Whisk(e)y Glossary
A:
-ABV/Alcohol By Volume: The amount of alcohol in a whiskey by volume not weight. Noted as a percentage. “This Woodford Reserve is 45.2 ABV”
-Age: The amount of time the whiskey spends maturing in an oak cask. “This Eagle Rare Bourbon is aged 10 years.”
-American Whiskey: A whiskey manufactured in the USA. “By law all bourbons are American Whiskies.”
-American White Oak: A white oak that is traditionally used to mature American whiskies such as bourbons. “The rules say bourbon has to be aged in new American white oak barrels.”
-Angel’s Share: the amount of whiskey lost to evaporation or is absorbed by the barrel. “The barrel lost about 3% to the angels share.”
B:
-Barley: A grain that is can be used in whiskey production. Often malted to help bump start the fermentation process. “This Old Forester Bourbon has 10% malted barley.”
-Blended Whiskey: Different whiskies (can be from different distilleries) that are mixed together. “This Monkey Shoulder is a blended whiskey.”
-Body: a term used to describe the taste of a whiskey. Can describe the mouth feel or viscosity of a whiskey. “This Talisker 10 has a smokey and salty body.”
-BIB/Bottled-in-Bond: A set of requirements for making and aging a whiskey including being distilled by a single master distiller during a single distillation season. The product must be aged in a bonded warehouse for at least 4 years. “Dickel Bottled-in-Bond was one of my favorite bourbons last year.”
-Bourbon: A style of American Whiskey which must be produced in the USA (does not have to be made in Kentucky). Must contain at least 51% corn in the mash bill and most be aged in New American Oak. Cannot have additives like flavor or coloring. “Bourbon is my favorite style of whiskey.”
-Bourbon Barrel: A barrel used to house bourbon. Often used to age Scotch and other whiskies that do not have the “New Oak” requirement. “This Laphroaig was aged in used Bourbon Barrels.”
-Bung: The wooden plug of a barrel. “Pull that bung out so we can give this whiskey a taste.”
-Bung Hole: The hole in a barrel typically used for filling or emptying. The bung hole is plugged by a bung. “Once we roll the barrel over the whiskey will pour out of the bung hole.”
-Butt: A style/size of barrel common in Spanish Sherries. Usually 475-500 liters in size. “This scotch was matured in butts that formerly held sherry.”
C:
-Campbeltown: One of the 5 Scotch producing regions in Scotland. “This Springbank is my favorite Scotch from Campbeltown.”
-Cask: Shorthand for a barrel used to age whiskey. “This whiskey spent too much time in the cask and taste overly oaked.”
-Cask Strength: A whiskey that is bottled without water being added for dilution. “This George T. Stagg is cask strength and packs a punch.”
-Charcoal Mellowing: The process of filtering whiskey through charcoal. This is an essential part of the “Lincoln County Process” for making Tennessee Whiskey. “Jack Daniel’s uses charcoal mellowing to smooth its taste.”
-Char/Charring: The intentional burning of the inside of a barrel used to age whiskey. The resulting charcoal layer help impart flavor to the whiskey. “Wild Turkey uses a level 4 char.”
-Chill Filtering: A process used to filter whiskey where it is brought down in temperature to between 14F and 39F (-10C and 4C) and run through a fine filter. This allows the whiskey to not appear cloudy when chilled. “This is whiskey is chill filtered so its still clear when I pour it on the rocks.”
-Coffee Still: A variation of a pot still that uses a column to allow for continuous distillation. “This Nikka Coffee Grain was distilled using a coffee still.”
-Color: The color of a whiskey that either comes from barrel aging or in some whiskey categories can be added via food coloring. “This Old Forester 1920 has an amazing caramel color.”
-Column Still: A Style of still that allows for continuous distillation allowing for greater output. “Most mass-produced whiskies use a column still.”
-Continuous Distillation: A process typically using a column still where whiskey is continual distilled on a still. “They are able to produce so much whiskey because they use a continuous distillation process.”
-Cooper: Someone who makes and repairs barrels. “My cousin was a cooper for Jim Beam.”
-Cooperage: A business who makes barrels. “Oregon Barrel Works is an amazing Cooperage.”
-Cork: A bottle stopper typically made from the natural cork oak tree but can be a synthetic material that does not break down. “Pop the cork on that bottle.”
-Corn: A grain used in the production of some whiskies. “Corn has to be the main grain for the whiskey to be considered bourbon.”
