BRANDY

Brandy is a spirit made by fermenting and distilling fruits. When made from fruits other than grapes the word brandy is linked with the name of the fruit. When the label reads brandy alone without any qualifying description it should be understood that it is made from grape wine. Brandy in fact has been characterized as then soul of wine. The word Brandy has originated from The Dutch word “Brandewijn” and Germans termed it as "Branttwein" meaning burnt wine when eventually got shortened to Brandy. 

Brandy generally contains 35%–60% alcohol by volume and is typically taken as an after-dinner drink.  Brandy can also be made from fermented fruit (other than grapes) and from pomace ( Pomace is the pulpy residue remaining after the fruit has been crushed in order to extract its juice).

Pomace

The spirit distilled from any other fruit other than grapes are fruit brandies and must be named after the fruit combined with the name ‘brandy’; e.g. Cherry Brandy, Peach Brandy, Apricot Brandy. These fruit brandies are classified as eaux-de-vie (water of life) and also known as alcools blanc (Alcohol white).

ORIGIN

Distillation of wine started in the 16th century. Probably at La Rochelle, a river port (river Charente) on the western coast of France. Back in the seventeenth century, the merchants began to distill wine before setting sail to preserve the quality over a long journey by sea and transport more of it at one time. it seems the process evolved somewhat by accident like penicillin, Carvel ice cream, champagne, and other wonders. It was a means to save space in the ship's hold. 

How Brandy is made:

•Brandies are easy to manufacture. A fermented liquid is boiled  at a temperature between the boiling point of ethyl alcohol and  the boiling point of water.

•Because alcohol has a lower boiling point (172°F, 78°C) than  water (212'F, 100°C), it can be boiled off while the water  portion of the wine remains in the still.

•The resulting vapors are collected and cooled.

•The cooled vapors contain most of the alcohol from the original  liquid along with some of its water.

•To drive out more of the water, always  saving the alcohol, the distillation process  can be repeated several times depending  on the alcohol content desired.

•  This process is used to produce  both fine and mass-produced   brandy, though the final products  are dramatically different.

•Heating a liquid to separate components with different boiling points is called heat distillation.

•While brandies are usually made from wine or other fermented  fruit juices, it can be distilled from any liquid that contains sugar.

•The low-boiling point liquids distilled from wine include almost all  of the alcohol, a small amount of water, and many of the wine's  organic chemicals.

•It are these chemicals that give brandy its taste and aroma.

The following steps are used in Cognac Manufacturing:

PRODUCTION OF COGNAC

 

Grapes pressed twice; pips & stalks are not crushed (for less tannin)

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The wine produced is fruity, thin, harsh, slightly acid and unpleasant (8% to 10% al v/v)

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Fermentation takes up to 10 days

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Passed through settling bins (Racking)

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Distilled in alembic = 30% al v/v (‘brouillis”)

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Distilled again in alembic = 70% al v/v (la bonne  chauffe)

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Aged in Limousine oak (rich in tannin)

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= amber tone, delicate and mellow with

a natural bouquet of grapes

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Coupage (Blending)

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Dilution with distilled water

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Colour adjustment with caramel

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Packaging

 

Almost every country has its own national brandy, many of which are not made from wine:

 

Grappa in Italy is made from grape skins

 Slivovitz in Poland is made from plums

 Shochu in Japan is made from rice

 

It is universally acknowledged that The finest brandies are the French cognacs that are distilled from wine.

Regardless of where brandy was originally distilled France was the first country to produce brandy for widespread commercial use. Brandy is made all over France, but the country is noted for two examples.

 COGNAC – Cognac is the most renowned brandy of the world 

ARMAGNAC – Armagnac is the oldest brandy of the world To this date, they remain the benchmark of all brandies no matter where they are produced.

Cognac is defined as the brandy produced from the Charente and Charente Maritime department of West Central France comprising roughly an areas of 2,50,000 acres enclosing the city of Cognac squarely in between which lends its name to the brandy produced in the region. So from the above-mentioned definition it can very well be understood that all Cognacs are brandy but not all brandies are Cognac.

THE GROWING AREAS OF COGNAC 

The growing areas of the Cognac region is subdivided into six zones based mainly on oil and climatic factors. They are as follows: 

Grand Champagne – (Large meadow) Covers around 14% of the entire Cognac district 

Petit Champagne – (Small Meadow) Covers around 14.7% of the entire Cognac district. Jarnac is the best-known city. 

