Single Malt Whisky

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Whisky distilleries - single malt

Scottish (118)
Irish (22)
Australian (5)
Swedish (5)
Danish (2)
German (2)
New Zealand (2)
Swizz (1)

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Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Whisky regions - Scotland

These regional groups do to some extent have broad basic flavours, although there are definitely exceptions too, and regional characteristics are not nearly as clear as with wines. The equipment and production methods of the distillery, which are largely inherited from the previous generations, are more important to final flavour than geography and water.

Lowland

The Lowland region lies South of an imaginary line that runs from Dundee to Greenock. The whiskies tend to be light, dry whiskies and can taste a little spirity, on account of larger stills. Glenkinchie and Auchentoshan still produces reasonable volumes, while others such as St.Magdalene in Linlithgow and Rosebank in Falkirk have sadly been mothballed. On a positive note, Bladnoch, Scotland's most Southerly distillery is now producing again after several years of rest, thanks to Raymond Armstrong’s efforts. He has been also been producing a heavily peated spirit that has yet to be released...very un-Lowlandlike, but we look forward to trying it.

Speyside

The whiskies from Speyside are typically the sweetest of the malts, with a variety of strength from light, floral flavours to heavy, rich, sherried flavours.
Speyside has always been at the centre of whisky distilling in Scotland. Lying between Inverness and Aberdeen in the Grampian mountains, there are no less than 84 distilleries producing whisky (and 12 currently not producing). The Scotch whisky industry has been built on the illicit distillers from Speyside who turned legal after the Excise act of 1823. The list of Speyside malts is pretty overwhelming, but some of the better known names include The Macallan, Glenfiddich, Glenlivet, The Balvenie, Glenfarclas, Mortlach, Glen Moray and Aberlour.

Highland

The largest of the regions and the one that has the greatest of diversity of style. From Glengoyne just North of Glasgow and Oban in the West to Glengarioch in Aberdeen shire and Old Pulteney in Wick, not far from John O’ Groats there are coastal peaty style whiskies, unpeated whiskies, and smooth gentle whiskies. Some of the better know distilleries in addition to the ones mentioned above are Oban, Clynelish, Glen Ord, Royal Lochnagar, Dalwhinnie, Old Fettercairn and Brora. These malts range from medium to light bodied with heather and some peatiness in Northern Highland whiskies and a sweeter floral flavour in the whiskies further South.

Campbeltown

Campbeltown whiskies are medium to full bodied, with some of the peat found in the neighbouring Islay whiskies together with some saltiness. Towards the end of the Kintyre peninsula on the West Coast of Scotland lies Campbeltown. Once home to 32 whisky distilleries at its peak, and technically part of the Highland region, it is really a region in its own right. Campbeltown is the famous home of the mighty Springbank and the lesser known Glen Scotia.Springbank also produce the heavily peated Longrow and triple distilled Hazelburn as well as producing Kilkerran malt in the ancient buildings of Glengyle Distillery, which was the first new whisky distillery of the 21st Century.

Island
The whiskies in this category vary considerably, but some say they are influenced by their seaside locations, being often salty. They is a tendency towards peaty, smoky character as many peat their barley although not to the extent of their Islay cousins. The island group does not include Islay, which is treated as a region in its own right. The newest Island distillery is Arran which was built in the mid 1990’s. There is then is Jura, neighbour to the Islay malts. Moving North there is Tobermory on Mull which also distills the more heavily peated Ledaig. On Skye there is the well known Talisker, then on Orkney the two Northerly distilleries of Scapa and Highland Park.

Islay

Islay is a mecca for whisky lovers. There are 8 distilleries squeezed onto the island from the recently re-opened Bruichladdich and Ardbeg to Bowmore, Lagavulin, Bunnahabhain and Laphroaig. Caol Ila's malts were re-launched by owners Diageo in summer 2002, giving a welcome boost to the distillery. Taking their smoky flavour from the peat fuel used for malting the barley used in producing their whiskies, Islay malts are often described as being smoky and medicinal, salty and 'seaweedy'. Port Ellen distillery sadly ceased production in 1983, although some bottles of its wonderful malt are still available through independent bottlers such as Signatory, Douglas Laing & Co and a series of Annual Releases by the company that closed it.

