What Is Whisk(e)y?

Whisky (or whiskey) is the name for a broad category of alcoholic beverages that are distilled from grains and are subsequently aged in oak casks. The grains used to make various types of whisky include barley, malted barley, rye, malted rye, wheat, and maize/corn.

What Is Whisk(e)y?

In most grain growing areas a whisky or whisky-like product is produced. They differ in alcoholic content, base product and quality.

Scotch whiskies are generally distilled twice and must be aged in Scotland for at least three years in oak casks.

Irish whiskeys are generally distilled three times and must be aged for three years in oak casks.

American Straight whiskeys must be made using a mash bill that consists of at least 51% (and no more than 79%) of a single grain. Bourbon is made from at least 51% corn; straight rye is made from at least 51% rye, etc. American whiskies must be aged in new barrels made of American white oak that are charred before use.

The term Malt whisky is reserved for a whisky made from 100% malted barley; malt whisky is distilled using an onion-shaped pot still; malt whisky from one distillery is called single malt whisky to distinguish it from blended whiskies.

Grain whisky differs from malt in that it is usually made from corn/maize or other grains rather than malted barley, and distilled in continuous distillation process stills known as Coffey stills instead of the pot still used for quality whisky.

Pure pot still whiskey is a name given to Irish whiskey made from a combination of malted and unmalted barley and distilled in a pot still.

Blended whisky is the term used when whiskies of different types are mixed together. The mix is usually between malt and grain whiskies. When malt whiskies are mixed together the term vatted malt is often used.