Borderies (Edges) -Considered as equal to Petit Champagne in quality and covers around 4.7% of the entire Cognac region. Burie is the most important city in the area. The best firms generally use the grape grown in these regions. Sometimes the grape grown in Fins Bois region is also used. 

Fins Bois - (Fine woods) Constitutes 35.5% of the area 

Bons Bois – (Ordinary woods and Earth woods) Constitutes 6% of the area. The word Champagne has got nothing to do with the celebrated sparkling wine of France. It has originated from the word. Champ which means field. 

Bois Ordinairies-Part of this area is a coastal area and the soil is sandy. It produces harsh Cognac suitable for a cheap blend.

GRAPES 

Eight different varieties of grapes are allowed by the Law to be used for the manufacture of Cognac. Only three varieties are in cultivation They are Saint Emilion:- This is a thick-skinned, sturdy grape which produces a rather sour tasting wine. 

Now some of the total yields for Cognac is this grape. 

St Emilion(Ugni blanc)-It is the best grape that gives a good yield. 

Folle Blanche - Very thin-skinned grape, prone to many diseases, and yields a very high acid wine. 

Colombard - It is sensitive to oidium and needs heavy sulfuring. It also produces a very harsh wine with high alcohol content.

TYPES OF COGNAC

 

· Grand Champagne – It is the cognac produced entirely from brandies, made from the grapes grown in Grande Champagne region.

 

· Petite Champagne – Made entirely from brandies produced from grapes grown in the Petite Champagne region.

 

· Fine Champagne – It is the blend of brandies produced from grapes grown in Grande Champagne (minimum 50%) and Petit Champagne areas.

GRADATION OF COGNAC

 

Ø  The Alphabet System

 

Ø  The Star System

 

Ø  Some Legal Terms

 

v ALPHABET SYSTEM

 

·       C - cognac

·       E - especial

·       F - fine

·       V - very

·       S - superior

·       P - pale

·       O - old

·       X - extra

 

ALPHABET & STAR SYSTEM

 

·  Cognac laws are governed by ‘The Bureau National Inter professionnel Du Cognac’.

 

·       VS or *** - Very Special demand a minimum age of 3 years.

 

·       Reserve / VO / VSOP - Youngest brandy in the blend to be at least 4 ½ years.

 

·       Extra/ Napoleon - Youngest brandy in the blend to be 6 years.

 

Cognac Label:

ARMAGNAC 

Armagnac Known as the “Brandy of Musketeers” Armagnac is produced from the Department of Gers , which is situated 113 kms to the southeast of Bordeaux. This delimited area is present in the heart of southwestern France, a part of which was once the ancient province of Gascony. History Armagnac is probably the oldest known wine spirit in the world but the art of distillation was introduced by the Arabs between 1411 and 1441. In the department of France known as the Landes, they produced an agua ardente, or firewater, which was used initially as a therapeutic cure

The most commonly used grapes for the production of Armagnac are: 

1. Folle Blanche- also called as the Picquepoult 

2. Baco A22- Originated from a cross between Folle Blanche and Noah variety. 

3. Colombard- Some growers prefer this grape variety. 

These grapes are grown in three sub-regions. They are:

 1. Bas Armagnac 

2. Haut Armagnac 

3. Tenareze 

Only Bas Armagnac and Tenarez produce quality brandy.

The white wines which are distilled to make the brand come from completely natural fermentation and no additives are added. Normally the grapes are fermented and distilled within eight weeks of harvest.

Production of Armagnac

 Winemaking: The main grape varieties used in the production of Armagnac are Saint-Émilion (Ugni Blanc), Folle Blanche, Colombard, and Baco Blanc (Baco A22) The ‘must’ of approved grapes is allowed to ferment naturally without the addition of yeast for 7-10 days which result in dry and high acidic wine with a low alcoholic content of 8-10 percent 

Distillation: It is distilled in ‘continuous still’. Now, Armagnac is permitted to use Cognac Pot still          ( Charente) 

Aging and Blending: The young Armagnac is matured in ‘Monlezun’ oak casks. The addition of caramel or sugar is not permitted in Armagnac production. 

