Life
Whisky vs Whiskey
By Maggie Beale (HK Edition)
Updated: 2010-03-20 06:59
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Whiskey or Whisky, it's always a matter of personal preference when it comes to taste. |
'Whisky preserved in Antarctica since 1909 expected to taste the same!' As this news broke this month, a discussion in the Lobby Lounge of the Intercontinental Hotel recently brought up the merits of whisky, Maggie Beale reveals.
The release of the world's oldest single-malt whisky, The Mortlach 70-year selling for 10,000 British pounds a bottle (HK$110,000), has spurred discussions about whisky, as opposed to whiskey.
Whisky has its roots in Scotland, while whiskey is the spirit made in the rest of the world - although Japan producers have adopted the Scottish spelling.
The first reference to the production of Scotch whisky is from Scottish records of 1494 - during the reign of King James IV.
Back then, whisky as we know it today didn't exist. It was consumed as soon as it was made and the spirit had a brutal, raw taste.
It wasn't until the mid-1800s that a chance discovery changed the industry forever. A cask stored and forgotten was discovered, and when tasted it was delicious. So aging is now an ironclad rule.
Three main basic contents go into whisky: fresh water, yeast and barley. After they are fermented, distillation begins by heating the liquid in a kiln; the firing agent is coal or peat.
The process separates water and alcohol by vaporization, followed by distillation. The main fermentation and distillation processes have remained essentially the same in all Scotch distilleries for the past 300 years. All Scotch must be aged for a minimum of 3 years before release.
It's basically the same process that is used to make whisky in other countries too.
Whiskey made in the US is sweeter than Scotch. Many are produced in Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee.
Bourbon Whiskey is made from any of - or a mixture of - corn, rye, barley malt and other grains. US Federal regulations specify that no whiskey can be called "bourbon" unless it is manufactured within the United States according to the "bourbon formula".
Bourbon whiskey formula states it must be distilled from a fermented mash of grain containing at least 51 percent corn and stored at not more than 125 degrees Fahrenheit proof, in new, charred, white oak barrels. Nothing may be added to bourbon except distilled water to adjust the proof. Bourbon must not be bottled below 80 degrees Fahrenheit proof unless otherwise noted on the label that it is diluted. And the clincher: Bourbon is not bourbon unless the label says so!
From further north, Canadian whiskies are made from cereal grains - corn, wheat, rye and barley malt, with no one grain accounting for more than 50 percent of the formula and are distilled twice. They are delicate and light-bodied with just a touch of sweetness, slightly oily and oaky - as a large proportion of charred (burnt) new oak is used to mature the spirit. No flavorings are used.
Like other whisky lovers I eagerly await the verdict on the state of the Whyte & Mackay whisky found in Antarctica.
(HK Edition 03/20/2010 page4)