-Corn Whiskey: An American style of whiskey which must have at least 80% corn in the mash bill. It does not have to be aged in wood. “Mellow Corn is one of my favorite corn whiskies.”
D:
-Dilution: The process of adding water to a whiskey to lower its alcohol content. “Add a few drops of water to that cask strength whiskey to dilute it.”
-Distill/Distillation: The process of extracting the alcohol content from a liquid. “They distill the wash to get the alcohol to 160 proof.”
-Distillery: A business where they distill spirits. “We went to the Buffalo Trace Distillery.”
-Draff: The leftover/spent grains from making a whiskey wash. They are often used as feed for farm animals. “This distillery sends their draff to the local cow farm.”
-Dram: A typical pour of whiskey. Often about 1oz (35ml) “That whiskey was great. Please pour me another dram.”
-
E:
-European Oak: An often “spicier” oak often from France which can be used to mature or finish whiskies. “Maker’s Mark 46 uses some European Oak staves which gives it a little more spice.”
F:
-Fermentation: The natural process where yeast converts sugars into alcohol. “The mix the corn, rye and barley before fermentation begins.”
-Finish: How a whiskey taste/feels after it is swallowed or spit out. “This Barrel Bourbon has a long, sweet finish.”
-Finished Whiskey: A whiskey that is put into a different barrel in order to provide additional/different flavors to the whiskey. “Angel’s Envy is one of my favorite finished whiskies.”
-First Fill: A used barrel that is filled with another whiskey for the first time. Typically used in Scotch production using barrels that formerly held bourbon. “This Laphroaig uses first fill bourbon barrels to age it.”
-Four Grain Bourbon: A bourbon that is made of corn, rye, wheat and barley. “Balcones Pot Still Bourbon is a 4 grain bourbon.”
G:
-Germination: The natural process where the grain germinates to produce more sugar before being processed and fermented. “The rye is allowed to germinate before they dry and grind it.”
-Glencairn Glass: A glass made specially for nosing and tasting whiskey. “I prefer to try new whiskies in a Glencarin glass to get the most out of it.”
-Grain whiskey: Whiskey made with only unmalted barley. “This Scotch is fairly light as its just a grain whiskey.”
-Grist: Grains that have been ground for use in whiskey. “The grist that came out of the mill is from the malted barley.”
H:
-Head Cut: The beginning part of a distillation run that is often put back ito the mash or disposed of. “The have to toss the head cut since it’s alcohol could be dangerous.”
- Heart Cut: The middle part of a distillation run that is usually kept for the final product. “The master distiller has to ensure they use only the best heart cut for this whiskey.”
-Hogshead: A large barrel that can store whiskey. Often 79 gallons or 300L. “They mature their whiskey in hogsheads for 10 years.”
-Hoops: The large metal rings that are use to bind barrel staves together. “The hoops on that barrel have an amazing patina too them.”
I:
-Independent Bottler: A company that purchases whiskies from various distilleries and sells them under their own private label. “Compass Box is one of my favorite independent bottlers.”
-Infinity Bottle: A bottle consisting of various amounts and kinds of whiskey put in by an individual. “I keep an infinity bottle and any bottle with less than 2 ounces gets added to it.”
-Irish Whiskey: Whiskey that is produced in Ireland. “Redbreast is my favorite Irish whiskey.”
K:
-Kentucky Straight Bourbon: Bourbon made in the State of Kentucky that is aged for at least 2 years. “Woodford Reserve is a great Kentucky straight bourbon.”
-Kiln: A furnace used to dry grains after malting or for drying barrel staves before being made into a barrel. “They use kiln dried wood in their barrels to speed up the process.”
L:
-Lincoln County Process: Named for Lincoln County Tennessee, it is the process that almost all Tennessee whiskies go through where the distillate is filtered or soaked in charcoal before being barreled for aging. “Jack Daniel’s is made using the Lincoln County Process.”
-Low Wine: The liquid collected after a first distillation run. “After the first distillation we run the low wine through the pot still again.”
M:
-Malt: A germinated grain that has been dried to halt the germination process. Typically referencing malted barley but most cereal grains can be malted. “This single malt scotch is fantastic.”
-Malt House: A building where malt is produced. “Most of the Islay distilleries use the same malt house.”
-Malting: The process of soaking a grain so that it germinates and then drying the grain to stop the process. This helps increase the available sugar for the yeast to turn into alcohol during fermentation. “The malting process can take some time if you do it the old-fashioned way.”
