Whisky (whisky) is a spirit fermented and distilled from grains such as barley, wheat, rye or corn, which is produced all over the world and is very popular. However, friends who often drink whisky will find that there are many classifications of Scotch whisky, bourbon, Japanese whisky, etc. on the market, as well as grain whisky, malt whisky and blended whisky, etc. People who do not understand it will be dizzy like the monk who is confused. So, how exactly is whisky classified?
By region: Scotland, Ireland, USA, Japan, Canada
As one of the world's most popular spirits, whisky is produced all over the world. Among them, the most recognized are Scotch whisky, as well as Irish whisky, American whisky, Japanese whisky and Canadian whisky that have risen in recent years.
(1) Scotland
Known as the "national wine of the United Kingdom", Scotch whisky is the most recognizable whisky in the world, and it has always been known for its sophistication and nobility. Scotch whiskies must not be distilled with an alcohol content of more than 94.8%, after which they must be aged in oak barrels for at least 3 years. Of course, Scotch whisky is varied because there are 5 different regions. (If Scotch whisky is labeled with a appellation, it means that all liquor is distilled in that appellation.) ）
(1) Speyside: The essence of Scotch whisky, with its complex and varied aromas and delicate and elegant smoky notes. Overall, there are two styles: the light type represented by Glenlivet and the rich-tasting type represented by Macallan.
(2) Highlands: The largest in size, but the whiskies of the Western Highlands (rounded, dry and peaty), the Northern Highlands (with a special taste of heather and spices) and the Eastern Highlands (smooth and fruity) vary in style, and there is almost no uniform style in the entire appellation.
(3) Islay: The signature flavor is peat (some without peat), which is the wildest style in Scotch whisky.
(4) Lowlands: Mainly malt whiskies with light bodies, with a weak aroma and fresh taste.
(5) Campbeltown: Mainly based on peat and sea salt, the taste is thick and rich.
(2) Ireland
Like Scotch whisky, Irish whisky has a very long history. It wasn't until the late 20th century that Irish whisky began to show signs of revival. Even so, it is still far less famous than Scotch whisky. Moreover, the production regulations for Irish whisky are not as strict as those for Scotch whisky. In contrast, Irish whisky is characterised by three distillations, a higher proportion of ungentured barley and generally no peat, and a softer overall taste than Scotch whisky, less smoky.
(3) United States
(1) Bourbon: One of the most well-known whiskies in the United States, its name is derived from the town of Bourbon in Kentucky, Kentucky. This whisky is mainly produced in Kentucky, although there is no legal requirement for this, so whiskies produced anywhere in the United States can be named as long as they meet the requirements of Bourbon. According to the regulations, bourbon must be made of more than 51% corn, and the alcohol content must not be less than 40% before final bottling, and there is basically no requirement for the ageing period. Of course, pure bourbon whiskey is more stringent, generally requiring at least 2 years of aging in oak barrels.
(2) Tennessee whisky: Although Tennessee whisky is very similar to bourbon, it is generally listed separately. The most classic Tennessee whisky is the #1 selling jack daniel in the United States, which filters the liquor with special maple charcoal before bottling, giving Tennessee whisky a smoother texture and, of course, a subtle smoky and sweet taste.
(4) Japan
In 1923, the first batch of whiskies in Japan was distilled, which can be said to be the "little brother" in the whisky world. And to some extent, Japanese whisky is modeled after "big brother" Scotch whisky. Although the history is not long, Japanese whisky is definitely a dark horse in the whisky world. It has a tradition of Scotch whisky, and it gives full play to its local characteristics, making itself a latecomer, and its popularity in some consumer markets is even higher than that of the "predecessor" Irish whisky. Most notably, in the whisky bible written by whisky master Jim Murray in 2015, Yamazaki from Japan defeated many brands, including Scotch whisky, and won the world's best whisky throne.
(5) Canada
Canadian whisky is also a rising star, producing blended whiskies here, i.e. using different grains as raw materials. Almost all base wines are made from a certain percentage of corn, and wheat is sometimes used, but the most important ingredient in more flavored whisky is rye, which is currently a typical example of Canada. It is worth mentioning that in the Whisky Bible 2016, crown royal nothern harvest rye from Canada won the championship with an absolute advantage.
