Whiskey by the Senses

Much like the creation of whiskey, tasting is an art that requires participation and cooperation from all our senses. The experience varies for each individual and the taste and smell often bring up a plethora of visuals. For myself, the smell of a peaty whiskey (the highest peat rating) conjures up images of dark rich soil, moist tree bark covered in moss, a thick foggy forest after a heavy rainfall. A mildly peaty whiskey sends my mind to an old world library, with a well worn leather armchair, stacks of the great classics, and a large multi-pane window swung open to a cool Autumn day. Realistically of course, whiskey can be enjoyed inside or out, in any season, alone or with friends, yet I bet that each of you, whether your a connoisseur or a rookie drink, has their very own set of visuals that come to mind.

According to the experts, the colour of whiskey can range from almost transparent to syrupy brown. The traces you seen in your glass once this liquor has been consumed are whiskey's oiliness, and the longer they take to flow down to the bottom of the glass, the more body the whiskey has.

The first impression a whiskey leaves is referred to as “nose feel” and it is followed by several more nosings while swirling the glass, and allowing the aroma to build up. Your next step is “the sip”, since the first impression is most important be sure to coat the entire mouth with and allow it to creep into your respiratory tract. Swallowing will lead us to the finish, and it is said that a short finish is usually associated with freshness, while a very long one is synonymous with rich whiskey. The medium finish is most common and most preferred by connoisseurs. For those who choose to add water to their whiskey, this simply allows for further release of aromas and does not hurt the quality of the whiskey.

I leave you with a quote from Mark Twain: “Too much of anything is bad, but too much of good whiskey is barely enough.”

Source: Whiskey by Marc A. Hoffmann

Parragon Publishing Ltd.

Scotch vs. Whiskey

Unlike labels such as Scotch, Irish or Bourbon, whiskey is not a trademark-protected term and can therefore be used all over the world. Irish whiskey, according to law, must be produced in Ireland and matured for a minimum of three years. In order for whiskey to be called Scotch it has to be produced in Scottish distilleries and must be made from malted barley or another type of grain mashed with water. As well, it must be aged in wooden casks and at time of bottling contain at least 40% alcohol. To add a bit of flare to the mix, there's also Bourbon which some consider to be the American Whiskey, however it is by no means the only one of its kind. Oh, and last but not least, there's the Malt Whiskey, which is entirely made from malted barley, and cannot be contaminated with any other grains.

I say, a rose by any other name is still a rose but whiskey by any name is still delicious. 

Water of Life: the Facts

Whisky or Whiskey, depending on its country of origin, is a Gaelic word which translates into simply “water of life”. As with most subjects steeped in such rich history, to learn about whiskey is to do more than just read the bottle label. Therefore, based on various and sundry sources (including, dubiously, my own experience) here's a brief factorial:

• 1400s: A monk, John Cor, received orders from King James IV to acquire malt for the production of 'water of life.'

• 1500s: Henry VIII dissolved many monasteries (and hence, whiskey producers) so farmers began to illegally make whiskey from surplus barley.

• 1600s: The Scottish parliament passed the first alcohol tax in order to raise funds for King Charles I to go to war. He did.

• 1700s: Whiskey was used as currency during the American Revolution - and almost caused another one, the Whiskey Rebellion.

• 1800s: Whiskey taxes were reduced, legal distilleries emerged and “official” whisky established itself.

• 1900s: America's 'Prohibition' banned whiskey sales... then allowed them... then encouraged them.

• 2000s: Enjoy!

There is of course much more to the story, and for this we recommend the trusty Wikipedia.