-Mash: The mixture of milled grains and water that is used to make a whiskey. Mash is prior to the fermentation. “They pump the mash into tanks so they can add yeast and begin fermenting.”
-Mash Bill: The grain recipe for a whiskey. “The bourbons mash bill has to be at least 51% corn to legally be called bourbon.”
-Master Blender: The person responsible for blending of whiskies/whiskey barrels. “The master blender tends to always make whiskies with black tea on the palate.”
-Master Distiller: The person responsible for the distillation process. “The master distiller has to run this whole distillery.”
-Maturation: The process of aging whiskey in wood barrels. Typically noted in years or sometimes months. “This scotch matured for 10 years in used oak.”
-Middle Cut: See Heart Cut
-Moonshine: Illegally made and often unaged whiskey. “During prohibition my great uncle ran moonshine in Tennessee.”
N:
-NAS/No Age Statement: A whiskey that does not have a notation of how long it was aged before being bottled. “Scotch is so popular now that a lot of the big distillers have switched to NAS.”
-New Make: The clear alcohol that comes off of the still before it has been put into barrels to age. “Buffalo Traces sells their new make for you to try.”
-Norlan Glass: A nosing and tasting glass made to feel more substantial in the hand when tasting whiskey. “I like to drink my bourbons in a Norlan glass.”
-Nosing Glass: A glass, typically tulip shaped, to help find all of the scents in a whiskey. “I smell a lot more stone fruit in this whiskey when I use a nosing glass.”
-Nosing/Tasting Wheel: A circular graphic showing different flavors or scents to help in finding them in a whiskey. “I used a nosing wheel to realize there was fresh green apples in this scotch.”
O:
-Oak: A type of tree from which whiskey barrels are typically made. “I love whiskies that are finished in Oregon Oak.”
-Oloroso Sherry Cask: A barrel that was used to age Oloroso Sherry which is a variety of fortified wine. “This scotch is finished in Oloroso Sherry Casks which give it a nutty flavor.”
-On the Rocks: Whiskey served on ice. “Ill take a Maker’s on the rocks please.”
P:
-Peat: A partially decomposed type of soil. It can be cut from the ground and dried. The dried peat can be burned to create heat and smoke for drying grains. “Islay whiskies often use peat to dry the malted barley.”
-P.X./Pedro-Ximinez Sherry Cask: A style of sweet Sherry which is a fortified wine. Used for finishing some whiskies. “This scotch is finished in PX Sherry Casks.”
-Port Wine Cask: A barrel that was previously used to age Port which is a fortified wine. “Angel’s Envy is a port finished bourbon which is why it has fruity notes.”
-Pot Still: A traditional style still made of copper. “Balcones Bourbon is made using a copper pot still.”
-P.P.M./Parts Per Million: A scale used to measure the “smokiness” of a peated whiskey. “Octomore is one of the smokiest whiskies out there with more than 120PPM.”
-Prohibition: The period in American history between 1920 and 1933 when alcohol was banned. “Speakeasys were common during prohibition.”
-Proof: A measurement of the amount of alcohol in a liquid. Calculated as the doubling of the alcohol by volume. “This 80 proof rye is 40% ABV.”
Q:
-Quarter Cask: A smaller barrel that can be used to age whiskey. Typically 33 gallons or 125 liters. “This Laphroaig is finished in quarter casks which give it even more flavor.”
R:
-Rack House: A warehouse used to store aging barrels of whiskey. “When we got a tour of the distillery, I liked the rack house the best. It was so big.”
-Refill: A used barrel that is refilled for additional aging or finishing. “After they ship the used bourbon barrels to Scotland they fill them with Scotch to age.”
-Rickhouse: See Rack House.
-Rye: A grain used in the production of some whiskies. “This bourbon is high rye and has a bit of spice to it.”
-Rye Whiskey: Whiskey that is made with at least 51% in the mash bill. “I love a good rye whiskey in the fall.”
S:
-Sherry Cask: Barrels that formerly held sherry which is a fortified wine. “This sherry cask finished scotch has a lot of almond notes in it.”
-Single Cask: A whiskey that is bottled from one single barrel rather than a blend of multiple barrels. “Blanton’s was the first single cask bourbon.”
-Single Malt Whiskey: A whiskey made from only malted barley and produced by a single distillery. “Lagavulin is one of my favorite single malt scotches.”
