Whiskeys, Bourbans and Scotches

North American Whiskeys

North American whiskies are all-grain spirits that have been produced from a mash bill that usually mixes together corn, rye, wheat, barley and other grains in different proportions, and then generally aged for an extended period of time in wooden barrels. These barrels may be new or used, and charred or uncharred on the inside, depending on the type of whiskey being made.
Rules –
-Must be made from grain mash
-Distilled at 90% ABV (180 Proof) or less
-Reduced to no more than 62.5% (125 Proof) ABV before being aged in oak barrels
-Have aroma, taste and characteristics attributed to whiskey
-Be bottled at no less than 40% ABV (80 Proof)
-The Distillation of North American Whiskies

Types of North American whiskies
North American whiskies are classified by type of grain used, the percentage/proof of alcohol and length/manner of aging.

Bourbon – Minimum of 51% corn. Produced in the United States. Distilled at less than 80% ABV (160 proof). Aged a minimum of two years in new charred barrels. Small Batch Bourbons – Bottles from a small group of special barrels that are blended together. Single Barrel Bourbon is from a single cask.
Taste – Toffee, pralines, vanilla and dried fruit. Charred oak give a spicy oak firmness .

Bourbon we carry…
Bakers
Basil Hayden
Black Maple Hill
Blanton’s
Bookers
Evan Williams
Jefferson’s
Jim Beam
Knob Creek
Noah’s Mill
Old Crow
Old Pogue
Old Rip Van Winkle
Rowan’s Creek
Sam Houston
Wathen’s
Wild Turkey
Wild Turkey
Willett

Tennessee Whisky – Minimum of 51% corn. Produced in Tennessee. Distilled at less than 80 % ABV (160 proof). Filtered through sugar maple charcoal. Aged a minimum of two years in new charred barrels. Legally can be sold as Bourbon but the distillers are proud to call it Tennessee Whisky
Taste – Similar to Kentucky Bourbon except the finish is long, clean and very, very smooth.

Tennessee Whiskey we carry…
George Dickel
Jack Daniels
Maker’s Mark

Rye Whisky – Minimum of 51% rye grain. Distilled at less than 80 % ABV (160 proof). Aged a minimum of two years in new charred barrels. Small amount of straight Rye whiskey is marketed but usually blended with other whiskey for character and structure.
Taste – Spicy, grainy and hard-edged. Very dry. Notes of walnut, toasted grain and black pepper.

Rye we carry…
Jim Beam
Old Overholt
Wild Turkey

Blended American Whiskey – At least 20% straight whiskey with the balance being unaged neutral spirit.
Corn Whiskey – 80% corn. Distilled at less than 80 % ABV (160 proof). Aged a minimum of two years in new or used uncharred barrels.

Moonshine – Distilled from a varied mix of corn and sugar.

Canadian Whiskey – No Canadian government requirements when it comes to the percentages of grains used. Primarily corn or wheat. Aged primarily in used oak barrels. Minimum age is 3 years. Virtually all are blends of different grains of different ages.

Canadian Whiskey we carry…
Canadian Club
Canadian Mist
Crown Royal
Seagram 7
Seagram VO
Windsor

Scotch Whisky

Scotch whisky must follow five rules –
Must be distilled at a Scottish distillery from water and malted barley
Must be distilled to an alcoholic strength of less than 94.8%,
Must be matured in Scotland in oak casks for 3+ years
Must not contain added substance other than water and caramel coloring
May not be bottled at less than 40% alcohol by volume

There are 5 categories of Scotch whisky

Single Malt Scotch whisky – 100% malted barley whisky from one distillery, distilled in batches in pot stills
Blended malt (Vatted Malt) – A blend of single malt whiskies, from more than one distillery and differing ages. Uncommon.
Blended Scotch whisky – A mixture of single malt whisky and grain whisky, distilled at more than one distillery
Blended Grain Scotch whisky – Created by mixing grain whiskies from more than one distillery.
Single Grain Scotch whisky – Distilled at a single distillery from water and malted barley, with or without whole grains of other cereals. The majority goes into blended Scotch whisky

Scotch Whisky Regions

Lowland — Three distilleries remain in operation: Auchentoshan, Bladnoch, and Glenkinchie.
Speyside — The largest number of distilleries, which includes: Aberlour, Balvenie, Glenfiddich, Speyburn, The Glenlivet, The Glenrothes and The Macallan
Highland — some Highland distilleries: Aberfeldy, Balblair, Dalmore, Dalwhinnie, Glen Ord, Glenmorangie, Oban and Old Pulteney. These whiskys are generally smooth, aromatic and medium bodied.
The Islands - an unrecognized sub-region includes all of the whisky producing islands (but excludes Islay): Arran, Jura, Mull, Orkney and Skye — with their respective distilleries: Arran, Isle of Jura, Tobermory, Highland Park and Scapa, and Talisker.
Campbeltown - once home to over 30 distilleries, currently has only three distilleries operating: Glen Scotia, Glengyle and Springbank. Spicy and salt-tinged.
Islay – has eight producing distilleries: Ardbeg, Bowmore, Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain, Caol Ila, Lagavulin and Laphroaig. Kilchoman Distillery has recently begun production and started selling their whisky in September 2009. Intensely smoky and pungent with a distinctive iodine aspect that comes from the sea salt permeating the local peat that is used to dry the barley malt.

Scotch we carry…
Abelour
Balvenie
Chivas
Clan Macgregor
Cluny
Compass Box
Cragganmore
Crawfords
Cutty Sark
Dalwhinnie
Deanston
Dewar’s
Famous Grouse
Glenfiddich
Glenkindrie
Glenlivet
Glenmorangie
Highland Park
Ian Macleods
Inver House
J&B
John Barr
Johnnie Walker
Lagavulin
Laphroaig
Ledaig
Macallan
McClelland’s
Oban
Old Smuggler
Pebble Beach
Scoresby
Springbank
Talisker
Ushers
Vat 69
White Horse

Irish Whiskey

Irish whiskey is distilled primarly from barley but also contains a mash of mixed malted and unmalted grains. Most Irish whiskey is distilled three times. There are only 3 distilleries in Ireland.

New Midleton Distillery – Jamesons, Powers, Paddy, Midleton, Redbreast, and others, plus the independently sold rarity Green Spot
Old Bushmills Distillery – All Old Bushmills, Black Bush, 1608, Bushmills 10-, 12- and 16- and 21-year-old single malts
Cooley Distillery – Connemara, some Knappogues, (the ’94 was by Bushmills) Michael Collins, Tyrconnell, and others

Irish Whiskey we carry…
Bushmills
Kilbeggan
Tullamore
Tyrconnell

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