There is no true rule of thumb when drinking whisky but there are a few things to keep in mind to make the experience a lot more enjoyable. It should be pointed out that if the general rule of thumb is not observed there is still no reason not to enjoy this wonderful spirit.

You should never put ice in a great dram as it kills the taste and aroma, however, some do prefer it this way.  The glass that is originally designed to accept a fine malt whisky is very wide at the top and gently slopes in for the very reason of not comfortably accepting a bed of ice, as the intention is to steer away from this practice. This glass is by most called a tumbler.

When purchasing great malt the price, like many things, will indeed reflect the quality you get since with scotch, you tend to get what you pay for. There are a variety of alcohols available for a cheap price in which you can get a buzz, however, fine scotch should be sipped and enjoyed.

Good malt is not an appropriate mate for a mixing party and does not really take kindly to a soda.  It tastes much better with simple bottled water. The best pairing with great malt would be of the mineral water variety bottled water is tolerated by malt without hesitation.

At 40-60% alcohol, whisky is indeed a strong spirit and will definitely get the attention of the less than experienced in drinking it. Throwing in a dash of mineral water will soften the blow so to speak and calm its aggressive nature. The term “the whisky will open itself” is in reference to the aroma being released when water is added so a few drops will surely bring even the most experienced of malt drinkers to bliss.

The wonderful thing about cask strength is that at approximately 60% alcohol per volume rate, this is one strong drink in turn allowing the drinker to tone it down to an appropriate alcohol level to suit personal taste making this an ideal drink to customize.

The makers of these fine spirits advise that you take a small mouthful and hold it in your mouth swish it around your tongue giving it time to settle.  Only then will you get the true nature of this fine malt.

Finally on a closing note, after a swallow, it is said that you can get a good read on the maturity of the malt by how long it stays with you in you mouth.

A weather-beaten Eastwood with chiseled jaws readying his gun at the first knock of door, letting in the nasty old crook to his most coveted province! After the fight that followed which did not even need a shot, Eastwood would walk in slow motion, grab a drink and bite off his cigar’s end, ready to light up, still surveying the crook for life – a classical “Western” moment and some part of it livable in real life!

Let’s face it this time – what could be a better way to wind up the delightful day than relax and set ablaze each sip of our favorite drink (single malt scotch is what I like) with a heavenly cigar! Cigars and whiskey are seriously two of the finest things in life and when working in a group, the two can invoke the most enchanting of experiences. It works for me and I see no reason why it would not for you or anyone else!

It has taken some hundreds of judges, several brain storming (rather “tongue storming”) events and tasting sessions (mostly) in Cuba and Scotland to actually cherish the experience. The partnership between the asserters of two of the finest relaxants on the planet, that is, cigars and whiskey, has avowed this delicate combination as one of the finest, that human civilization could ever conceive. My last visit to Paris for celebrating the anniversary of a world renowned lighter brand provided me with yet another reason to glorify the cause, where I had the opportunity to cherish this paradisiacal combination of Havana and Scotland – cigars and single malt. Ever since, I am easily disposed to battle whoever opposes the heavenly combination of cigars with whiskey, reasoning as wastage of taste.

Refinement on earth for me, of course, is now defined by single malt whiskey, illuminated by the glow of the best rolls. Cultivating on my recently refined tastes owing to the newly developed liking (which, in no time, turned into an obsession); I started pairing these two manifestations of refinement in various combinations conceivable. And to the utter dismay of my contesters, I would be glad to gloat that a variety of cigars complement a variety of whiskeys. However, my favorite amongst all remains no more than mild single malt lighted with a medium/full-bodied cigar (preferably, Cuban).

A lighted Cohiba Siglo IV and a glass of Highland Park Single Malt Scotch make a stunning pair and these are the names that reflexively pop out of my mouth when asked to brand my love for the delicate ecstasy. A Partagas D 4 also does go really well with a Lagavulin Single Malt. However, (high time I stopped being nepotistic) there are certain cigars that just do not go with whiskeys – scotch or not..! I do not need to name any because once one cultivates a taste for it, it is quite easy to decipher an odd pair!