- Slainté: An Irish toast which translates to “health”. “Thank you to everyone for coming tonight. Slainte!”
-Solera aging/cask: A style of aging where the barrels are not completely emptied during bottling. The barrels are refilled with younger whiskies allowing the younger whiskies to interact with the older whiskies. “Hillrock Bourbon is one of the more common solera aged whiskies.”
-Small Batch: An unregulated term which typically means the whiskey was produced in limited numbers. “This bottle of Elijah Craig Small Batch is easy to drink.”
-Sour Mash: A style of fermentation where part of the previous ferment is added to the current fermentation. “Jack Daniel’s uses a sour mash when they distill their whiskey.”
-Stave: A piece of wood used to make a barrel. “Maker’s Mark 46 uses French oak staves in their finishing process.”
-Steeping: Soaking grains in water to allow the germination process to start. “They steep the barley before they allow it to germinate to start the malting process.”
-Straight Whiskey: American whiskey produced by a single distillery that meets requirements including being aged for at least 2 years old. “Woodford Reserve is one of my favorite Straight Bourbons.”
T:
-Taste: Flavors that are perceived once a whiskey is sipped. “I taste a lot of banana on this Old Forester 86.”
-Tasting: Drinking whiskies specifically to find flavor notes. “I went to a tasting at that distillery down the road and had a lot of good whiskies.”
-Tennessee Whiskey: Whiskey that follows a set of guidelines including being made in the state of Tennessee and typically following the Lincoln County Process. “Dickel is a great Tennessee Whiskey.”
-Toast: A saying that is said before a glass is raised for all to drink. “Cheers!” is the most common toast in America. “Cheers! To good health!”
-Toasting: Heating a barrel at a lower heat than charring a barrel but for a longer period. Thought to bring out more caramel and vanilla notes in a whiskey that is aged or finished in a toasted barrel. “Elijah Craig has a fantastic Toasted Barrel expression.”
-Tumbler: A round glass used for drinking whiskey or cocktails. “I love the heft of a nice glass tumbler.”
V:
-Vintage Whiskey: Whiskey that has the year the whiskey was distilled on the label. “This Scotch is a 1994 Variety.”
-Virgin Oak: Whiskey that has not been filled with any other liquid prior to whiskey being added. “Bourbon has to use virgin oak to be legally called bourbon.”
W:
-Wheat Whiskey: Whiskey that is made using at least 51% wheat in the mash bill. “Woodford Wheat whiskey has a lot of soft sweetness to it.”
-Wheated Bourbon: A bourbon who’s second most used grain in the mash bill is wheat in stead of rye. “Weller is a very popular wheated bourbon.”
-Whiskey: Whiskey with the “E” is the common spelling in American and Irish styles of whiskey. “Michter’s American Whiskey is one of my all time favorites.”
-Whiskey Neat: Whiskey served in a glass with no additions. Typically served at room temperatures. “Ill take a Woodinville Rye, neat please.”
-Whisky: Whisky without the “E” is the common spelling for Canadian and Scotch whiskies. “Scotch is what first got me into whisky.”
-White Dog: Whiskey as it comes directly from the still before being aged. “That white dog whiskey had a real bite to it.”
-Wort: Mash that has yeast added to it to begin the fermentation process. “They added the wort to the tank so it could ferment and create the alcohol.”
Y:
-Yeast: A kind of fungus that can convert sugars into alcohol. “Four roses uses a number of different yeasts to create different flavors in their whiskies.”
Whisk(e)y Glossary
A:
-ABV/Alcohol By Volume: The amount of alcohol in a whiskey by volume not weight. Noted as a percentage. “This Woodford Reserve is 45.2 ABV”
-Age: The amount of time the whiskey spends maturing in an oak cask. “This Eagle Rare Bourbon is aged 10 years.”
-American Whiskey: A whiskey manufactured in the USA. “By law all bourbons are American Whiskies.”
-American White Oak: A white oak that is traditionally used to mature American whiskies such as bourbons. “The rules say bourbon has to be aged in new American white oak barrels.”
-Angel’s Share: the amount of whiskey lost to evaporation or is absorbed by the barrel. “The barrel lost about 3% to the angels share.”
B:
-Barley: A grain that is can be used in whiskey production. Often malted to help bump start the fermentation process. “This Old Forester Bourbon has 10% malted barley.”
-Blended Whiskey: Different whiskies (can be from different distilleries) that are mixed together. “This Monkey Shoulder is a blended whiskey.”
