(1) Scotch Whisky
Scotch whisky has been produced in Scotland for 5 years, and its products have a unique style, with a reddish brown color, clear and transparent, a burnt smell, a certain smoky smell and a strong Scottish local flavor. Scotch whisky is one of the best whiskies in the world because of its dry taste, mellow taste, full strength, roundness and softness. The main criterion for measuring scotch whisky is the sense of smell, that is, the smell of wine. Scotch whisky can be divided into three types: single malt whisky, grain whisky and mixed whisky. At present, the world's most popular, the largest output, but also the most brands is mixed whiskey. 6% of the raw material of Scotch Whisky Blend comes from grain whisky, and the rest is malt whisky. Scotch Whisky is restricted by English law: all whiskies brewed and mixed in Scotland can be called Scotch Whisky. Its technological characteristics are that the local peat is used as fuel to dry malt, then it is crushed, boiled, saccharified, fermented and distilled by a pot distiller to produce colorless whisky at about 7℃, which is then put into oak barrels with scorched inside and stored for five years or even longer. Many brands of whisky have been stored for more than ten years. Finally, after blending, the finished product with alcohol content of about 4℃ is prepared and delivered from the factory.
Scotch whisky is world-famous for the following reasons:
First, the climate and geographical conditions of the famous scotch whisky producing area are suitable for the growth of barley;
Secondly, there is a kind of coal called peat in these places, which will give off a peculiar smoky smell when burning. Peat is formed by the long-term decay and carbonization of local endemic bryophytes, which is required to be used to bake malt in the traditional process of making whisky in Scotland. Therefore, one of the characteristics of Scotch whisky is its unique aroma of peat smoke.
Thirdly, Scotland is rich in high-quality mineral water, which lays a foundation for the dilution and blending of wine. Finally, Scots have traditional brewing techniques and strict quality management methods.
There are four major whisky producing areas in Scotland, namely: Highland in the north, Lowland in the south, Kang Bei Town in the southwest and Islay in the west. There are about 1 single malt whisky wineries in the northern highland producing area, accounting for more than 7% of the total number of Scottish wineries. It is the most famous whisky producing area in Scotland. The pure malt whisky produced in this area is light and mellow.
There are about 1 single malt whisky distilleries in the southern lowlands. This area is the second famous whisky producing area in Scotland. Besides malt whisky, it also produces mixed whisky.
Kang Bei, a town in the southwest, is located in the south of Scotland, which is the production area of traditional scotch whisky.
Eli, a beautiful western island, is located in the Atlantic Ocean. Eli Island has a long history in brewing whisky. The whisky produced has a unique taste and aroma, and its mixed whisky is famous.
There are many kinds of scotch whisky, which can be divided into three categories according to different raw materials and brewing methods: single malt whisky, grain whisky and blended whisky.
1. Pule malt whisky
Distilled liquor made only from barley is called pure malt whisky. Pure malt whisky is made from barley malt roasted on peat in the open air, and distilled by a pot distiller. Generally, after two distillations, the alcohol content of the distilled liquor reaches 63.4 degrees, aged in special charcoal-burned oak barrels, and diluted with water before bottling. This wine has rich fragrance produced by peat. According to the regulations, the aging time is at least three years. Generally, wine aged for more than five years can be drunk. Wine aged for seven to eight years is finished wine, and wine aged for ten to twenty years is the best quality wine. However, the quality of wine aged for more than 2 years will decline. Single malt whisky is deeply loved by Scots, but only 1% of it is sold directly because of its strong taste, and the rest is used as the original wine when blending mixed whisky. So it is rarely exported. Famous brands are:
2. Grain Whisky
Grain Whisky uses a variety of grains as raw materials for brewing, such as oats, rye, barley, wheat and corn. Grain whisky only needs one distillation, and it is mainly produced from non-germinated barley and malt as saccharifying agent. The difference between it and other whiskies is that most barley does not germinate and ferment. Because most barley does not germinate, there is no need to use a lot of peat to bake, so the peat smell of the grain whiskey after drinking is correspondingly less, and the taste is much softer and more detailed. Grain whisky is mainly used to blend other whisky and gin, and rarely retails in the market.
