (the last third), judged less quality, are isolated and reintroduced in following distillation, or, generally, sold with the blenders . Only the middle cut is preserved and put out of barrels. The distilleurs consider that the shape and the size of these stills are one of the independent factors which works the taste of the whiskey. The shape even of the stills is important for the formation of the flavors: thus in Scotland, one finds among the Masters of wine storehouses of holding exclusive of the “still with large nozzle” and others not less famous of the “still with small nozzle”. In addition, the lifespan of a still is of approximately thirty years, but its tank owes “culotter” during ten years, during which the production of the known as still left the normal circuit of distillings and sold with the blenders . The Irish whiskeys generally undergo triple distillation and it is also the case of some scotchs. At the end of this stage, the whiskey is colorless and titrates approximately 70°.

ageing: the whiskey is finally put to age out of barrels of Chêne “of Virginia”, worn most of the time. It is during this stage that the whiskey colors and acquires specific flavors according to wood used. The barrels used for the Scotch tape can have three possible origins: it can be a question, either of barrels of bourbon (coming from the the United States), or of barrels of Jerez coming from Spain, (wine called Sherry by the British which bought much of it, which provided the first barrels to be recycled), or of new barrels in oak bought in various countries or manufactured in Scottish cooperages, such as “The Balvenie”. Coloring is function of the type of barrel used. Thus, a barrel of “sherry fino” gives a color ambrée to the whiskey, while a barrel of “oloroso” will cause to make the whiskey darker. But this differentiation is all the more subtle to make, that there can be, by barrel, of the “second filling”, even of the “third filling”. The barrels of bourbon bring more gilded color or “straw”. The type of barrel used for the “breeding” does not impact only the color but also the flavors, primary educations and secondaries, therefore the taste: a barrel of sherry will always develop at a moment or another of its oxidation, “sweetened” flavors (fruits, honey…), a barrel of bourbon, floral and “dry” flavors “of head”. According to distillings, ageing can be done, either exclusively in a type of barrels, or in a mixture (at the blenders ). Other types of worn barrels are used more and more: barrels of Oporto, barrels of Madeira, rum Rum, claret of Bordeaux, of red Bordeaux wines, sometimes having contained very high-class wines and still the barrels of sauternes. They bring all of specificities of colors, flavors and savors. It should be noted in addition that the Caramel is often used for the coloring of whiskeys (at the blenders ) in order to have a homogeneous color between the batches. This practice is in reduction for the malt whiskeys ( individual malts ), and is not used for the whiskeys of high-end, which can be very clear, or contrary to various and sometimes very intense colors, according to the types of barrels used.

At the conclusion of the period of ageing, the whiskey titrates 60 more degrees roughly. In fact, alcohol evaporates during maturation out of barrel, with approximately 1° per year: it is the “share of the angels”. But, it is obviously function of the ambient percentage of moisture: thus, a barrel stored close to the door of a distilling of Islay, in medium saturated with moisture, will titrate much more, at the end of the same time of ageing, as a whiskey resulting from Midland. At the conclusion of the time of ageing envisaged by the Master of wine storehouses, the whiskey is generally diluted with spring water before the setting out of bottle to reach the usual level of alcohol 40°. There exist nevertheless marketed bottles with cask strength , directly drawn from the barrel. Certain distillings are located at the seaside. Their whiskey can then take with ageing flavors of algae, iodine and salted savors.

The minimal period of ageing of a Scotch tape is 3 years but the majority of individual malt age in general between 8 and 12 years, certain bottles of individual cask going up to 30 years of ageing out of barrel before the setting out of bottle.

This process is that of production of the scotchs , it can vary for the others whiskeys. For example, Tennessee Whiskey is an alcohol containing corn which is filtered through coal. One of the differences between the scotchs and the bourbons is that the latter can legally use only new barrels. The Canadian rye is containing rye.

Production zones

Scotland

Ireland

the United States

Almost the whole of distillings of whiskey concentrate in only two American States: the Kentucky and the Tennessee.

the State of the Kentucky.

Historically, the United States occupies the third rank for the whiskey in the world. Principal marks and distillings: Buffalo Traces, Four Pinks, Heaven Hill, Jim Beam, Maker' S Mark

Tennessee (Jack Daniel' S)

Japan

Canada

The Canadian whiskeys suffer from a a little fuzzy image, with a sizeable production, but without great wines with the marked originality. Their qualities are good but they are seldom quoted in the meetings of experts. Among the Canadian houses of whiskeys one finds:

Segram' S,
Breton Glen (Only individual Canadian malt),
Canadian Club,
Royal Crown,
Wiser' S.

France

Belgium

As Corsica Belgium has a distilling recently.