Bottling: Most Armagnac is sold in a flat bottle called in French as basquaise ( In English referred to as Flagon shaped bottles)

Difference between Cognac and Armagnac: 

1. Cognac undergoes two separate distillations in pot stills whereas Armagnac is produced by a single distillation in the alembic armagnacais which is a unique version of the patent still. 

2. Cognac comes out of the still at a maximum alcoholic strength of 72 degrees GL whereas Armagnac comes out of the still between 52 to 55 degrees GL. 

3. Cognac is matured in wooden casks made from the limousine oak or troncais oak whereas Armagnac is aged in wooden casks made from the Black veined oak of Gascony or Monlezun oak. 

4. The minimum legal period of aging in the case of Cognac is 2 years whereas Armagnac remains in the cask for a minimum period of 12 years.

5. Caramel addition is permitted in Cognac, but not in Armagnac.

Special Note on Aging:

Effective from 1 April 2018, it means that 10 years is now the minimum age of the youngest eau-de-vie in an Armagnac blend marked XO.

Producers with XO Armagnac with a stated minimum of six years will be allowed to be sold until stocks last, however, any XO bottle from 1 April must follow the new age guidelines.

Further reading suggested: 

https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2018/04/armagnac-xo-age-requirement-increased-to-10-years/

SERVICE – 

Brandy is generally served in a brandy balloon or a brandy snifter. V.S.O.P and above Cognacs are generally served as after-dinner digestives like a liqueur. Hence these Cognacs which are served as liqueur are called liqueur brandy but brandy liqueur is a liqueur with brandy as the base. Lesser categories of Cognacs can be served as High ball with soda and ice. 

The best way to serve Cognac is to serve it as a liqueur after dinner. 

Note: Fine Maison is a cheap quality brandy which is generally served as a house brandy when the order is given by the guest without specifying the brand.

Bartender's views on Brandy and it's service (Video)

Brand Names: 

Cognac                                                                                       Armagnac

Remy Martin                                                                                Chabot

Courvoisier                                                                                  Camus

Martell                                                                                         Mattiac 

Hennessey                                                                                   Ryst

Hine                                                                                            Larresingle  

Louis XIII ( Produced by Remy Martin)

FRUIT BRANDY 

What are fruit Brandies? Perhaps the most intriguing of all brandies are the ones which are produced from fruits other than that of grapes. These are generally colorless and often referred to as alcohol blanc or white alcohol. they are the true Eaux de vie. Apple brandies are the only major exceptions. 

How the fruit brandies are made: There is no single method of production of fruit brandies. Different producers have their own method of production of fruit brandies and different recipes. But it is safe to say that around 25 pounds of fruits are required to produce one bottle of fruit brandy. Each step in the production process is designed to heighten the bouquet. 

Except in case of berries all other fruits are mashed and then fermented to make a kind of wine. Double distillation takes place when a patent is still is used. Berries which lack sufficient amount of sugar for proper fermentation and soaked in neutral spirit till all flavor is extracted from the berries into the alcohol. then the infusion is distilled once even when a pot still is used. Regardless of the method of production, the fruit brandies run of the still at a fairly slow alcoholic strength. 

Unlike other brandies fruit brandies are never aged in wooden casks. wood imparts color and a distracting taste. glass or glass-lined containers have been traditionally used for aging but stainless steel tanks are now increasingly used. in any case fruit brandies are not usually aged long before bottling.

Examples of Fruit Brandies 

Houx – Made from Holly berries in France. 

Kirsch – made from wild cherries in France. It is the most popular fruit Eaux de vie. In Germany and Switzerland the same is known as Kirschwasser. 

Poire Williams– Made from William pear. Occasionally one sees a bottle of Poire containing a whole pear inside. 

Framboise – Made from Raspberries. In Germany and parts of Switzerland, this is known as Himbeergeist. 

Mirabelle – Made from Yellow plums in France.

Quetsch – Made from Blue plums in France, Germany, and Switzerland. 

Slivovitz – Made from blue Sljiva plums in Yugoslavia and other East European countries. 

Barack Palinka – Made from Apricot in Austria and Hungary. 

How to drink fruit brandies – Fruit brandies should be served chilled in tulip-shaped glasses.

Whisky/Whiskey

Whisky vs Whiskey 

Whisky (no E) refers to a product from Scotland or Canada.

Whiskey (with E) refers to a product from Ireland or the USA.

The word “whiskey” is an anglicized version of the Gaelic words “uisce beatha,” which means “water of life.”

