Spirit of the Month: Whiskey

OVERVIEW

“Whiskey” or “Whisky”? Pick your poison. Occasionally, I will try to convince my whiskey aficionado friends to step outside of the box and try whiskey-based cocktails. It is an ongoing battle, but the sheer number of whiskey options allows for some bold concoctions. Whether you refer to the spirit as “whiskey” or “whisky”, the same logic applies: If it’s high-end whiskey, sip it neat, but if it’s not, then it is fair game for mixing.

Whiskey 101

Old Fashioned. Manhattan. Whiskey Sour.

In order for a spirit to be considered a whiskey, it has to be distilled from grain(s) and aged in wood barrels. The flavor of whiskey originates from the barrel itself, and the spirit should not include any additional flavoring. In regards to distillation, the “mash” is another name for the combination of grains used during the process. “Sour mash” (don’t let the name fool you, nothing actually sour here) is the process of using part of your old mash in a new batch of mash, and this is usually done in order to provide balance to the flavor of the mash. Every whiskey has its own specific requirements which will be referenced in the next section regarding whiskey types.

TYPES

As mentioned above, a spirit must be made from grains and aged in wood barrels to be considered whiskey. There are a few foundational whiskeys, each having geographic significance and different flavor profiles. Let’s quickly cover each type/variation and what it means for your cocktails.

BOURBON (AND TENNESSEE)  – Bourbon is typically sweeter than other whiskeys due to its corn mash. Speaking of corn, a whiskey can legally be called a bourbon if its mash consists of a majority of corn (i.e. greater or equal to 51% corn). Also, though Bourbon is primarily made in Kentucky, it must be made in the United States to be considered a Bourbon. Another important distinction is that the whiskey must be bottled at 80 proof or higher.

Because of Bourbon’s sweetness, it lends well to traditional whiskey cocktails such as the Whiskey Sour and Old Fashioned (though you will certainly see variations of these classics which use other whiskeys).

RYE – Similar to Bourbon, Rye whiskey has its own distinctions and regulations in order to be considered a Rye. The 51 percent rule (i.e. the mash must contain at least 51% rye) also applies here, and Rye tends to have a spicier flavor that pairs well with sweeter cocktail ingredients.

SCOTCH (MALT/GRAIN/BLENDED) – In order to be considered a Scotch, whisky must be aged in barrels for at least 3 years and consist of barley as its primary ingredient. Unlike other whiskeys, peat is added to the distillation process of Scotch, and the smoky flavor is the result. There are also a few variations of Scotch, including malt whisky (which is distilled in pot stills and made from malted barley), grain whisky (which is typically wheat-based, produced in Scotland or Ireland and typically not made from malted barley) and blended whisky (a mixture of both malt and grain). The variations can differ based on specific regions in Scotland. Similar to Rye whiskey, Scotch has become more widely used in cocktails given its unique smoky flavor.

IRISH – As you would guess, the stipulation for Irish whiskey is that it is produced (aged, distilled) in Ireland. Similar to Scotch, Irish whiskey consists of variations (single malt, blended, etc.) and must be aged in wood barrels for at least 3 years. There is a ton of flexibility when using Irish whiskey in cocktails, as it can be used in a simple cocktail (think Jameson & Ginger) or something more complex.

JAPANESE – A relatively new player in the whisky game, Japanese whisky has emerged as its own entity. If you think Japanese whisky resembles Scotch, this is no coincidence. The Japanese started adopting the same techniques used to create Scotch, and the result is that they were able to create their own unique product.

OPTIONS (CHEAP BUT GOOD)

Whiskey can be extremely cheap or incredibly expensive. Similar to other spirits, whiskey prices typically vary based on the distillation process, aging process, and availability (e.g. small batch). For less expensive options, you can always go for bourbons such as Four Roses, Evan Williams, and Maker’s Mark. A relatively cheap scotch option is Speyburn Bradan Orach Single Malt, and Tullamore D.E.W. is a solid choice for Irish whiskey.

Personal Favorites (for cocktails)

My personal favorites for cocktails:

• Buffalo Trace (absolute favorite for cocktails)
• Four Roses (another cost effective option for using in cocktails)
• Bulleit (bourbon + rye – both work well in cocktails)
• Tullamore D.E.W. (specifically XO Caribbean Rum Cask Finish due to the flavors from rum barrels).

These are just a few out of the many whiskeys that I have experimented with in cocktails. Please do not limit your cocktails to just one type of whiskey.