-Body: a term used to describe the taste of a whiskey. Can describe the mouth feel or viscosity of a whiskey. “This Talisker 10 has a smokey and salty body.”
-BIB/Bottled-in-Bond: A set of requirements for making and aging a whiskey including being distilled by a single master distiller during a single distillation season. The product must be aged in a bonded warehouse for at least 4 years. “Dickel Bottled-in-Bond was one of my favorite bourbons last year.”
-Bourbon: A style of American Whiskey which must be produced in the USA (does not have to be made in Kentucky). Must contain at least 51% corn in the mash bill and most be aged in New American Oak. Cannot have additives like flavor or coloring. “Bourbon is my favorite style of whiskey.”
-Bourbon Barrel: A barrel used to house bourbon. Often used to age Scotch and other whiskies that do not have the “New Oak” requirement. “This Laphroaig was aged in used Bourbon Barrels.”
-Bung: The wooden plug of a barrel. “Pull that bung out so we can give this whiskey a taste.”
-Bung Hole: The hole in a barrel typically used for filling or emptying. The bung hole is plugged by a bung. “Once we roll the barrel over the whiskey will pour out of the bung hole.”
-Butt: A style/size of barrel common in Spanish Sherries. Usually 475-500 liters in size. “This scotch was matured in butts that formerly held sherry.”
C:
-Campbeltown: One of the 5 Scotch producing regions in Scotland. “This Springbank is my favorite Scotch from Campbeltown.”
-Cask: Shorthand for a barrel used to age whiskey. “This whiskey spent too much time in the cask and taste overly oaked.”
-Cask Strength: A whiskey that is bottled without water being added for dilution. “This George T. Stagg is cask strength and packs a punch.”
-Charcoal Mellowing: The process of filtering whiskey through charcoal. This is an essential part of the “Lincoln County Process” for making Tennessee Whiskey. “Jack Daniel’s uses charcoal mellowing to smooth its taste.”
-Char/Charring: The intentional burning of the inside of a barrel used to age whiskey. The resulting charcoal layer help impart flavor to the whiskey. “Wild Turkey uses a level 4 char.”
-Chill Filtering: A process used to filter whiskey where it is brought down in temperature to between 14F and 39F (-10C and 4C) and run through a fine filter. This allows the whiskey to not appear cloudy when chilled. “This is whiskey is chill filtered so its still clear when I pour it on the rocks.”
-Coffee Still: A variation of a pot still that uses a column to allow for continuous distillation. “This Nikka Coffee Grain was distilled using a coffee still.”
-Color: The color of a whiskey that either comes from barrel aging or in some whiskey categories can be added via food coloring. “This Old Forester 1920 has an amazing caramel color.”
-Column Still: A Style of still that allows for continuous distillation allowing for greater output. “Most mass-produced whiskies use a column still.”
-Continuous Distillation: A process typically using a column still where whiskey is continual distilled on a still. “They are able to produce so much whiskey because they use a continuous distillation process.”
-Cooper: Someone who makes and repairs barrels. “My cousin was a cooper for Jim Beam.”
-Cooperage: A business who makes barrels. “Oregon Barrel Works is an amazing Cooperage.”
-Cork: A bottle stopper typically made from the natural cork oak tree but can be a synthetic material that does not break down. “Pop the cork on that bottle.”
-Corn: A grain used in the production of some whiskies. “Corn has to be the main grain for the whiskey to be considered bourbon.”
-Corn Whiskey: An American style of whiskey which must have at least 80% corn in the mash bill. It does not have to be aged in wood. “Mellow Corn is one of my favorite corn whiskies.”
D:
-Dilution: The process of adding water to a whiskey to lower its alcohol content. “Add a few drops of water to that cask strength whiskey to dilute it.”
-Distill/Distillation: The process of extracting the alcohol content from a liquid. “They distill the wash to get the alcohol to 160 proof.”
-Distillery: A business where they distill spirits. “We went to the Buffalo Trace Distillery.”
-Draff: The leftover/spent grains from making a whiskey wash. They are often used as feed for farm animals. “This distillery sends their draff to the local cow farm.”
-Dram: A typical pour of whiskey. Often about 1oz (35ml) “That whiskey was great. Please pour me another dram.”
-
E:
-European Oak: An often “spicier” oak often from France which can be used to mature or finish whiskies. “Maker’s Mark 46 uses some European Oak staves which gives it a little more spice.”