              

Introduction

Whisky is a spirit distilled from grain by pot still or patent still method. The grain used may be Barley, Maize, Rye, Wheat, or the mixture of grains in varying proportions, according to the regulations which monitor the grain and its proportion and various processes in whisky-making. The mixture may contain Malted grain or Unmalted grain, or both. The distilled drink is then aged in wooden barrels, especially those made of Oak. These barrels may be new or used and charred or uncharred on the inside, depending on the style of whisky being produced.

Whisky Production

The raw materials required for the production of Malt Whisky are barley, water, and yeast. The production process can be broken down into the following major stages.

1} Malting: -

The barley is first screened to remove any foreign matter and then soak for 2-4 days in tank water know as ‘Steeps’. After this, it is spread out on a concrete floor know as the

Malting floor and allow to germinate. Germination will take 8-12 days, during this process the barley releases the enzymes.

This converts the starch in the barley soluble, thus preparing it for conservation of sugar. The rate of germination and temperature is controlled by turning out barley at a regular interval, the malted barley or green malt stops germination by passing hot air through them in cylindrical boxes or drum known as ‘Saladin’. 

At the same time peat (a soft, carbon-rich substance formed when plant matter decomposes in water) smoke is passed through malt in order to get a peaty flavor. This is Malting.

Peat

2} Mashing: -

The dry malt is grounded in a mill and this is called ‘Grist’, is mixed with hot water in large circular vessels called ‘Mashtun’. The soluble starch is thus converted into sugary liquid know as ‘Wort’. This is drawn off the Mashtun and the solid remaining are removed for use as fodder (cattle food). This is Mashing.

3} Fermentation: -

After cooling, the Wort is passed into large vessels holding anything from 9000-45000 liters of liquid where it is fermented by the addition of yeast. The living yeast attacks the sugar in the wort and converts it into crude alcohol. Fermentation takes about 48 hrs and produces liquid know as ‘Wash’ containing alcohol of low strength, some unfermentable matter, and a certain byproduct of fermentation.

4} Distillation: -

Malt Whisky is distilled twice in large copper Pot Still. Liquid Wash is heated to a point at which alcohol becomes vapor or evaporates. This rises up the still and is passed into the cooling plant where it is condensed into a liquid state. The cooling plant frequently takes the form of a coiled copper tube or ‘Worm’ is kept in continuously running cold water.

5} Maturation

While maturing, the whisky becomes smoother, gains flavor, and draws its golden color from the cask. A proportion of the higher alcohols turn into esters* and other complex compounds that subtly enhance each whisky's distinctive characteristics. Maturing is done in Oak barrels. ( American and European oak are the most common types of wood to be used for casks as they are porous yet strong. Whisky can be aged for up to and above 50 years, so casks need to be reliable. 

These casks are usually used to mature liquids such as Bourbon or Sherry before they are used to mature Whisky and some of the flavors from these can be detected in the final product.)

*Most of the aromas found in spirits that one might characterize as fruity or floral are formed by a process called esterification. Esters are chemical compounds normally formed from the combination of an alcohol and an acid.

Please read the label, it specifies that the whisky is matured in a Sherry cask

All countries have their own laws for maturation. For e.g., by law, all Scotch whisky must be matured for at least 3 years, but most single malts lie in the wood for 8, 10, 12, 15 years or longer.

6} Blending

A blended whiskey (or blended whisky) is the product of blending different types of whiskeys and sometimes also neutral grain spirits. It is generally the product of mixing one or more higher-quality straight or single malt whiskey with less expensive spirits and other ingredients.

Finally, the bottling of the whisky is done.

SCOTCH WHISKY

MEANING OF SCOTCH

By law Scotch whisky means whisky which has been:

•   Distilled at a distillery in Scotland from malted barley to which whole grains or other cereals may be added.

•   Distilled at an alcohol strength less than 94.8% by volume so that the distillate has an aroma and flavor of the raw materials.

•   Matured in an excise warehouse in Scotland in oak casks of a capacity not more than 700 liters for a period of not less than three years.

Bottled at minimum alcohol of 40% by volume.

The quality and flavor of scotch are greatly influenced by the type of cereal used, malting process, peat drying process, the quality of water, the air, the climate, the distilling method, and the skill of the distiller and blender. Many countries try to imitate scotch but are not able to succeed. This is primarily attributed to climate, peat, and very fine quality of water.

REGIONS OF WHISKY PRODUCTION IN SCOTLAND

•  HIGHLAND – the majority of Scotch Whisky distilleries are classed as highland.

•  SPEYSIDE – the area produces some of the finest malts in Scotland, this is due to outstanding natural resources found in and around the area.

• LOWLANDS – these are the lightest in style and make excellent blending bases.

•  ISLAY – the distilleries off the west coast produce some of the most fully flavored and peaty malts often with hints of iodine and tar. This reputedly comes from the local peat created from marine vegetable matter.

• CAMPBELLTOWN – probably home to the first distillers in Scotland, however, only two remain and produce smoky whiskies.

• ISLAND – this includes all other islands scattered around the coast of Scotland. They taste salty or have a sea-weed flavor.

TYPES OF SCOTCH

MALT WHISKY

Malt whisky is made from malted barley and then double distilled in a pot still.

( The production process explained above is for Malt whisky)

Brand Names  

Glenfiddich

Glenlivet

Glen Grant

Glenmorangie

Cardhu

Cragganmore

Macallan

The Balvenie

GRAIN WHISHKY

Grain Whisky is made chiefly from corn or wheat with a small percentage of barley and barley malt and distilled in a patent still.

PRODUCTION ( Please note the difference in the production process as compared to Malt whisky)

•   Made from mash consisting of wheat or maize and a small quantity of malted barley.

•   The un-malted cereals are milled and then steam cooked to release the starch.

•   This solution is placed in the mash tun and the malted barley is added with hot water.

•   The mixture is mashed and brewed to get wort.

•   Wort is then cooled and then fermented with yeast, creating an alcoholic wash.

•   This alcoholic wash is then distilled in a patent still, hence producing lighter and milder spirits.

•   It is then aged for a minimum period of three years.

•   Grain whisky matures more rapidly compared to malt whisky as it is light-bodied.

•   The Majority of the grain whisky is used for making blended scotch whisky.

Grain whisky brand names:

Arbikie

Caledonian

Carsebridge

Haig Club

Loch Lomond

North of Scotland

Port Dundas

BLENDED WHISKY

•   A mix of malt and grain whiskies. Most scotch sold in the market is blended scotch.

•   Proportion of malt to grain whisky is between 20 and 40 %.

•   The cheaper blend will have more percentage of grain whisky.

•   The blender must maintain the flavor consistency of the blended whisky.

Brand Names

The Antiquary

Ballantine's

Bell's

Black & White

Buchanan's

Chivas Regal

Cutty Sark

Dewar's

The Famous Grouse

IRISH WHISKEY

•   It is distilled in Ireland from a wash of malted and un-malted barley with some grain.

•   The germination of the grains is stopped by heating grains in a kiln by hot air produced by anthracite coal.

•   This is thrice distilled in a pot still and matured for a period of five years.

•   However, nowadays produced by patent still.

The traditional Irish Whiskey is unblended. Standard Irish whiskey is a blend of malt and grain whiskeys.

Types of Irish Whiskey

• Pure Pot Still Whiskey: It is traditionally made from a mixture of malted and unmalted barley, distilled in a pot still
• It is distilled in a pot still from 110% malted barley

Brands of Irish Whiskey:

•  Blends:             Jameson, Bushmills original, Paddy
•  Pure Pot Still:   Green Pot, Redbreast, Jameson 15-yr-old
•  Single Malt:         Bushmills, The Irishman Single Malt 
•  Single Grain:       Bushmills

USA Whiskey

The Americans spell "Whisky" as "WHISKEY"

All American Whiskies are made from cereal (generally, a mixture of various grains of cereals), distilled mostly in a patent still at no more than 90% and aged in oak barrels (except for corn whiskey which may not be aged) and bottled at not less than 40 % alcohol v/v.

Types of US Whiskeys:

Bourbon: 

It is named after the county Bourbon in Kentucky. It is made from alcoholic Wash of corn, rye, and malted barley and the minimum corn in the mixture should be 51%. Most Bourbon whiskeys are made from the mash of corn, rye, and malted barley in the proportion of 70%, 15%, and 15% respectively. It is distilled in a patent still and matured in charred new oak casks for a minimum period of 2 years. Most Bourbons are aged for 6 years. Any Bourbon that has spent less than 4 years must contain an age statement on the label. The charred barrels contribute a special flavor to the whiskey. Single Barrel Bourbon is a bourbon from one specifically chosen barrel.

