Scotch Whisky, How Do You Drink Yours?

Source

Scotch Whisky experts describe the ‘sunshine drink’, as it is sometimes called, in terms of its colour, nose, body, palate and finish. Colour may be anything from pale gold, right through to dark caramel brown and the ‘nose’ (aroma) , varies according to whether it has been smoked, the water used and the area from which the water comes. Body is the ‘kick’ the drink gives you when you taste it. The palate is the taste on the tongue and the finish is the flavour it leaves you with. This is rather like tasting wine but whisky connoisseurs would say that it is a much more difficult and specialised art.

Source

There are in fact more than a hundred different chemicals, from just four ingredients: barley, water, yeast and caramel (for colouring.) It is the subtle combination of these chemicals that gives Scotch Whisky its diverse flavours and varieties. The law sets out the ingredients that may be used in the distilling process so they do not vary, but it is differences in manufacturing process and the way that the finished product is matured that makes the difference.

The process of making whisky has remained the same for hundreds of year. It consists of soaking the grain (malting) in water and then drying it. Then yeast is added and after three days the liquid is distilled in copper vats. After this it is matured in oak casks while are usually old ones which have already been used to age American Bourbon, or Sherry. The used casks are preferred because the vanillin in the oak, which is the same chemical that gives vanilla pods their aroma, flavours the spirit and used casks give a less pungent aroma and taste.

Source

When the whisky is mature it is blended and mixed to its regulated 40% proof standard. Different malt whiskies may be blended but the finished product is dated by the youngest malt in the blend.

Adding water, or other mixers to whisky changes the flavour but experts only add water to certain blends, because this changes the chemistry of the spirit and makes it taste different. Water makes the spirit more volatile and it releases a fruity aroma, but if you add ice to the mix the aroma will have less effect on how the spirit tastes. Those who like the strong, peaty fragrance of a good malt, may prefer to drink it neat.

It’s all a matter of personal taste.