![]() Unlike many things in this world, however, the product matches the hype. ![]() Japanese whisky is one of the trendiest options recently, leading to scarcity and high prices. The best are made in a single pot still, and whiskey companies new and old are experimenting with different barrel aging techniques and single malting styles, so there’s always something new to try.īottles to search for: Green Spot ($57), Red Spot ($124), and Sexton ($30) 4. The brand makes solid whiskeys and has a few experimental releases, but there are lots of notable Irish whiskeys out there besides Jameson if you really want to know the style. ![]() If you know only one thing about Irish whiskey, it’s probably Jameson. The taste is generally on the lighter side though there are Irish whiskeys out there with deeper chocolate and toffee notes. To qualify as Irish whiskey, it has to be made with malted or unmalted barley and aged in Ireland in oak barrels (often old bourbon barrels) for a minimum of three years. Today, it’s also one of the fastest growing, with new distilleries opening up every year. Ireland is, by some accounts, the oldest whiskey producing country in the world. Blended Scotches that are a mix of barley and grain whiskies like Dewar’s, Chivas Regal, and The Famous Grouse are by far the best sellers in Scotch whisky.īottles to search for: GlenDronach 12 Year ($56) and Monkey Shoulder ($33) Single malts made solely with malted barley are not the most common, despite the outsized attention they get. Regardless of region, Scotch legally has to be aged in oak casks (most often old bourbon or old sherry casks) for at least three years in the country. Other regions vary in peat levels, and some traditionally produce whisky with no peat characteristic at all (especially in Speyside, which is known more for sweet and fruity whisky). The latter get a lot of attention for big, peaty single malts like Lagavulin and Laphroaig. The major Scotch-producing regions are the Highlands, Speyside, the Lowlands, the Islands, and Islay. While that’s true in some cases, it’s much more diverse than that - something that’s evident if you ever get the chance to visit Scotland’s best distilleries. Scotland’s signature spirit has a reputation as a serious drink. Photo: Rebecca Schochenmaier/Shutterstock “Still, about 95 percent of bourbon does come from Kentucky, and we do tend to believe that the best bourbon is made here in the Bluegrass State,” Potter says.īottles to search for: Maker’s Mark ($30), Coopers’ Craft ($24), and Old Overholt ($17) It’s a common misconception that bourbon has to come from Kentucky, but it’s produced around the country. “This ‘trading’ of barrels means that there is bourbon influence in your Scotch, just as there may be Scottish influence in your bourbon since many of the distilling traditions were first carried over to the States from Scotland,” Potter says. The barrels hold other liquid and impart a bit of bourbon flavor to everything they touch. “This is part of the reason that bourbon is particularly expensive to produce - once we’ve used a barrel, we can’t use it again!”Īfter bourbon makers use the barrels, they’re often sold and shipped to other whiskey, wine, and beer producers. “I think one of the biggest differences in tradition when making bourbon versus the whisky traditions from other places around the world is that bourbon, by law, requires that the liquid be stored in new oak barrels,” says Denny Potter, master distiller at Maker’s Mark. To legally be called bourbon, it must be made with 51 percent corn and aged in new barrels. But the most popular styles in America are by far bourbon and rye. Then there’s a small but growing number of distilleries making American single malts made solely with malted barley or malted wheat. There’s Tennessee whiskey, like Jack Daniel’s and Uncle Nearest, which is essentially bourbon that’s charcoal filtered. ![]() There’s no single American whiskey category.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |