Still stupidly unable to distinguish between whiskey and brandy? Although whisky and brandy are distilled spirits, they are both different in ingredients, colour and taste.
1. Raw material difference
All the spirits obtained by fermentation and distillation using fruit as raw materials can be called brandy; fruits contain a lot of fructose, yeast is added, and alcohol is obtained after fermentation, such as pear wine, cider, cherry wine, wine and so on. These fruits used to make wine are very different from our daily consumption, usually the fruit is relatively small, the juice content is very high, the sugar content is high and the acidity is also high, so that the fruit is suitable for winemaking, and can make more aromatic substances retained in the liquor.
Not all brandies need to be aged in oak barrels; the vast majority of brandies are not aged in oak barrels and are drunk at a very young age, while French cognacs have clear rules that only brandy aged in designated oak barrels for at least two years can be called cognac.
All whiskies are spirits obtained by fermentation and distillation using grains as raw materials; the classification of whiskies is mainly based on raw materials, storage time, aged oak barrels, alcohol content, and national origin. The grains used to make whisky are basically barley, wheat, rye, oats, corn, etc., and different countries and regions have their own unique laws and regulations to restrict. According to the storage time of whisky in oak barrels, she can be divided into varieties of different years of years to decades, etc. All Scotch whiskies have a requirement, which needs to be aged in oak barrels for not less than 3 years. According to the alcohol content, whiskey can be divided into whisky with different alcohol levels such as 40-70 degrees.
Whisky's unique brewing process: unlike fruit, if a grain wants to ferment winemaking, it must first convert the starch into sugar, and then add yeast to ferment, which is more than a process of fruit; secondly, where grain is used to make wine, water source is the first element to consider, because in the process of winemaking, water is an essential raw material. For example, if barley is used to make wine, it must be soaked in water to make it germinate, and then prevent over-sprouting, loss of sugar, and drying it. In Scotland, many wineries will choose the local peat as fuel to dry malt and stop germination, which also gives later whiskies a unique peat flavor.
According to the characteristics of brandy and whisky listed above, it is not difficult to find that the most fundamental difference is that the raw materials for brewing are different, brandy uses fruit, while whisky uses grains.
2. Old age
The age rating of brandy is different, and it is generally used to represent the age level of VS, VSOP, and XO. But whiskies are aged or distilled.
3, color difference
Brandy is golden and transparent in color and mellow. Whisky, in the process of aging, the color of the wine also changes from the original colorless transparent to light or dark amber.
4. Aroma and taste
Brandy is fruity with some floral notes, a softer taste, and usually smells of sweet fruit, as well as cream cakes and chocolate. Whisky smells more exciting and powerful, most notably its malt aroma, which is more complex, floral, nutty, smoky, formalin, all of which can be smelled in whisky.
5, drinking method difference
Whisky is more suitable for pure drinking or adding water and ice, when drinking is to add a little ice cubes and soda water, reduce its irritation. Brandy is suitable for pure drinking, do not add ice cubes, but cover the cup with your hands and heat it with residual temperature to let its aroma slowly emanate.