The art of making perfectly amalgamated whisky dates back to the ages of the monks in the 15th century. The delicate whiff of the blended whisky has never been explained clearly even today.

“Beatha” an ancient term, which is a Gaelic language for the Latin “aqua vitae” or as, termed “water of life” that was tarnished to “usky” in the 18th century and then transformed to “whisky”.

Making of whisky:

1.Malting: barley is first drenched in water and then spread out on malting floors to sprout. For the prevention of heat build up it is turned up on a regular basis. In the earlier times the barley was tossed in the air by placing barley on the wooden shovels in malt shed flanking to the oven.

During this process the enzymes get activated. The starch is converted into sugar while mashing takes Place. The germination takes place after 6-7 days and then it is called green malt. After the germination is over the green malt goes to the furnace for drying. To keep the enzymes the temperature should be below 70 degree Celsius. To convey flavor from the smoke peat may be added to the fire.

2.Mashing: In this process malt is pulverized into grist and hot water is added to extract the sugar. In 3 stages water will be added starting at a temperature of 67 degree Celsius and rises up to the boiling point.

In a large stainless kettle the extraction takes place, and is termed mash, which is then stirred helping it to convert from starch to sugar. When mashing is done the sweet sugary liquid is formed.

3.Fermentation: The sugary liquid is cooled in this process and is pumped back to washbacks. Sugar is a feeder to the living yeast, which as a result produces alcohol and other compounds called congeners that take out the flavor of the whisky.

Wash froths are produced viciously along with carbon dioxide. After the fermentation the wash generate 6-8% alcohol.

4.Distillation: The alcohol is estranged from water by distillation process. The wash is distilled two times. And other residue will include yeast and pot ale; these residues are also used for cow feeding.

The distilled wash is known as low wines, containing about 20% alcohol content. Then it goes to the spirit still for another distillation. In the spirit receiver only 60% alcohol is collected.

Maturation: Whisky at a matured level becomes smooth, flavor enriched, and achieve a golden flavor from the oak cask. And the other restrained compounds enhance whisky’s idiosyncratic flavor.

The law allows whisky to mature for 3 years as a minimum time. But all single malts are stored in the wood from 8-15 years. The evaporation is allowed for a maximum of 2% from the oak cask strictly controlled by customs and excise.

Bottling: A bottle of malt whisky may only contain whisky distilled from malted barley. Vatted whiskies are those that are produced at more than one distillery. It can be also termed as blended malt or pure malt. Blended whisky can be made by mixing single malt with gram whisky. Single malts are either bottled by the distillary or by an independent bottler.

Irish whiskey is distinctive from its Scottish cousin and has been made in Ireland for hundreds of years. There are several types of whiskey common to Ireland: Single Malt, Single Grain, Pure Pot Still and Blended Whiskey. The word whiskey is an Anglicisation of the ancient Gaelic term “uisce beatha” which translates as “water of life”. It isn’t just the spelling that gives Irish Whiskey its distinction – it has a very different flavour and the brewing process does differ.

Although it is similar to Scotch whisky in that it was distilled primarily from barley, traditional Irish whiskey is distilled from a mash of mixed malted and unmalted grains (referred to as “pure pot-still” whiskey) whereas Scotch is either distilled exclusively from malted grain or from unmalted grain. That brewed from unmalted grain is generally then mixed with malt whisky to create blended whisky. Most Irish whiskey is blended from a mixture of pot still whiskey and cheaper grain whiskey.

The most common myth is that most Irish whiskey is distilled three times, unlike Scotch Whisky and that this is the main distinction between the two varieties. Irish whiskey also differs in that peat is almost never used in the malting process, so the smoky, earthy overtones common to Scotches are not present. There are notable exceptions to these rules in both countries; Connemara Peated Irish Malt (double distilled) whiskey from the independent Cooley Distillery in Co. Louth is one of those exceptions.