This great description is made by royalmilewhiskies

Monday, November 26, 2007

Scottish whisky distilleries

Aberfeldy
Aberlour
Allt-a-Bhainne
An Cnoc
Ardbeg
Ardmore
Arran
Auchentoshan
Auchroisk
Aultmore
Balblair
Balmenach
The Balvenie
Banff
Ben Nevis
Benriach
Benrinnes
Benromach
Bladnoch
Blair Athol
Bowmore
Braeval
Braes of Glenlivet
Brora
Bruichladdich
Bunnahabhain
Caol Ila
Caperdonich
Cardhu (Cardow)
Clynelish
Coleburn
Convalmore
Cragganmore
Craigellachie
Dailuaine
Dallas Dhu
Dalmore
Dalwhinnie
Deanston
Dufftown
Edradour
Fettercairn
Finlaggan
Glen Albyn
Glenallachie
Glenburgie
Glencadam
Glendronach
Glendullan
Glen Elgin
Glenesk
Glenfarclas
Glenfiddich
Glen Garioch
Glenglassaugh
Glengoyne
Glen Grant
Glen Keith
Glenkinchie
Glenlivet
Glenlochy
Glenlossie
Glen Mhor
Glenmorangie
Glen Moray
Glen Ord
Glenrothes
Glen Scotia
Glen Spey
Glentauchers
Glenturret
Glenugie
Highland Park
Imperial
Inchgower
Isle of Jura
Knockando
Ladyburn
Lagavulin
Laphroaig
Linkwood
Littlemill
Loch Lomond
Lochside
Linlithgow
Longmorn
Macallan
Macduff
Mannochmore
Millburn
Miltonduff
Mortlach
North Port
Oban
Old Fettercairn
Pittyvaich
Port Ellen
Old Pulteney
Rosebank
Royal Brackla
Royal Lochnagar
Scapa
Speyburn
Speyside
Springbank
St Magdalene
Strathisla
Strathmill
Talisker
Tamdhu
Tamnavulin
Teaninich
Tobermory
Tomatin
Tomintoul
Tormore
Tullibardine

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Sunday, November 25, 2007

Tasting whisky - single malt

The Nose
Whisky tasting is done principally with the nose - a far more acute organ than the tongue, although the two interrelate as the sample is swallowed.

While there are only four primary tastes, there are 32 primary smells. These are aromatic volatiles, which are detected by a small fleshy bulb called the Olfactory Epithelium, located at the back of our noses and having a direct link to the brain.

The Tongue
As well as registering the primary tastes, the tongue also detects what is termed 'mouthfeel' - the viscosity, texture and smoothness of the fluid we are swallowing - and 'pungency' (which is essentially an evaluation of pain - from irritation to unbearable - and is also picked up by the nose). In whisky tasting, pungency is particularly apparent in very strong spirit, which may sting your nose and tongue and induce numbness (temporary anaesthesia). So you have to be careful when nosing whisky at full strength - i.e. as it comes from the cask.

Flavour
Is a combination of three factors: smell, taste and feeling.

Our noses detect scents - nuances of flavour from volatile aromatics - and pass this information direct to our brains. Our sense of the smells that surround us are recorded unconsciously, yet smells probably trigger memories more effectively than sounds or sights: they are the most evocative of experiences. With a little practice you can soon learn to break smells down and identify their constituent parts. Putting names to them is more difficult, and will be explored later in this section.

Primary tastes are registered by little sensory receptors on our tongues and palates. These are broadly arranged so that sweet flavours are picked up on the tip of the tongue, sour and salt flavours by the sides and middle and bitter flavours at the back. The time it takes to stimulate the different areas of the tongue varies, with the bitter receptors taking the longest, so it is important when tasting to hold the liquid in the mouth and to make sure it coats the tongue thoroughly.

