Many newcomers to the whisky scene—and indeed a few long-term fans—may wonder how important national origin is when it comes to whisky. There are four main areas that produce whisky—Scotland, Ireland, Canada and the United States—and each has a very different product due to different techniques and traditions. Here is a quick overview of the different types of whisky and the factors that make them unique.

Irish Whisky: Irish whisky, often spelled with an E, as in ‘whiskey’, is usually a blend of pot-stilled malted barley whisky and column-stilled corn whisky. Single malt Irish whiskies are rare, but they usually are made from malted barley alone. In this case, the malt is lightly toasted, at a low temperature and far from the heat source. Low temperatures are also used in the distillation process. The product is aged in used bourbon or wine barrels. The result is a sweet, mildly toasted flavor without smoky or other heavy accents.

Scotch Whisky: Scotch whisky is created by a unique process that produces a distinctive and recognizable product. The malted barley is toasted over a peat fire, with direct and continuous exposure to the smoke. The malted barley liquor is double-distilled and then aged in oak casks. Although the American whiskies are often aged in charred oak barrels, Scotch whiskies have more complex and subtle smoke elements due to being aged in uncharred wood. They are often known simply as ‘scotch’ and are some of the most popular types of whisky.

American Whisky: There are as many different types of American whisky as you can count, but the most notable are bourbon, a corn whiskey aged in charred oak barrels, and Tennessee whisky, which is made from sour mash and filtered through sugar-maple charcoal before being aged in a charred barrel. Because of these processes, American whiskies are smoky, but in a different manner than Scotch whiskies. Bourbon is more overtly smoky, while Tennessee whiskies can have a recognizable charcoal taste. Another famous American whisky is rye whiskey, which has a bitter and spicy flavor due to the natural flavors in rye. While rye whisky is gaining a substantial following, it remains the underdog of the whisky world. American whiskies vary according to the region and process in which they are created, but there are many fine and highly rated whiskies from each tradition.

Canadian Whisky: Canadian whisky is a favorite because it is simple and mixes well in cocktails. However, this country’s whisky can have merits as a tasting whisky as well. It is made of corn or wheat with barley or barley malt added for flavor, and then aged in used oak barrels. Canadian whisky is almost always blended, which can be a major drawback for those who prefer single malt.

Which nation makes the best whisky? While everyone has their favorites, each region has distinctive flavors that make them unique. There is no clear cut ‘best’; you will have to taste samples from each region and decide which is the best for your palate.

 

Posted by Mash Bonigala

Mash is a Brand Differentiator & Strategist, Film Maker, Traveller, Author, Day Trader and Zen Practitioner. He loves mindfulness, branding, online marketing, and startup business challenges.