Brands of Bourbon Whiskey:

Jim Beam ( Bourbon)
Four Roses

Old Kentucky

Old Grand-dad

Old Crow

Beechwood

Tennessee Whiskey

Tennessee Whiskey is a Sour Mash Whiskey produced from a mixture of grain consisting of a minimum of 51% Corn, distilled in Tennessee, filtered through Sugar Maple Charcoal before being matured in new charred oak barrels for a minimum period of 2 years. Maple charcoal filtration removes much of Congeners in the spirit and creates a smooth and mellow spirit. In the Sour Mash process, along with the fresh yeast, some Mash from the previous fermentation is added to the new mash for fermentation. This will impart the flavor and style of the previous fermentation.

Most Tennessee whiskeys are made from the mash of corn, rye, and malted barley in the proportion of 80%, 10%, and 10% respectively.

Brands of Tennessee Whiskeys:

Jack Daniel's

George Dickel

Pritchard's

Corn Whiskey:

It is distilled from a mash of 80% corn. It may or may not be aged. If aged, it may be aged in old or new oak casks. Aging is usually brief, for a period of 6 months.

Some brands of corn whiskey are as follows:-

Georgia Moon

Dixie Dew

Mellow Corn

Old Gristmill

Virginia Lightning

Rye Whiskey:

It is distilled from a mash consisting of at least 51% Rye and aged in charred new oak barrels for at least 2 years. It is similar to making Bourbon whiskey, except for the type of grain used. Most rye whiskeys are made from the mash of rye, corn and malted barley in the proportion of 51%, 39%, and 10% respectively.

Brands of Rye Whiskey:-

Jim Beam Rye

Wild Turkey

Copper Fox

Heaven Hill Vintage

Hudson Manhattan Rye

Canadian Whisky:

This is usually referred to as Rye whisky. Canadian whiskies were primarily made from rye, but today most Canadian whiskies are made using Corn, wheat, and other grains with a very small proportion of rye for flavoring. Canadians, whatever may be the composition of grains used, call their whisky as rye whisky. In some cases, the ratio of corn to rye will be as high as 9:1. More corn is used in the mash than the rye, yet it is called rye whisky. Each distiller keeps the proportion of grains in the mixture a secret. Canadian whisky is a blended whisky with a lighter body and delicate flavor. Canadian whisky should be aged for a minimum period of 3 years in oak barrels, not necessarily new or charred. Most distilleries use a fraction of rye with the exception of Alberta Premium whisky, which is made from 100% Rye.

Brands of Canadian Whisky:-

Alberta Premium

Canadian 83

Crown Royal

Canadian Club

Seagrams VO

Walker's special

Forty Creek

Japanese Whisky:

This is distilled from millet, corn, and rice, and both, the patent and pot still methods of distillation are employed. Japanese produce malt and blended whiskies and their single malt whiskies are as good as Scotch.

In Scotland, the distilleries produce a wide range of malts and the Scotch blenders will choose malts from different distilleries to make their blends. In Japan, a different approach is adopted. The whisky companies in Japan own both, the distilleries and the brands of blended whiskies. These companies often do not trade with their competitors. Therefore, a blended whisky in Japan will generally have malt whisky from the distilleries owned by the same company. Sometimes, it may be blended with malts imported from Scottish distilleries.

Brands of Japanese Whiskies:-

Suntory

Yamazaki

Nikka

Hibiki

Yoichi

Moonshine Whisky:-

Moonshine was originally a slang term for high-proof distilled spirits that were produced illicitly, without government authorization. Distilling beverage alcohol outside of a registered distillery still remains illegal in the United States and most countries around the world. In recent years, however, commercial products labeled as moonshine have seen a resurgence of popularity.

Moonshine is known by many nicknames in English, including mountain dew, choop, hooch, homebrew, shiney, white lightning, white liquor, white whiskey, and mash liquor. 

History says that Scottish and Irish immigrants, many who settled in the southeastern throngs of the USA, first brought moonshine to the United States in the 18th century. The spirit quickly became a mainstay of Southern culture. But just as its popularity crested, so too did the government’s interest in taxation. It was Alexander Hamilton who imposed a tax on whiskey production in 1791, making any untaxed moonshine production illegal. Whiskey drinkers avoided taxation by making and buying moonshine at night, under the cover of darkness and the light of the moon—which some suspect gave rise to its name.