Whereas there are nearly one hundred Scotch Whisky distilleries all over Scotland and the Scottish Isles, there are actually only a handful of Irish distilleries producing a range of Irish Whiskey. Irish Whiskey comes in several varieties including single malt whiskey, which is made from 100% malted barley distilled in a pot still, and grain whiskey made from grains distilled in a column still. Grain whiskey is much lighter (both in colour and flavour) than single malt and is rarely bottled as a single grain. It is more commonly used to blend with single malt to produce a lighter blended whiskey.

‘Pure pot still’ whiskey is unique to Irish whiskey. While single malt from both Scotland and Ireland is distilled only in a pot still, the designation ‘pure pot still’ refers to Irish Whiskey that is made from 100% barley (mixed malted and unmalted) and distilled in a pot still. The ‘green’ unmalted barley gives the traditional pure pot still whiskey a spicy, uniquely Irish flavour. Similar to single malt, pure pot still is sold as a specific classification of whiskey. It can also be blended with grain whiskey. Usually no real distinction is made between whether a blended whiskey was made from single malt or pure pot still. Only Redbreast, Green Spot and some premium Jameson brands are regarded as pure pot still whiskies.

The more common Irish Whiskeys such as Jamesons, Paddys, Bushmills Original and Millars Special Reserve are readily available from most good spirit retailers, but some of the rarer varieties can be difficult to locate outside their native Ireland. However the Internet has given Irish Whiskey lovers access to some of the more exotic blends and pure pot still whiskeys, including limited editions such as Kilbeggan 15 Year Old, which was launched to mark the restart of distilling at the Kilbeggan distillery and was recently voted Best Blended Irish Whiskey at the World Whisky Awards.

Irish Whiskey makes a wonderful gift for a special occasion or as an exclusive business gift and continues to grow in popularity amongst whisky drinkers all over the world.

In meaning, whiskey translates to “water of life”.  Whisky originated from Scotland during the early 1400′s, and is very popular around the world today. Even today, whisky tastes much like it did when it first began.  Manufacturers of whisky are strong on heritage, and therefore do all they can to capture the flavor that whiskey has always been known for.

For any occasion, whisky is truly great.  Whisky is commonly used during weddings and ceremonies, and both the bride and groom will drink it to signify a relationship that will stand the test of time. The drink isn’t only served with weddings, as it is also popular in bars and restaurants as well.  Those wishing to signify friendship can also serve whisky as a gesture of wanting to be friends.

Whisky also makes a great gift for friends, employees, and even executives.  Around the office, whisky is very popular.  When someone has had a tough day at work, few things bring out the best like whisky.  It can help someone relax, and make them feel at ease.  Drink enough of it however – and you will feel as if you are king of the world!

Although it has many uses, one of the best is ice cubes.  If you combine whiskey with ice cubes, the combination is truly inspiring.  People often refer to it as whisky on the rocks, as it is very commonly served in bars and restaurants.  Whiskey on the rocks is also refreshing, as the ice cubes help to take some of the “bite” away from the otherwise strong and potent drink.

There are several variations of whiskey as well.  Scottish whisky, Jack Daniels, and Wild Turkey are among the most popular whiskey’s in North America.  Scottish whisky is very popular in different parts of the world, while Jack Daniels is the preferred brand of whiskey in the United States.  Jack is served at many bars and restaurants, and provides a great mixed drink if you pair it with Coke.

If you’re looking to buy some whisky for your home, you’ll never have to worry about having trouble finding it.  ABC stores are the best source, although if you live in a state such as California you can find it at your local grocery or department store.  Whiskey is one of the best selling forms of hard liquor, with thousands of people around the world drinking it quite frequently.

