An Introduction to the Wonderful World of Whiskey (or Whisky)

I’m definitely still a whiskey novice. About two years ago I began my journey to learn everything I could about whiskey. And like wine, that journey has focused on reading and research, but also drinking this delightful and delicious spirit in all of its many styles. After two years, I feel somewhat qualified to share what I have learned so far, even though I’m still a novice. Here’s my short introduction to the wonderful world of whiskey (or whisky!).

While wine is, and will always be, my first drink of choice, whiskey isn’t too far behind! And while I like a good Sangria and other wine-based cocktails, I prefer my wine on its own and poured into a wine glass straight from the bottle. The same goes for my whiskey which I enjoy straight or neat (the pure spirit, poured into a rocks glass with no other ingredients – not even ice). In both cases, this preference allows me to experience the purist expression of the drink, without any distractions.

I was initially drawn into the world of whiskey because, like wine, it is made in so many different styles which each have their own unique flavor profiles. My first introduction to whiskey was a tasting event that was held one afternoon at the Inn at Perry Cabin in St. Michaels, Maryland where Laurie and I used to visit each fall to celebrate our anniversary (it’s also the place I proposed to Laurie, in addition to being the location of the wedding scene in the classic movie The Wedding Crashers)! I found the tasting fascinating – each of the whiskies were so unique in style and flavor and hearing the histories of each was educational and great fun as well.

That experience led to further research into the world of whiskies that included self-guided whiskey courses and tastings of different kinds of whiskey. Having a friend from work who was a whiskey expert helped me greatly and provided some much-needed structure throughout my journey. Here are the key things I have learned about whiskey, distilled down (pun intended!) into a few quick points:

• Whiskey is a grain-based spirit, and along with beer, is believed to be the oldest form of spirits. Corn, rye, barley, and wheat are the traditional grains used in the production of whiskey.

• Whiskey production begins with a fermentation of water and grains (called a mash), which is then distilled (usually in a pot still) anywhere from one to three times. After distillation, the raw spirit undergoes extended aging in oak barrels. Once the aging process is completed, the raw spirit is either diluted with water to roughly 80 proof or maintained at cask strength and then bottled either unblended or blended with other whiskeys.

  
  

• The most important whiskey-producing regions around the world include Ireland, Scotland, the United States, Canada, and more recently, Japan. For some unknown reason, Ireland and the United States spell the word whiskey with an “e”, while Scotland, Canada and the rest of the world use the whisky (sans “e”) spelling of the word.

  
  

• Irish whiskey is typically made using a unique blend of malted and raw barley and has a smooth character with light and fruity flavors along with caramel and vanilla notes. American whiskey is usually made with corn, rye, or wheat and produced in three predominant styles – bourbon, Tennessee whiskey, and blended American whiskey. Flavor profiles of these whiskies vary greatly but are often slightly sweet with flavors and aromas of burnt caramel, maple, spice, and honey. Scottish whiskey is made using primarily malted barley and has flavors and aromas of spice, smoke, peat, and fruit – they are made either as blended or single-malt scotch. Canadian whiskey uses a wide range of grains, are always blended, and come off smooth with notes of vanilla, toffee, and baking spices.

  
  

I have tried Irish, Scottish, Canadian, and American whiskies in all of their forms and my favorite by far are American whiskies. The Canadian whiskies I have tried are extremely mild and somewhat uninteresting to me. Irish whiskies are nice and smooth with pleasant flavors, but also quite light and fruity (a bit too-so in my view). The smoky and peaty flavors of Scottish whiskies are definitely an acquired taste, and while I appreciate them for what they are, I still find that flavor profile a bit over-powering and off-putting at times.

Which leads us to American whiskies! Of all the different options available, my favorite by far is bourbon, followed by rye whiskey. Bourbon must be produced in the United States, be at least 51 percent corn, and be aged for at least two years in a specific type of oak barrel that has been heavily charred on the inside. It is generally viewed as being the highest quality of all the American whiskies and has an inherent sweetness and complexity in the flavor profile that includes burnt caramel, oak, vanilla, fruit, and honey. It usually has nice “heat” on the finish but is smooth and elegant as well.

I also love rye whiskey, which by law must be made with a mash consisting of at least 51 percent rye grain. It is bold and spicy in character, with peppery notes along with light smoke and subtle sweetness on the finish. In both cases (bourbon and rye whiskey), I prefer to drink them “neat”, on their own in a rocks glass without any additional ingredients or ice. Sometimes I’ll drink them chilled, but never “on the rocks” as I find that ice quickly dilutes the subtle flavors of the whiskey and eliminates the very intensity and “burn” that I seek out from these high-quality whiskies.

I encourage you to give whiskey a try if you haven’t already. It’s definitely not for everybody, but you might be as surprised as I was how much you like this unique spirit in its many forms. To that end, next week I’ll talk about some of the specific whiskeys I have tasted recently, and how this spirit is both very similar in many ways (and very different in many others) to wine.