Whiskey

ABV

Abbreviation for “Alcohol By Volume,” ABV refers to the alcohol content of a given liquid, the percentage of the liquid that is alcohol. Proof is 2X the ABV. So a beverage of 100 proof would be 50% alcohol by volume. Most whiskeys use proof instead of listing its ABV

Age/Age Statement

Many distilleries will mark their whiskey with the amount of time they’ve spent aging, usually in years. Generally, whiskey that is aged more is whiskey, The older whiskeys cost more, because they need to remain in the barrels longer, and the barrels need to be cared for. Time is money

Angel’s Share

During the aging process, a small percent (generally about 2%) of the barrel contents is lost due to the porous nature of the barrel. Folklore has you believe that this whiskey evaporated up to the heavens where the angel's could have some, and it was called the “Angel’s Share.”

Barley

barley is primary grain used in the distillation of whiskey (and beer). The barley is steeped, germinated and dried

Barrel/Cask

Large, cylindrical containers typically made from oak wood staves and bound together via metal rings or hoops. Barrels and/or casks are the container used to age the whiskey, imparting both flavors and aromas into the liquor. Many times the staves of the barrel are charred before the barrel is put together, adding a smoky flavor to the whisky

Barrel/Cask Strength/Proof

Barrel strength, cask strength, barrel proof, and cask proof all mean the same thing: a given liquor has not been altered or diluted following the aging process. This usually results in a higher ABV/proof, which normally ranges from 58–66% or 115-132 proof

Blend

A single whiskey (or other spirit) which has been created by combining multiple other whiskeys and sometimes also neutral grain spirits, colors, and flavors. It is normally considered not as good as "pure" which is not blended with anything else; but many consider blend an art, requiring knowledge, taste and experimentation to maintain a great product

Blender

This is the person or team responsible to maintain a great product by combining different batches of whiskey, along with other spirits, colors, and flavors

Bottled-In-Bond

A USA exclusive, this refers to distilled spirits aged and bottled according to the regulations of the Bottled-In-Bond act of 1897. In order for a whiskey to meet the requirements, it must be distilled in its entirety by a single distiller in a single American distillery within the course of a single year. Following its distillation, it must also go through a four-year aging process under government supervision in a federally-bonded facility It must also be bottled at 100-proof, or 50%ABV

Bourbon

A distilled spirit meets the following legal requirements: that is aged in a charred oak barrel. It must contain a mash of at least 51% corn.

• Produced in the United States and Territories (Puerto Rico) and the District of Columbia
• Aged in new, charred oak containers
• Aged for at least 3 months
• Any bourbon aged less than four years must include an age statement on its label
• Distilled to no more than 160 proof
• Entered into the container for aging at no more than 125 proof
• Bottled (like other whiskeys) at 80 proof

Char/Charred/Charring

The inner surface of wood barrels is burned or charred to give the whiskey smoky flavors and aromas. The amount of charring will differ depending on the taste desired

Chill Filtration

A filtering process used to eliminate residue and cloudiness of a spirit. The spirit is cooled to a range of 14° and 39.2° (Fahrenheit) and the fed through an absorption filter, usually very fine. Some whiskeys are not chill filtered

Column Still

A still that Uses steam injection to strip the beer of alcohol and produces a cleaner spirit than a pot still does. Column Still whiskeys do not need to be aged as long as pot still whiskeys, but they don't have the same depth of grain flavor

Congener

The chemical byproducts of distilling. These chemicals are primarily responsible for creating the flavors and aromas in a spirit

Cooper

A cooper is the person responsible for the creation and repair of barrels and casks

Cooperage

A cooperage is the facility where the cooper does his work

Corn

Corn is also heavily used in the creation of whiskey, especially bourbon — which has a required mash makeup of at least 51% corn

Corn whiskey is an American whiskey with a mash consisting least 80% corn. Corn whiskey is normally not aged

Distillation

the process by which a liquid is purified through a process of heating and cooling. Regarding whiskey, “distillation” is the name for one of the larger processes in its creation — including removing the alcohol created during fermentation from the wash, resulting in a concentrated liquid that will go on to be matured into a final spirit

Distiller

A person or company that creates liquor

Distillery

the facility in which liquor is created (where the distiller performs their work)

Distiller’s Beer

a thick, fermented mash comprised of water, yeast, and cooked grains. It is a beer and is drinkable with an ABV of roughly 7-10%. In order to create whiskey, this liquid must be further distilled, usually multiple times

Dram

a liquid volume of exactly 1/8 fluid ounces. It may also be used to describe a small drink of whiskey or other distilled spirits

Ethanol

Ethanol is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid with a pungent taste and wine-like odor. It is the alcohol in spirits

Expression

Used to describe variations on a given whiskey recipe. For example, let's try some expressions means changing a spirits ingredients, distillation process, aging, the char on barrels, or any other variation(s) that not significantly change the spirit too far from the original recipe

Extraction

Whiskey is a solvent, and it extracts various flavor compounds fromingr3edients, or the barrel it is aged in

Feints

The unwanted remnants left at end of a distillation run. These are not poisonous like Fore Shots, and are often returned to the still for later batches.