3. Blended whiskey
Blended whiskey, also known as mixed whiskey, refers to the blending of single malt whiskey and mixed whiskey. Blending is a highly technical job, and the blending of whisky is mastered by the blending division. When blending, we should not only consider the proportion of single malt whisky and grain whisky, but also consider the aging age, origin, taste and other characteristics of various blended liquors.
the first step of blending is blending. When blending, technicians only smell with their noses and never taste with their mouths. When you are confused, put a little wine on the back of your hand, and then smell it carefully for identification. The second step is blending, and the blended dosage formula is confidential. According to the dosage, different varieties are injected into a mixer (or mixed by high-pressure spraying), then dye (mostly maltose) is added, and finally the mixture is aged and stored in a barrel. After blending, the smoky smell of whiskey is diluted, and the smell is more attractive, which combines strong malt and delicate grain flavor, so it sells well all over the world. According to the proportion of single malt whisky and grain whisky, the blended whisky can be divided into ordinary and advanced types according to the proportion of single malt whisky in its liquor. Generally speaking, the single malt whisky with a dosage of 5-8% is high-grade blended whisky; If cereal whisky accounts for a large proportion, it is ordinary whisky.
At present, the vast majority of whiskies sold all over the world are mixed whiskies. The common packaging capacity of scotch whisky is between 7 ml and 75 ml, and the alcohol content is about 43℃.
(2) Irish whiskey
Irish whiskey as a coffee companion has been quite familiar to people, and its unique fragrance is the main reason why people love it. Whisky has been made in Ireland for at least 7 years. Some authorities believe that whisky originated in Ireland and later spread to Scotland. Irish people have strong national independence, and even Whisky whisky is written differently from scotch whisky whisky.
The main raw materials for Irish whiskey production are barley, oats, wheat and rye, with barley accounting for about 8%. Irish whiskey is distilled for three times in a tower distiller, and then aged in barrels. Generally, the aging time is 8-15 years, so the maturity is relatively high. When bottling, it needs to be blended and diluted with water to ensure its taste inertia.
In the past, in order to avoid the high and scary wine tax, many Irish people secretly opened wine shops, so people often called Irish whiskey "Poteen Whiskey" (note: "Gun Hall" is a small mobile retort. )
Irish whisky and Scotch whisky are made in the same way, the former mostly retains the ancient brewing technology, and the malt is not dried with peat, but with anthracite. The most obvious difference between the two is that Irish whiskey has no smoky burnt flavor, and its taste is soft and long. Irish whiskey is more suitable for making mixed wine and mixing with other drinks (such as Irish coffee). The degree of Irish whisky in the international market is around 4 degrees.
(3) American whisky
The United States is one of the famous countries that produce whisky. At the same time, it is also the largest whisky consumer in the world. According to statistics, American adults drink an average of 16 bottles of whisky every year, which is unmatched by any country in the world. Although the history of whisky brewing in the United States is only over 2 years, its products keep up with the market demand and the product types are constantly being refurbished, so American whisky is very popular with people. American whiskey is famous for its high-quality water, mild wine quality and the smell of blackened oak barrels, especially Bourbon Whiskey (also known as Bourbon Whiskey) in the United States is world-famous.