The Owl Distillery , in the past PUR.E Distilling , located at Grace-Hollogne, the first distillation of whiskey took place on October 17th, 2004. However, the fruit of this Distillation ( The Belgian Owl ) will not be able to be concretely called whiskey before the year 2008, due to the withdrawal periods 3 years minimum.

Tasting

The whiskey is only consumed, for the cocktails use the blends . To fully appreciate the taste of a good whiskey, one generally disadvises adding ice floes to it. Indeed, those while melting denature the flavors. Moreover, the cold anesthesia taste buds. It on the other hand possible, is even recommended in certain cases, to lengthen its whiskey with a little water (just some drops). The ideal would be the spring water of distilling, but this one being seldom accessible to the consumer, a simple mineral water or of neutral source, and for the rigor the tap water (provided that it does not have taste) are appropriate completely. The experts affirm that this addition makes it possible to release the flavors. The quantity of water to be added depends on the whiskey: some must be tasted with the more high degree of comfort (approximately alcohol 43%), others can be lengthened up to 30 degrees. The first are the fatty and flexible whiskeys, buses generally into digestive, obtained by the distillations slow and aged in barrels having contained a wine. The others are the out-of-date whiskeys smoked in new wood. All the intermediaries are possible with the assemblies which one finds on the market. Oneself thus should be determined the quantity of optimal water while adding some gradually. The optimal mixture is obtained when the specific aromatic expression of the tasted whiskey is maximum at the time of a mouthful, knowing that the size of the mouthful depends on the degree of alcohol (the mouthfuls of a less alcoholic whiskey can be more important without giving rise to burn), and that water modifies the aromatic hierarchy and acidity. Although traditional whiskey glass (the " old fashion") maybe of cylindrical form, the experts rather recommend glasses to whiskey in the shape of tulip.

Principal qualities of a whiskey (alcoholic force, fruity, wooded or dug peat character and age) can be given by its only nose (the olfactive pallet, tasting is called besides in English nosing ).

The flavors of the whiskey can be classified in two categories:

those coming from the development process;

cereals,
fruity,
dug peat, smoked, marine;

those coming from ageing;

timbered, spiced.

Tasting generally breaks up into three phases:

the nose is a first approach of the various flavors;
the mouth ;

the attack in mouth makes it possible to distinguish the whiskeys fatty from the dry and to compare fundamental savors with the olfactive approach,
the medium of mouth is the occasion to detail qualities of the whiskey. If they are reinforced, it is known as linear; if they evolve/move, it is described as complex;

the final makes it possible to appreciate the length of the whiskey, and the return of nose. Once finished glass, to appreciate the flavors of the dry extracts which can still reveal other richnesses.

The principal cocktails containing whiskey are:

the Manhattan : whiskey, bourbon, vermouth, will angostura
the irish coffee : Irish whiskey, hot coffee, sugar, creams fraiche
the whiskey sour : whiskey, bourbon, lemon, orange

Culture of the whiskey

Cinema

a great classic of the British cinema of humor Whiskey with gogo ( Galore Whiskey! ) of Alexander Mackendrick (1949) milked of a drama related to the whiskey: in 1943 on the Scottish small island of Todday, the whiskey comes to miss and the population is in despair, of young people with oldest.
Whiskey is an Uruguyan film of 2004.
Summer holidays of Jean Girault with Louis de Funès ends in a memorable meeting in a Scottish whiskey distilling.
Lost in Translation is a film of Sofia Coppola which deals with American actor making of publicity for a Japanese whiskey

Anecdotes

The Irishmen say that their triple distillation makes it possible to collect only the best, most subtle of their whiskey. The Scot rétorquent that the Irishmen need three distillations, having missed the first.

For the anecdote, one tells that the Rhume is cured in Scotland in the following way: one needs a whiskey bottle, glass and a bowler hat. It is necessary to extend on a bed, to put on the bowler hat on its feet, to serve glass and drinking, before making use another of it. When one starts to see two hats, the cure is in right track. A similar method also exists in France, but requires a bottle of Rhum, and the cold is cured that when three hats are seen: it is called the method of the three hats .

The word " whiskey" can bring back more than 100 points to the play of the French-speaking Scrabble, in particular if it is placed on a box " count triple" located at the edges of the plays, the letters " w" , " k" and " y" cash each one 10 points.

Quotations

There are in Scotland two things that a Scot likes to see naked; the whiskey is one Kenneth White.
To in no case do not reduce the barley in the whiskey. It takes him years to become ripe, it is a product of priceless export in dollars, characteristic of the British domination Winston Churchill .
The whiskey is the cognac of the idiot Pierre Desproges.
If the Irishmen practice triples it distillation, it is because the two first are missed Scottish joke.
For a Scot, the whiskey is as inoffensive as milk for the remainder of humanity Mark Twain.

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