Fermentation

The chemical breakdown of a substance, such as the breakdown of sugars by yeast resulting in the creation of ethanol. This is a process that is necessary in the creation of whiskey and beer

Finger

the amount of liquor it would take to fill a rocks glass to the width of a single human finger wrapped around the base. This amount is generally about 3/4 inch, and is about an ounce of liquor

Finish

The secondary aging process at the end of the creation of a whiskey. The spirit is removed from one type of barrel or cask and moved into another of a different type of barrel or cask

The aftertaste, or flavors that become apparent after you’ve swallowed the spirit

Fore Shots

the first vapors to burn off during the process of distillation. The fore shots can be poisonous, containing dangerous volatile alcohols, such as methanol

Heather

Heather is a plant that grows wild in the Scottish Highlands; but nobody eats it, and very few have sniffed it. Some experts claim they can detect this on the nose, but very few people care

Irish/Irish Whiskey

Whiskey made on the island of Ireland

Kentucky Bourbon

Made By

"Made by" or "bottled by" is not the same as "distilled by."

Malt

Grain that's sprouted, then toasted to prevent it from growing into a plant. Malt creates a nice sweet whiskey

Mash/Mash Bill

The recipe used to make whiskey

Master

A title given to top-level professionals. For example, a Master Distiller

Nose/Nosing

The smells associated with a product. Related to taste. Someone with a refined nose can identify a product just by smell

Oak

A tree that is used as the primary source of wood used in the creation of whiskey barrels and casks

Oxidation

What happens to a product when it is exposed to oxygen. Whiskey needs some oxidation to enhance its flavors and aromas. Once a bottle is opened, oxidation will continue, and may ruin the flavors if not consumed in a timely fashion

Palate

the ability to discern the flavors, aromas, and texture of a product

Peat

A brown, soil-like deposit created by an absorbent moss native to boggy regions — and found en masse in the country of Scotland. The peat is often cultivated and dried to be added to whisky recipes

Peated

A whisky is one that has peat added to its recipe

Pot Still

A style of still that moonshiners use. The whiskeys produced in a pot still are usually pungent until they've aged in barrel for a few years. A pot still whiskey develops deep, rich flavors and texture

Proof

A measurement of the alcoholic content of a beverage. The proof is twice as much as ABV. Proof=2*ABV; ABV=½*Proof

Rack house/Rick house

facilities in which barrels containing alcoholic beverages are stored on racks during the aging process

Region

the locale from which a particular whiskey comes from

Rye

A grain frequently used to create whiskey

Rye Whiskey is a whiskey that has its mash composed primarily of rye grain

Scotch

A malt or grain whisky completely made within Scotland, and adhering to a specific set of legal guidelines

Single Barrel

A whiskey where each individual bottle is consists exclusively of an aged spirit from a single barrel or cask

Single Estate

All the grain used in the beer was grown in one place, this may not have a significant effect on the flavor

Small Match

A whiskey created from a limited number of select barrels of the aged spirit

Sour Mash

The mash that is used in the creation of bourbon and Tennessee whiskey. It requires that a small amount of already-used mash is returned into the following batch, similar to a sourdough bread starter

“Sweet mash,” by contrast, uses fresh yeast in its fermentation.

Sweet Mash

Mash that uses fresh yeast in its fermentation. No residue from previous mashes are used

Solvent

A chemical that is able to dissolve other substances

Spirit

A term used to refer to any distillate, or alcoholic liquid comprised of ethanol and water made from a mash

Sprouted

The process of converting the unfermentable starch in the grain to a fermentable sugar

Still

An apparatus used to distill alcoholic spirits. The common types are Column Still, and Pot Still

Straight Whiskey

A spirit distilled from grain mash to a concentrate that does not exceed 80% ABV and is aged in new charred oak barrels for at least two years at a concentration not exceeding 62.5% at the start of the process

Tun

A large container designed to hold the ingredients of a spirit

Unicorn

A term used to describe a particularly difficult-to-find offering

Wheat

A cereal grain utilized in the creation of food products around the world. It is sometimes used instead of barley in spirits

Wheated

wheat added to its recipe as a flavor enhancement, not as a replacement for other grains

Whiskey

Regional spelling to denote spirits from Ireland, the US, and various other locales. The spelling Whiskey/Whisky is the distillers choice, and there is no legal requirement for either spelling

Whisky

Regional spelling denote spirits from Scotland, Japan, Canada, and various other locales. The spelling Whiskey/Whisky is the distillers choice, and there is no legal requirement for either spelling

White Dog/White Lightning

This referred to colorless, corn-distilled bootlegged moonshine

Yeast

Yeast is a fungus is capable of converting sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide. Every yeast will produce different profiles, so many distillers have their own proprietary strains of yeast