There is nothing special about the brewing method of American whisky, except that the grain raw materials used are different from other kinds of whisky, and the alcohol purity of distilled liquor is also low. Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Tennessee in the western United States are the centers of whisky making. American whiskies can be divided into three categories:
1. Straight whiskey
The raw materials used are corn, rye, barley or wheat, and other whiskies or grain neutral alcohol are not mixed in the brewing process. After being made, it must be aged in charcoal-smoked oak barrels for at least two years. In addition, the so-called pure whisky is not made of only one kind of barley malt, as Scottish single malt whisky is, but is mainly made of a certain kind of grain (generally not less than 51%) and then other raw materials are added. Pure whisky can be divided into four categories:
(1) Bourbon whisky
Bourbon is the place name of a town in Kentucky, USA. The whisky produced in Bourbon in the past was affectionately called Bourbon whisky, and now it has become the general name of a category of American whisky. The raw materials of bourbon whisky are corn, barley, etc. The corn accounts for at least 51% of the raw materials and at most 75%. After fermentation and distillation, it is aged in new charcoal-fired oak barrels for four years, and the aging time cannot exceed eight years at most. Before bottling, it can be produced only after being diluted to about 43.5 degrees with distilled water. Bourbon whisky is amber, crystal clear, full-bodied, mellow, soft and long-lasting. Among them, the products produced in Kentucky are the most famous and the highest in price. In addition, it is now produced in Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Missouri, Indiana and other States.
(2) Rye whiskey
Also known as rye whiskey, it is made from no less than 51% rye and other grains. The liquor is amber, and its taste is different from bourbon, so it has a rich taste, so it is not very popular with modern people. The main brands are:
①Old Overholt Old Overholder. Founded in 181 by a? Overholder Company is a famous rye whisky produced in Pennsylvania, with rye content of 59% and no water added.
② seagram's s7crown grand crown. Full-flavored American rye whisky first introduced to the market by Schlegeland Company in 1934.
(3) corn whiskey
is whiskey brewed with no less than 8% corn and other grains, and aged in old charcoal barrels after brewing. The main brands are:
Platte Valley Pratt Worley. Produced by Marcomique Company, founded in 1856, the proportion of corn raw materials in this wine is 88%, and the alcohol content is 4 degrees, which is divided into two types: five-year aging and eight-year aging.
(4) Bottled in Bond
This is a pure whisky, usually bourbon or rye, but it is made under the supervision of the US government. The government does not guarantee its quality, only requires it to be aged for at least 4 years, and the alcohol purity is 5℃ when bottling. It must be made by a winery, and the bottling plant is also supervised by the government.
2. Blended whisky
This whisky is a mixture of more than one single whisky and 2% neutral grain alcohol. When bottled, the alcohol content is 4℃, which is commonly used as the base wine of mixed drinks. There are three types:
(1) Kentucky whisky: it is a mixture of pure whisky and neutral grain alcohol produced in this state.
(2) Pure blended whisky: it is made by mixing more than two kinds of pure whiskies, but without neutral grain alcohol.
(3) American blended light whiskey: it is a new American wine, which is made by mixing no more than 2% pure whiskey with light whiskey at 4℃.
3. Light whiskey
is a new whisky recognized by the US government. When distilled, the alcohol purity is as high as 8.5-94.5 degrees, and it is aged in old barrels. Light whisky with 5℃ pure whisky shall not exceed 2%.
In addition, there is another wine called Sour-Mash whiskey in the United States. This wine is made by adding old yeast (that is, from the previous fermentation) into the raw materials to be fermented, fermenting (the ratio of new yeast to old yeast is 1: 2), and then distilling. The wine made by this fermentation method is relatively stable, and it is mostly used in the production of Apollo local wine. It was invented by Elija Craig in 1789.
(4) Canadian Whisky
Whisky has been produced in Canada for more than 2 years, and its famous products are rye whisky and mixed whisky. Rye is the main raw material in rye whisky, accounting for more than 51%, and it is made up of barley malt and other grains. This wine can be produced only after fermentation, distillation, blending and aging in white oak barrels for at least 3 years (usually 4-6 years). The wine is delicate in taste, light and elegant in body, and the alcohol content is above 4℃, so it is especially suitable for use as the base wine of mixed wine. Visa Canada