Her you can find tasting notes for your favorite single malt - Tasting notes

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Whisky shops / whisky stores

International
Globalwhiskyshop.com

Scotland
The whisky shop
The whisky shop - Dufftown
Royal Mile Whiskies
Islay Whisky Shop

UK
The Wright Wine and Whisky Company
The Wee Dram
The whisky exchange
Cadenhead's Covent Garden Whisky Shop
Whiskys.co.uk
The Lincoln Whisky Shop
The Wine Shop
Whisky and wines @ Arkwrights
Milroy's

Ireland
CelticWhiskyShop.com

Germany
Whisky wizard
Whisky corner
The whisky store
Whisky & Geschenkideen

USA
The whisky shop USA
Sam's Wine & Spirits
Park Avenue Liquor Shop

Denmark
Cadenhead's
Singlemalt-shop
Mac Y

Australia
Single Malt Whisky Online Store

Netherland
Verhaar Whisky Galore

Czech
The Whisky Shop

Austria
Potstill

New Zealand
Whisky Shop Galore

Add your shop

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Whisky recipes - cooking, drinks and cocktails

Drinks and cocktails
1001cocktails
Drinkinghabits.com
Scotch Whisky Association

Cooking recipes
Home cooking.com
Scotch Whisky Association
Cookingwithbooze.org
Epicurean.com
Cocktailtimes.com

Books
The Whisky Kitchen - About cooking with whisky

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Whisky literature

Whisky Bible, Jim Murray
Encyclopedia of Whisky, Michael Jackson
Malt Advocate
Whisky Magazine
Make your own scotch whisky

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The Whisky Making Process

Malting
The barley must first be malted, that is germinated, to convert the starches in each grain into soluble sugars. The barley is steeped in water for 2-3 days, and then spread on the malting floor where it is turned frequently to maintain a steady temperature. After about a week, when green shoots have appeared, the germination is stopped, by drying the now green malt in a kiln. Peat, which gives a smoky character to the malt, is the traditional fuel used in the furnace for the drying process. Only a few distilleries still malt their own barley - e.g. Highland Park, Balvenie and Bowmore. Industrial maltings now provide distilleries with malted barley to their exact specification. At the distillery, the remains of the shoots and any other debris are removed in the dressing machine and the malt is ground in the mill.

Brewing
The brewing is split into two stages. The first stage is mashing. Hot water is added to the milled malt, grist, and the mixture is fed into the mash tun. Revolving paddles stir the mix for several hours. The sugars present due to malting, dissolve, and the solution called wort is drawn off through the perforated floor of the tun. This is usually done three times, increasing the temperature of the water each time. Only the wort from the first two waters is used - the last water is used as the first water for the next batch of grist. The residue, the draff, is collected and used as cattle feed.

The second stage is the fermentation. After cooling, the wort is passed into large vessels called wash backs. These are traditionally wooden (Douglas Fir, Oregon Pine or Larch) but some distilleries now use stainless steel. Yeast is added and fermentation begins, converting the sugars present into alcohol. This ceases after two days to leave a low strength, 5-10% vol. alcoholic liquid, similar to beer, called wash.

Distillation
Malt whisky is usually distilled twice, in copper pot stills, one the wash still and the other the spirit still. The wash is pumped into the larger wash still and is heated either directly (coal or gas fired) or indirectly (steam coils in the bottom of the stills). As the vapours rise up and pass over the neck of the still, they condense. This collected liquid - the low wines - is forwarded to the spirit still, where the same process takes place.

The residue known as pot ale is collected and used as cattle feed. This time the still-man monitors the spirit, using hydrometers and removes only the heart of the run. The start of the run, the foreshots, contains the higher alcohols and is too pungent. The end of the run, the feints, contains the weaker alcohols and also gathers pungency. The foreshots and feints are mixed with the next batch of low wines and are redistilled. Once all the alcohol is drawn off, the remaining liquid is basically water and is known as the spent lees.

Maturation
The new-make whisky is then filled into oak casks. The most common types of oak are American, used in the Bourbon Industry, and Spanish used for the maturation of sherry. By law the whisky must mature in casks for 3 years. During maturation the flavour of the first filled spirit re-emerges and together with the compounds in the wood enhances the aroma and flavour of the mature whisky. As each year goes by 2% of the volume is lost due to evaporation. This is the Angels' Share.