Easy to find and easy to use, whisky is easily one of the best types of alcohol that you can buy.  You can use it at parties or socials, or just keep it for yourself.  Whiskey is also great for the body, if you drink a shot of it a day.  With various ways to be used and a bold crisp flavor – whiskey is something that you can never go wrong with. Please note Scottish Whisky,American Whiskey,a subtle but important difference which equally applies to the different brands

When discussing whisky the first thing that needs to be know is that there are two legitimate spellings. The Scotts and Canadians spell whisky without the “e”, while the Irish and Americans spell it with an “e” as in whiskey. This should be the first indication that the world of whisky is a very complicated one and has many regional differences in taste and production. This is part of what makes whisky such an interesting and enjoyable spirit.

Historically it is believed that the Irish were the first to make whiskey, however the Scotts have also laid claim to being the first whisky producers. The Irish used the term “uisce beatha” (“Water of Life” in Gaelic) to describe whiskey, so it must have been important.

Both the Scottish and Irish make whiskey the same way, except for the malting and distillation process. In Scotland the malted barley is roasted over open peat fires to dry, this results in the grain picking up the peat flavour. In Ireland, the malted barely is dried in closed ovens, and is never exposed to the smoke. The process of mashing and fermentation is much the same for both countries. In the distillation step, the Irish, most of the time, distill their product three times, which results in a very pure distillate which makes Irish whiskey exceptionally smooth. The Scottish distill their product twice and this results in more flavour in the spirit.

In North America there is Canadian whisky and American whiskey, which has a number of regional classifications including Bourbon and Tennessee whiskey. Each product in North America is unique and is regulated by the government. Canadian whisky is the number one imported spirit into the United States and is second in consumption only to vodka.

American whiskey has a number of regulation depending on the definition of the product. Bourbon must be made from fermented mash of not less than 51% corn, rye, wheat, malted barely or malted rye grain. It cannot be distilled at a proof higher than 160 and must be stored in new oak barrels at a proof of 125 or less. Blended American whiskey must be made from at least 20% whiskey aged two or more years with the remainder made from unaged neutral grain spirit. American corn whiskey must be made from a minimum mash of 80% corn. Tennessee whiskey follows the same regulations as Bourbon, but is charcoal filtered (Lincoln County Process), so it does not qualify as a bourbon.

Canadian whisky must be ages for at least three years, but for the most part the Canadian government allows the expertise of the distiller to define the characteristics of the final product so there are no limits on distillation proof or barrel requirements. Any Canadian whisky that is aged for less than four years must have the age listed on the bottle. Most Canadian whisky is aged for six or more years. Canadian whisky is generally a blended spirit. The term “blended” means that the final product is made from a number different types of distilled product. For example, a Canadian whisky may be composed of corn, barely, wheat and rye distillates that have been aged in selected used or new oak barrels. Some Canadian producers put all of the grains in one vat and ferment them as a whole and pre-blend and age the distillate. Other producers ferment each grain individually and age each distillate separately and then blend a final product from a mixture of spirits. Most Canadian whisky is distilled twice.

This article has only scratched the surface of the whisk(e)y world. There are many regional characteristics of whisky and many other counties are producing this fine spirit. It would take a lifetime to explore the complete world of whisky, but it would be a worthy attempt.

Interestingly, whisky means the water of life and it is no wonder then that a lot of individuals get hooked in this spirit. Whisky is actually made from fermented grain and allowed to stay in a wood barrel for some time to work its wonders in the palate. While it is not clear where whisky manufacturing first started, it is being made in different parts of the world now and enjoyed by millions worldwide.

Meanwhile, whisky is typically bottled in glass containers, as the material doesn’t tend to react or affect the taste of the aged spirit. These days, technology has improved and distilleries now use equipment that can make as many as 400 bottles in just one minute. Here, the whisky bottles are sanitized, filled up and securely covered until they are ready to be shipped to the shops.

Consequently, whisky and whisky bottles have become an attractive collectible for some individuals, some whisky collectors claim that this pursuit could be just any hobby. What makes it fun is that the collection never stops because it continues to grow and is never really completed. While there are those who accumulate them after choosing a favourite among the ones that have been tasted, there are also those who collect them as an investment.