Legal, regulated moonshine is far different than the illicit hooch that was so important to the Appalachian region of the United States years ago, which was harsher and potentially dangerous if the distillers didn’t’ know what they were doing. However, some producers today still use the term moonshine on the label as a reference to its past.

Unaged whiskey is clear and spirited. There are also flavored versions, and due to the spirit’s high proof, it is able to pull out a lot of aroma and flavor from any fruits, vegetables or herbs macerated in it. Unaged whiskey is also used in cocktails, where it can hold its own next to highly flavored or high proof ingredients.

Whisky Terminology

• Angel's share
  This is the name given to the alcohol that evaporates from a cask as the whisky is maturing in a warehouse. In Scotland and Ireland, this is approximately 2% of the contents of each cask each year, although this amount is higher in other countries with warmer climates.
• ABV
  The abbreviation for Alcohol By Volume – the term used to describe the percentage alcohol level in spirits.
• Cask
  
• The wooden barrel used to mature the whisky. These are traditionally made from oak. The most used types of oak are American, European or Japanese.
• Cask strength
  
• The strength of whisky as it comes from the cask. It is not diluted further before bottling and the strength can be anything between 40% and 65% ABV, depending on age. The younger a whisky is, the higher its ABV will generally be.
• Charring
  The process of burning the inside of a cask. This blackens the inside of the cask, accelerating the natural compounds in the wood to come out once the cask is filled with the spirit. The level of charring can be controlled so as to control the amount of flavor compounds that pass from the wood to the whisky during maturation.
• Chill filtration
  The process by which natural substances that make whisky go cloudy when cold or diluted with water are removed before bottling. The whisky is chilled, the natural substances coagulate, and are then removed by being passed through a series of metal meshes.

• Column still
  A large industrial still that allows for continuous, mechanised distillation. Column stills are mostly used in the production of grain whisky and are modern and cost effective. May also be called a Coffey still, continuous still or a patent still.
• Distillation
  The process of turning the mildly alcoholic wash into a highly alcoholic spirit. The wash is heated in a still and the alcohol vapors evaporate and rise up the neck of the still and travel along the lyne arm, where they are condensed to form a liquid again.

Feints

Feints is the name given to the third fraction of the distillate received from the second distillation in the Pot Still process. They form the undesirable last runnings of the distillation. As noted above, they are returned with the foreshots to the Spirit Still when it is recharged with low wines.

The term is also applied to the first and last runnings from the Patent Still. in which process they are returned to the wash for re-distillation.

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• Fermentation
  The process of turning sugar into alcohol. In whisky production, a sugary liquid called wort is put into a container called a washback, and yeast is added. This triggers the start of fermentation and after a couple of days, all the sugar has turned to alcohol and is called wash. The liquid has a strength of between 5-8% ABV.
• Floor malting
  A traditional method of producing malted barley that is only still practiced in very few distilleries. The barley is soaked in water and then laid out on a wooden floor for about a week until germination starts to take place. This is very labor-intensive as the barley has to be regularly turned by hand so as to ensure even germination.
• Foreshots 
• Foreshots is the term applied to the first fraction of the distillate received during the distillation of the low wines in the Spirit Still used in the Pot Still process of manufacture. They form the first raw runnings of this second distillation and their collection is terminated by the judgment of the Stillman. The following fraction of the distillate is the potable spirit.

  The foreshots are returned to the still, together with the feints.

