How many types of whiskey are there? Here are all the types
Scotch Whiskey: the whiskey that comes from Scotland
Without a shadow of a doubt, scotch whiskey is the most important and prized in the world. Scotland is universally recognized as the homeland of this distillate, certainly the place where the best whiskeys in the world are made.
The components that make Scotland, the most important area in the world for the production of this distillate, are different.
On the one hand there is a centuries-old experience, an authentic tradition in the distillation of cereals, on the other there is a component linked to the territory that affects both the production phase (think of the bag found in abundance in these places), both undergoing aging.
In the most important macro-category, there are several sub-categories determined by the raw material used to obtain whiskey, let's analyze them:
Single Malt Scotch Whiskey
I single malt scotch whisky are produced by a single distillery and obtained from malted barley, no other cereal.
However, to make some products, the specification provides for the possibility of using different malts (produced by the same distillery), the age of aging reported on the label refers to the youngest malt among those in the blend.
As an example, the famous Ardbeg 10 is obtained by blending different malts from the Ardbeg distillery, the youngest of these being aged 10 years.
They also exist single malt with undeclared age, it is NAS (No Age Statement) in which the distillery decides, in fact, not to specify the minimum age of the malts contained, Ardbeg Uigeadail and Corryvreckan for example.
In these cases, the Scotch Whiskey specification still provides a minimum aging of 3 years. In many cases these are very young products, in others more mature products, as presumably happens with the Ardbegs mentioned above.
Whiskey Grain
This is a less widespread whiskey than the previous one. Obtained from the distillation in a single distillery of malted barley to which other cereals are added.
They tend to be used for blending as they are scarcely appreciated by connoisseurs, except for sporadic labels with particularly long aging.
Blended Malt Whisky
They are whiskeys obtained from the blend of different single malts from different distilleries. They are generally not bad at all.
Balanced and soft, they tend to be “easier” products than single malts.
Famous and virtuous examples are Johnnie Walker, Chivas Regal, Big Peat.
Blended Scotch Whiskey
This is a category that covers a large chunk of whiskey turnover. I am made from a blend of Grain Whiskey to which different Single Malts are added (in a smaller percentage) produced by different distilleries, all to obtain the right balance between taste and smell.
This is the lowest rung of scotch whiskey, very commercial products.
Irish Whiskey
"Irish”Identifies the distilled and aged product in Ireland, exactly as “Scotch” identifies that distilled and aged in Scotland.
Ireland is the only country that can compete for the origins of this product. Also in this case the history and tradition of producing and selling whiskey in the world has been handed down for hundreds of years.
Even Irish Whiskeys are divided, roughly into same sub-categories as the Scottish cousins, depending on the raw materials used and whether they are distilled by a single distillery or a blend.
I avoid boring you because these are much less common products in Italy, compared to the Scots and because the distinctions, except for small differences (the Irish adopt a triple distillation compared to the double of the Scots), are almost the same as above.
American whiskey
This is whiskey produced and aged in the United States, the main distinctions are linked to the raw materials used and secondarily to the production areas. Let's see in detail what they are.
Bourbon whiskey
Bourbon is the most widespread and appreciated American distillate, a good quality product. Its peculiar characteristic is defined by the production disciplinary which obliges to use a minimum of 51% corn and an aging of at least 4 years in charred American oak barrels.
Straight Bourbon
It is a bourbon in all respects, the only difference is in aging, instead of 4 years as in Bourbon, the minimum is 2 years for the Straight.
These tend to be products used for cocktails.
One of the best known examples is the Bulleit Straight Bourbon.
Rye Whiskey
Unlike Bourbons, Rye Whiskeys are made with a minimum of 51% rye. Its taste is less sweet, more herbaceous than Bourbon. Aging, as in the case of Bourbon, must have occurred for a minimum of 4 years.
Tennessee Whiskey
It is basically Bourbon produced in the state of Tennessee, with the only difference that in this case, before bottling, a maple carbon filtration which accentuates the scents of smoke.
The most famous Tennessee Whiskey is undoubtedly the Jack Daniels.
Moonshine
A citation for the Moonshine, a distant precursor of whiskeys. It is about corn distillate not aged, a product that was made clandestinely in the period of prohibition.
Some distilleries still produce a wide range of classic and flavored moonshines with various essences that make this distillate more "drinkable".
Japanese whiskey
Born as scotch whiskey emulators, today Japanese whiskeys have their own distinctive character and now include products of excellent quality that have not infrequently stood out in the sector events to the detriment of scotch whiskey.
There are also two main differentiations among Japanese whiskeys: single malt and blended. Although each distillery has its own distinctive characteristics, in general the Japanese are very fragrant, composed and elegant.
Among the main distilleries of the Rising Sun, I point out Nikka, Suntory, Yamazaki.