Claive Vidiz is a Brazilian whisky collector who has the widest number of items in his possession. He has 3,384 whisky bottles that he has gathered from all over the world. These are composed of the well-known varieties as well as the most unique ones. Strathmill single malt and Dimple Pinch Scotch whisky is some of his priceless collections.

Meanwhile, there are also whisky collectibles that are not meant to be opened nor tasted. These collectibles come in different measurements, some come in mini 2 ounces or less while others are packed in gallons. The most collectible whisky decanters though are those that have been released as limited editions. Because these bottles are made for a short period of time, they are made on special occasions such as the anniversaries of distilling companies; needless to say they are made to be rare and extraordinary.

While the value of these limited edition whisky collectibles can rise up over time, not every one of them does so, some even tend to get lowered in price. The law of supply and demand mostly dictates the success of these investments. Aside from the limited editions, other collectors opt to get into specialization and collect every single item that is manufactured by a preferred whisky maker. Another exciting alternative is to watch out for a series of whisky collectibles.

Whether the collectible whisky item is meant to be preserved or not, making an array of whisky set is a worthwhile endeavour. Whisky collectors become like archaeologists who protect the spirit legacy and allow it to be enjoyed by the next generation.

Lastly, distillers themselves get encouraged to manufacture quality products by the enthusiasm that whisky collectors have shown.

Have you ever been to the mother land, the original land of Scotch Whiskey?  Of course you can go down to your neighborhood store and buy any scotch that you heart may desire, but there is nothing like having a glass of scotch from its mother land Scotland.

There is a difference in the taste of scotch that is from Scotland and Scotch made in the U.S.  It is said that the difference comes from the water that is used to distill scotch.  You see, most of the distillers in Scotland maintain establishments that are centered around fresh water springs that originate from the various mountains in Scotland.  These fresh water springs provide pure tasting clear water that has been refined from the mountain ice caps.  Some of these ice caps have snow that has been there for years and by the time the snow melts and releases the water down the hills it is filtered and given a unique taste that can only be found in the hills of Scotland.

Scotch has been around for quite a number of years.  It dates back to the early settles of Scotland, a time since the early Celts.  The Celts valued the drink because of the way that it kept them warm.  Researching a little further you will also find that there are quite a few different types of scotch, including the single grain, the blended whiskey and the blended malt.

Single grain malts are very expensive and are quite rare and even harder to find.  To date there are only 7 known distillers in Scotland that actually make this type of scotch.

The more common type of scotch is the blended malt scotch or whiskey.  This type of scotch is very common and can be brought at almost any store the stocks liquor.  Approx 90% of the scotch made in Scotland is Blended whiskey.  Compared to the single malt scotch, blended whiskey is much milder.

To make scotch and whiskey even more attractive they are packaged in designer bottles usually made out of crystal.  That being said they make wonderful gifts and great collector items.

Which is the correct spelling whiskey (plural whiskeys) or whisky (plural whiskies) and what is the origin of the word(s). History tells us that the word whiskey – with the ‘e’ – was derived from the Irish Gaelic. The Irish Gaelic word “uisce beatha” was a translation from the Latin words “aqua vitae” meaning “Water of Life”. Subsequently the ‘e’ was dropped from almost everywhere in the world where the ‘water of life’ was distilled. In the late 1800’s the Irish and the Americans chose to include the ‘e’ again to differentiate themselves from the products from Scotland. Today Scotland, Wales, Japan and Canada maintain the use of the word Whisky. Finally – Scotch is generally used to mean a whisky from Scotland and the Scots would say there is no other correct use of the word Scotch.

The whisky ‘map’ divides Scotland into a number of regions where the general characteristics of each of the distilled whiskies is similar. Fine Scotch whiskies are distilled in each of these regions:-
· Highland
· Speyside
· Islay
· Campbeltown
· Lowland
Some of these areas have now been divided into sub categories or regions due to the size of the areas.

