By Niveditha Kalyanaraman
December 1st, 2023
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Whisk(e)y can be spelled both with an “e” and without, which does confuse even the most seasoned drinkers. But, it turns out the letter is very important to the story of the spirit. The Irish use the “e,” a tradition that carried over to American-made whiskeys. The Scots do not use the “e,” and distillers in Canada and Japan follow their lead. Hence, whisky or whiskies. Here are 8 types of whiskey for your bar.
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Irish whiskey has a smoother flavor than other types of whiskey. It’s made from a mash of malt, can only be distilled using water and caramel coloring, and must be distilled in wooden casks for at least three years.
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Japanese whisky was created to taste as close to the scotch style as possible and uses similar distilling methods. It is mostly imbibed in mixed drinks or with a splash of soda.
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Canadian whisky must be barrel-aged for at least three years. It’s lighter and smoother than other types of whiskey because it contains a high percentage of corn.
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An American-style whiskey, bourbon is made from corn. In fact, to be called bourbon whiskey, the spirit needs to be made from at least 51% corn, aged in a new oak barrel and produced in America.
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All current Tennessee whiskey producers are required by state law to produce their whiskeys in Tennessee and to use a filtering step known as the Lincoln County Process prior to aging the whiskey.
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Rye whiskey is made in America with at least 51% rye, while other ingredients include corn and barley. It follows the distilling process of bourbon. Rye tends to have a spicier flavor than sweeter, smoother bourbon.
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The term “single malt” comes from the ingredients, as the main ingredient is malted barley. Single malt whisky needs to be made from one batch of scotch at a single distillery.
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Scotch is made in Scotland with either malt or grain. This is a whisky to sip neat—it makes an excellent after-dinner drink.
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