• Grist
  Malted barley that has been ground up into a powder, so that it can be added to water to become mash and the natural sugars present will dissolve.
• Kiln
  The large room where malted barley is heated to stop the germination process and to remove moisture so that the barley is ready for milling. Traditionally, these were fired by peat but now most are powered by coal or oil. A number of the island distilleries still use peat to give their traditional smoky flavor characteristics.
• Lyne arm
  The part of the still where the spirit vapours are transported to be condensed back in to a liquid. This arm is normally horizontal or close to horizontal, although some distilleries have odd shapes or steeper angles for the arm and this allows some liquid spirit to travel back down into the still to be redistilled.
• Malt
  Barley grains that have been through the malting process (see Malting below).
• Malting
  The process where the starch in barley is converted to sugar, which in turn can then be turned in to alcohol during fermentation. Malting is achieved by soaking the barley grains in warm water and then allowing them to germinate, which turns the starch present in to natural sugars. This takes place in a drum or on a malting floor. The malted barley is then dried and ground up, with the resulting substance being called grist.
• Mashing
  The procedure where grist is added to warm water and the natural sugars are dissolved to form a sugary solution. This takes place in a large tank called a mash tun. The solution is then called wort and is passed to a washback tank for fermentation to take place. Any grain husks and other residue are known as graff and are collected, dried and formed into animal feed.
• Mash tun
  A large tank or vessel that is made from cast iron, stainless steel or wood, where the mashing process takes place. The mash tun is filled with a mixture of grist and warm water and the soluble sugars in the grist dissolve to form a sugary solution. This is then passed through the perforated floor of the mash tun to go to the washback tank to under go fermentation.
• Master blender
  The person working for a company or distillery that scientifically selects and then mixes whiskies of different ages or origins together to form the required final flavour profile of the whisky.
• Maturation
  The time taken for the whisky to gain the optimum amount of character from the wooden cask in which it is being stored. The whisky spirit draws natural oils and substances from the wood over time and the cask also pulls in air from the surrounding environment, as wood is a porous material.
• Milling
  The process where the dried malted barley grains are ground down into grist.
• Peat
  A layer of earth that lays below the topsoil and consists of grasses, plants, tree roots and mosses that have been compressed over thousands of years. It is a very dense substance that when dried is used as a fuel. The peat burns with a very consistent, high temperature with a thick acrid blue smoke. Used in the whisky industry to dry malted barley, with the thick smoke being absorbed into the grains and the flavour getting carried through the rest of the whisky-making process.
• Pot still
  A style of still that is the most common to be used in the production of single malt whisky. They are made of copper due to its excellent conductive qualities and is formed of the pot at the base (where the alcoholic wash is heated), the neck (where the alcohol vapors rise up) and the lyne arm/ condenser (where the vapors begin returning to the liquid form).
• Saladin box
  An old method of malting barley, named after its inventor Charles Saladin. The box is a large automated trough that has a perforated floor through which air is blown. The germination process of the barley is controlled in the Saladin box by regulating the airflow and temperature between the grains.
• Single malt
  Whisky that is made of 100% malted barley and is from just one single distillery location. They generally contain slightly different ages of whisky from numerous different casks within the distillery’s warehouse. These are then married together in a larger container to establish the required consistent flavour profile. The age stated on the bottle is the youngest age of any whisky included.
• Spirit safe
  A brass framed box with glass walls that is attached to the spirit still. It is used to analyse the spirit when it leaves the still. By law, the operator cannot come in to contact with the spirit and as a result the spirit safe is padlocked with a Customs & Excise officer keeping the key.
• Spirit still
  The second and usually smallest in a pair of stills. The ‘low wines’ from the wash still are re-distilled in the spirit still – this raises the alcohol level to between 64-69% ABV and clears the alcohol of unwanted impurities. Only the middle section of this distillate is collected for maturation. This section is called the cut.
• Vatted malt
  A whisky that consists two or more single malts that are blended together. Unlike a blended whisky, vatted malts contain no grain whisky and only single malts. These can be from the same or different distilleries and be of differing ages.
• Washback
  A large deep tub or vat in which the fermentation process takes place in a distillery. Traditionally made of wood, they are now commonly made of stainless steel.
• Wash still
  Stills normally operate in pairs and the wash still is the first and usually largest of the two. The fermented wash is heated and the alcohol vapours evaporate and are then cooled and reformed in to a liquid by a condenser. The resulting liquid has an alcohol level of 20-22% ABV and are called the low wines. These then move to the spirit still.
• Worm tub
  An older form of apparatus used for cooling alcohol vapours back to a liquid spirit. The worm tub is connected to the lyne arm of a still and is formed of a long downward spiralling copper pipe that is submerged in a wooden tub full of cold water. The tub is usually positioned outside and was traditionally filled with rain water. Under 10 distilleries in Scotland still have this system in operation. Most others use shell and tube condensers.
• Wort
  A warm and sugary solution that contains the soluble sugars from the malted barley dissolved in warm water. Wort is the liquid that goes forward to the fermentation process, where the sugars are changed to alcohol.
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