In very general terms the areas to the west of Scotland have more areas of peat and as such many of the whiskies distilled in the areas have the ‘taste of peat’. This particularly true of Islay (a region in itself) where in excess of 20% of the island is peat. The greater Speyside, in the North East of Scotland, houses more than half of all the distilleries in Scotland and two of the most famous and well know single malt whiskies are from Speyside distilleries – they are Glenfiddich and Glenlivet.

Whisky is created by distilling a ‘mash’ based on either grain or malt (malted barley). Hence we have the single malt – being for many people the true ’water of life’ and the regarded as the superior whisky. Grain (malted and un-malted barley along with other grains) based whiskies can be blended in such a way to generate further distinctive brands. However, “Blend” may occasionally have a different interpretation. A mixture of malts (with no grain) from different distilleries (usually called a vatted malt) can be referred to as a “Blended Malt”, and mixtures of grain whiskies with no malts will sometimes called a “Blended Grain”.

For a whisky to be called a whisky it must have been as a minimum matured in oak casks for at least 3 years and one day. Although the casks should be oak the history of the casks can be varied. I understand that American Whiskeys are stored in ‘new’ oak casks – hence there is an obvious market for re-cycled casks. Other casks may have originated or been used for the storage of Sherry in Spain. Hence the history of the cask will be a defining part of the whisky’s characteristic. Another feature of Scotch whiskies is that they are almost always distilled twice (some three times). For any whisky to be called ‘Scotch’ it must conform to these criteria – and – perhaps more obviously – be distilled in Scotland.

By all means take the time to understand the history and how our fine Scotch whiskies originate but above all take the time to find your favourite tipple.

I am not pretending to be an authority with 40 years knowledge of the whisky business but I do remember in my younger days enjoying from time to time a malt whisky.  I also new by choice I’d ask for a malt, though never quite sure why.

I’ll try and provide a simplistic view of what and why a malt whisky is a fine whisky and with Scotland having in the order of 140 distilleries producing one or more whiskies then I must confess I tend to think of a malt as fine Scotch whisky.

Generally speaking people mean a single malt whisky when they refer to a malt whisky and this is because the malt whiskies are distilled in distilleries which usually only produce one whisky.  It is possible to have more than one brand of whisky from a distillery and this can be attributable to a number of factors.  For example a distillery may have a single malt whisky which is a mere 10 years old and then another brand name which is matured for a full 20 years.  Similarly the unique flavour of a fine whisky is as much about how the whisky is matured and stored and specifically the history of the casks that are used.  The Benriach distillery, for example, produces several brands and they are a mix of age and the casks that have been used.  Benriach specifically refer to whisky being matured in originally American oak casks and then finished either in casks having been used for storing sherry, port or dark rum.  In all these cases the actual distillation process may have been the same but how the fine whisky is stored and for how long are the key factors to the product which is eventually consumed and enjoyed.

The ingredients of a fine malt whisky.

Almost all malt whiskies and made by malting barley gain (though rye grain can be used).  The barley, yeast and water are the only ingredients used in the production of single malt whisky.

In the first instance the barley used is malted, which means, it is soaked in water for a few days. This malting or soaking process is the start of the germination process which leads to the natural starch being converted to a fermentable sugar.  This process is then stopped and the malted barley is dried.  Eventually the dried and germinated malted barley can now be ground or milled to produce something which the industry calls a grist.  From here the grist is combined with hot water to remove the sugary liquid which is called a wort.  This wort will now have the yeast added.  This where the first alcohol is produced and anyone familiar with brewing beer will recognise this process as both are very similar until this stage.

The next stage is where beer making (brewing) and whisky making (distilling) differ because the wort liquid is then distilled which means it is heated to boiling point such that the alcohol boils away but is captured on the cooler condensing surfaces and the alcohol is collected.  This distillation initial process produces a relatively low alcohol strength liquid so the process is repeated (and sometimes a third time) until such time as a liquid is produced which is typically two thirds alcohol by volume.

These are the initial processes of making a scotch single malt whisky.  Note it is not a scotch whisky for another year or two yet!