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Make your own whisky

Make your own whisky
Make your own scotch whisky
Making homemade alcohol
Perfect brewing supply

Design your own label
Onlinelabels.com

Buy casks
The whisky store
The Malt Masterclass

The Bruichladdich Distillery Academy
Make Your Own Whisky - Drink It - Pass Out

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The History of Whisky

The knowledge of distilling was discovered somewhere in Asia around 800 BC. Initially the technique was only used to make perfume, but there is evidence that the Chinese also distilled liquor from rice at this time. It is unclear exactly how the knowledge of distillation found its way to the British Isles, but we know that the craft was brought to Europe by the Moors. What most likely happened then was that the knowledge spread through Europe’s monasteries. A common theory is that it was St. Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland, who brought the art with him when he came to Ireland as a Christian Missionary in 432AD.

In any event, the knowledge at some point came to the Celts who used it to make their Uisge Beatha, which is Gaelic for ‘water of life’. We have the Celts to thank for the word ‘whisky’ at least, since ‘whisky’ can be derived from the Gaelic word ‘Uisge’.
The year 1494 is a milestone in the history of whisky; in the Exchequer Rolls of that year is recorded a purchase of ‘eight bolls of malt to Friar John Cor wherewith to make aqua vitae’. This is the first written proof of whisky production in Scotland. As with many other crafts the knowledge of distilling soon spread outside of the monasteries, and eventually the ‘water of life’ came to be produced on almost every farm in Scotland. This widespread household production was to continue until the 1820s when the Excise Act was passed and local government started to come down harder on illicit distilleries.

Whisky back in the sixteenth century tasted very different from the drink we enjoy today. At that time whisky was consumed very young and had a brutal, raw taste. The discovery that whisky improves and mellows if it is allowed to mature was not made until the mid eighteenth century. As with many other breakthroughs the discovery was made by accident; an old forgotten cask was found, and the lucky ow-ner realised that the whisky had in fact not been destroyed but instead tasted better than ever.

The Act of Union in 1707 united the parliaments of Scotland and England. The treaty was the result of political and economic factors which all indicated that a union would be mutually beneficial. The govern-ment naturally wished to expand the treaty and the turn eventually came to malt. After a violent period with many riots with deadly outcomes an equivalent to the English Malt Tax was finally applied in 1725. This was the start of an era filled with illicit distilleries, smuggling and roving Excisemen. In the beginning of the nineteenth century more than every other bottle of whisky in Scotland was illegally produced.

The following years saw a large number of tax raises, the introduction of different duties for different distilleries and other license regulations. Crime and violence was common and the administration of all the regulations eventually became unmanageable. In the 1820s the government had had enough and passed the Excise Act which made clear exactly what kind of production was legal and what was not. Another act was also passed that substantially increased the penalties for smuggling. The new acts had the desired results and illicit distilling and smuggling was greatly reduced in only a few years.

In 1831 a former Inspector General of Excise in Ireland, Aeneas Coffey, invented a twin-column version of the patent still. This improved technique in continuous distillation lowered production costs and allowed simultaneous use of malted and unmalted barley together with other kinds of corn. The Irish never liked the idea but Coffey managed to introduce it in Scotland. In just a few decades, the Irish standpoint would make them loose the dominance over the whisky industry; the Coffey Still could produce great quantities compared to the traditional stills but produced an inferior product. The solution to this problem was to blend the spirit from the Coffey Still with whisky from traditional stills. Andrew Usher introduced this idea in 1852, and the blending trade was born. Because of the immediate success of blended whisky, the Scottish volumes soon far exceeded the Irish. This advantage in volume soon became important; at about the same time as the introduction of blended whisky the American vine louse Phylloxera vastatrix came to France. The pest rapidly spread and reached the Cognac region by the 1880s. The louse all but destroyed the entire brandy industry and the blended whisky was readily accepted as an alternative. By the time the French vineyards had recovered, whisky had ceased to be ‘only an alternative’ and was firm-ly established at the top.

Whisky started out as a product for the British market in the 1820s, but today it has become a drink that is appreciated and loved around the world. Much of this incredible development is the result of the intro-duction of blended whisky; even today approximately 90 percent of all whisky that is produced in Scot-land is used in blended whisky. However the interest of single malt whisky has increased in recent years and this development is likely to continue.

This fine description is made by Thewhiskyguide.com

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Saturday, November 24, 2007

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