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Whiskey Difference

Whiskey is a distilled liquor made from fermented grain mash and aged in oak. The key differences are: - Scotch is made in Scotland from malted barley and has a smoky flavor from being heated over peat. - Bourbon is made in the US from at least 51% corn and uses a sour mash process, giving it a sweet flavor. - Rye whiskey uses at least 51% rye grain, giving it a spicy, peppery flavor more suitable for cocktails than other whiskeys.

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43 views4 pages

Whiskey Difference

Whiskey is a distilled liquor made from fermented grain mash and aged in oak. The key differences are: - Scotch is made in Scotland from malted barley and has a smoky flavor from being heated over peat. - Bourbon is made in the US from at least 51% corn and uses a sour mash process, giving it a sweet flavor. - Rye whiskey uses at least 51% rye grain, giving it a spicy, peppery flavor more suitable for cocktails than other whiskeys.

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Stanley
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© © All Rights Reserved
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What’s the Difference

Between Whiskey, Scotch,


Bourbon, and Rye?
It’s usually a difference in the mash used

Whiskey, Scotch, Bourbon, and Rye?

Whiskey (or whisky) can be any of a variety of distilled liquors that are made
from a fermented mash of cereal grains and aged in wooden containers, which
are usually constructed of oak. Commonly used grains are corn, barley malt, rye,
and wheat.
The difference between whiskey and whisky is where the stuff is made: in the
United States and Ireland, it’s spelled “whiskey”; in Scotland, Canada, and Japan,
it’s “whisky.”

Now, for the differences between Scotch, bourbon, and rye.

Scotch is a whisky (no e) that gets its distinctive smoky flavor from the process
in which it is made: the grain, primarily barley, is malted and then heated over a
peat fire. A whisky cannot be called Scotch unless it is entirely produced and
bottled in Scotland.

There are several types of Scotch, but the most common types you’ll hear of are:

• Single malt Scotch is a whisky that’s from one distillery from a mash of
malted barley. Under the United Kingdom's Scotch Whisky Regulations, a
"Single Malt Scotch Whisky" must be made exclusively from malted barley
(although the addition of E150A caramel coloring is allowed), must be
distilled using pot stills at a single distillery, and must be aged for at least
three years in oak casks of a capacity not exceeding 700 liters.
• Blended Scotch is made by blending two types of whisky: barrel-aged
malt whisky and grain whisky. It is the product of blending different types
of whiskeys and sometimes also neutral grain spirits, colorings, and
flavorings. It is generally the product of mixing one or more higher-quality
straight or single malt whiskey with less expensive spirits and other
ingredients.

Bourbon, a whiskey that was first produced in Kentucky, U.S., uses at least 51
percent mash from corn in its production. It also uses a sour mash process —
that is, the mash is fermented with yeast and includes a portion from a mash that
has already been fermented. U.S. regulations specify that in order for a whiskey
to be called bourbon, it must be made in the United States.

Rye whiskey, a whiskey that uses a rye mash or a rye and malt mash. In the
United States, regulations stipulate that the mash must be at least 51 percent rye
in order for it to be called rye whiskey. In Canada, regulations do not specify a
minimum percentage of rye. Rye whiskey largely disappeared after Prohibition.
A few brands, such as Old Overholt, survived, although by the late 1960s former
Pennsylvania brands like Old Overholt were being distilled mostly in Kentucky.

In the early 21st century, an expanding number of brands are produced by


Campari Group (Wild Turkey Rye), Diageo (George Dickel Rye and Bulleit Rye),
Heaven Hill (Pikesville Rye and Rittenhouse Rye), Beam Suntory (Old Overholt
and Jim Beam Rye), The Sazerac Company (Col. E. H. Taylor, Sazerac Rye, and
Thomas H. Handy), and various smaller companies.

Flavor-wise, Scotch is smoky, bourbon is sweet, and rye is more astringent than
the two others, making it particularly suitable to cocktails.

What does Scotch taste like, vs other types of whiskey?

The more important question is: what are the flavor differences between Scotch
vs whiskey? Of course, Scotch is whiskey (er, whisky). But what distinguishes the
flavor? Here’s a breakdown of the major types of whiskey with the flavor
differences:

• What does Scotch taste like? Blended Scotch has a smooth flavor: malty
and buttery, with a spicy finish. Single malt Scotch tastes oaky and woody,
with signature peaty and smoky notes.
• What does bourbon taste like? Bourbon has a sweeter flavor than other
styles of whiskey, with notes of vanilla, oak and caramel.
• What does rye whiskey taste like? Rye whiskey tastes grassy and
peppery, with a signature spicy finish.
• What does Irish whiskey taste like? Irish whiskey is light and fruity,
with a lightly floral scent and hints of nutty and vanilla tones. The finish is
smooth and mellow.

Popular brands:

• Ballantine’s - Blended Scotch whisky


• Ben Nevis - Single Malt Scotch whisky
• Canadian Club - Blended Canadian whisky
• Chivas Regal - Blended Scotch whisky
• Four Roses - Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey produced by the Kirin
Brewery Company of Japan
• Glenfiddich - Single Malt Scotch whisky
• Grant's - Blended Scotch whisky
• J&B Rare - Blended Scotch whisky
• Jack Daniel's - Tennessee bourbon (whiskey) and the best-selling whiskey
in the world, Tennessee law further requires most producers of Tennessee
whiskey to filter the spirit through charcoal made from maple prior to
aging
• Jameson - a blended Irish whiskey
• Jim Beam - an American brand of bourbon whiskey
• Johnnie Walker - Blended Scotch whisky
• Macallan – a luxury single malt Scotch whisky
• Wild Geese - a blend of Irish whiskeys matured in bourbon casks
• Wild Turkey - a brand of Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey

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