Special classification: whisky vs whiskey
The whiskies we usually drink are basically imported wines, so the labels are naturally foreign languages. However, careful drinkers may find that in the English of the word "whiskey", different countries will have different ways of writing, some are whisky, some are whiskey, only an "e" difference, is there any difference?
(1) Whisky: Represented by Scotland
Whisky origins led by Scotland are accustomed to using the expression whisky, including English and Welsh whisky in the United Kingdom, and Japanese whisky modeled after Scotch whisky, as well as other countries that belong to or have belonged to the United Kingdom or are more influenced by the United Kingdom, such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India and South Africa, etc. A small number of American manufacturers will also use the word whisky in order to show their Scottish ancestry, such as maker's mark.
(2) Whiskey: represented by Ireland
Whisky origins, led by Ireland, often use the word whiskey on their labels, as do most American whiskies. It is said that the extra letter "e" is the first letter of "excellent", which is said to have been deliberately added by Ireland in the past to highlight its superiority.
For people who are easily confused, it is better to remember it like this. Among the five major major whisky-producing countries mentioned in the first point, scotland (Scotland), japan (Japan) and Canada (Canada) do not have e in their English names, so they generally use whisky without e, while ireland (Ireland) and america (The United States) have e in their English names, so whiskey with also e is customary (except for exceptions). As for other producing countries, it can be inferred mainly from the historical relationship with Britain.
By ingredient: malt whisky vs grain whisky
(1) Malt whisky
This is the most common type of whisky, referring to a type of whisky produced from sprouted barley, with Scottish malt whisky as a classic. In Scotland, there are three main factors that affect the flavor of malt whisky: (1) whether peat is used (the smoke caused by peat is either strong or light) ;(2) the shape, size, and number of distillations at the time of distillation; (3) the oak barrel used to age the whisky (the final whisky flavor even comes from oak barrels). Malt whiskies are also produced in wine-producing countries such as Ireland, the United States, Canada and Japan.
(2) Grain whisky
This is a general term for a type of whisky, in addition to barley, its raw materials can be any of the following grains, such as common wheat, corn and rye, etc., the United States and Canada mainly produce grain whisky. In recent years, with the popularity of these two national whiskies, rye whisky has also become more and more popular, for example, in the Whisky Bible, the winners of 2016 and 2017 are rye whiskies. Overall, grain whisky has a smoother, lighter texture and comes mainly from the oak barrels used in ageing. It's important to note that even grain whiskies from Scotland generally don't have a peat flavor.
Whiskey Bible 2017 Champion
Sorted by blending: single whisky vs blended whisky
(1) Single whisky
Single whisky focuses on the word "single", which refers to whisky from a single distillery, or it can be mixed with different ages of the distillery's base wine, which is generally marked with an age statement when issued, such as 10 years, which refers to the age of the youngest base wine (of course, some producers now choose not to label the age statement). The style of a single whisky is not consistent, and it often represents the overall style of a particular distillery. Combined with its raw material classification, single whisky can be divided into single malt whisky (often referred to as single wheat whisky) and single grain whisky.
Supplement: What is a single barrel of whiskey?
This is a concept that is easily confused with single whisky, single cask often means that the same batch of single barrel whisky liquor is generally all from the same oak barrel, without other oak barrel liquor blends, so even from the same manufacturer, different batches of single barrel whisky will still have a large difference in style. It is worth mentioning that this whisky often clearly indicates the barrel code and the number of bottles produced on the label.
(2) Blend whisky
Blended whiskies are based on 2 or more distilleries, and the benefit of blending is that more consistent and stable whiskies can be produced, which is more conducive to establishing a good product style and image. At present, blended whiskies account for a large proportion of Scotch whiskies. It is important to note that blended whisky is not necessarily absolutely inferior or superior to a single whisky, both in terms of quality and price. However, it is undeniable that there are many of the best and most expensive whiskies in the world for blended whiskies, and many well-known big brands are mainly producing blended whiskies. For example, the famous chivas regal was the world's first producer to produce blended whisky and bring it to market, and big names such as Johnnie walker and ballantine's were also based on blended whisky.
Combining its raw materials, blended whisky can be divided into blended malt whisky and blended cereal whisky, as well as special blended whisky from a mixture of malt whisky and grain whisky, which can not only combine the advantages of different distilleries, but more importantly combine the richness of malt whisky and the elegance of grain whisky.