F:
-Fermentation: The natural process where yeast converts sugars into alcohol. “The mix the corn, rye and barley before fermentation begins.”
-Finish: How a whiskey taste/feels after it is swallowed or spit out. “This Barrel Bourbon has a long, sweet finish.”
-Finished Whiskey: A whiskey that is put into a different barrel in order to provide additional/different flavors to the whiskey. “Angel’s Envy is one of my favorite finished whiskies.”
-First Fill: A used barrel that is filled with another whiskey for the first time. Typically used in Scotch production using barrels that formerly held bourbon. “This Laphroaig uses first fill bourbon barrels to age it.”
-Four Grain Bourbon: A bourbon that is made of corn, rye, wheat and barley. “Balcones Pot Still Bourbon is a 4 grain bourbon.”
G:
-Germination: The natural process where the grain germinates to produce more sugar before being processed and fermented. “The rye is allowed to germinate before they dry and grind it.”
-Glencairn Glass: A glass made specially for nosing and tasting whiskey. “I prefer to try new whiskies in a Glencarin glass to get the most out of it.”
-Grain whiskey: Whiskey made with only unmalted barley. “This Scotch is fairly light as its just a grain whiskey.”
-Grist: Grains that have been ground for use in whiskey. “The grist that came out of the mill is from the malted barley.”
H:
-Head Cut: The beginning part of a distillation run that is often put back ito the mash or disposed of. “The have to toss the head cut since it’s alcohol could be dangerous.”
- Heart Cut: The middle part of a distillation run that is usually kept for the final product. “The master distiller has to ensure they use only the best heart cut for this whiskey.”
-Hogshead: A large barrel that can store whiskey. Often 79 gallons or 300L. “They mature their whiskey in hogsheads for 10 years.”
-Hoops: The large metal rings that are use to bind barrel staves together. “The hoops on that barrel have an amazing patina too them.”
I:
-Independent Bottler: A company that purchases whiskies from various distilleries and sells them under their own private label. “Compass Box is one of my favorite independent bottlers.”
-Infinity Bottle: A bottle consisting of various amounts and kinds of whiskey put in by an individual. “I keep an infinity bottle and any bottle with less than 2 ounces gets added to it.”
-Irish Whiskey: Whiskey that is produced in Ireland. “Redbreast is my favorite Irish whiskey.”
K:
-Kentucky Straight Bourbon: Bourbon made in the State of Kentucky that is aged for at least 2 years. “Woodford Reserve is a great Kentucky straight bourbon.”
-Kiln: A furnace used to dry grains after malting or for drying barrel staves before being made into a barrel. “They use kiln dried wood in their barrels to speed up the process.”
L:
-Lincoln County Process: Named for Lincoln County Tennessee, it is the process that almost all Tennessee whiskies go through where the distillate is filtered or soaked in charcoal before being barreled for aging. “Jack Daniel’s is made using the Lincoln County Process.”
-Low Wine: The liquid collected after a first distillation run. “After the first distillation we run the low wine through the pot still again.”
M:
-Malt: A germinated grain that has been dried to halt the germination process. Typically referencing malted barley but most cereal grains can be malted. “This single malt scotch is fantastic.”
-Malt House: A building where malt is produced. “Most of the Islay distilleries use the same malt house.”
-Malting: The process of soaking a grain so that it germinates and then drying the grain to stop the process. This helps increase the available sugar for the yeast to turn into alcohol during fermentation. “The malting process can take some time if you do it the old-fashioned way.”
-Mash: The mixture of milled grains and water that is used to make a whiskey. Mash is prior to the fermentation. “They pump the mash into tanks so they can add yeast and begin fermenting.”
-Mash Bill: The grain recipe for a whiskey. “The bourbons mash bill has to be at least 51% corn to legally be called bourbon.”
-Master Blender: The person responsible for blending of whiskies/whiskey barrels. “The master blender tends to always make whiskies with black tea on the palate.”
-Master Distiller: The person responsible for the distillation process. “The master distiller has to run this whole distillery.”
-Maturation: The process of aging whiskey in wood barrels. Typically noted in years or sometimes months. “This scotch matured for 10 years in used oak.”
-Middle Cut: See Heart Cut
-Moonshine: Illegally made and often unaged whiskey. “During prohibition my great uncle ran moonshine in Tennessee.”
N:
-NAS/No Age Statement: A whiskey that does not have a notation of how long it was aged before being bottled. “Scotch is so popular now that a lot of the big distillers have switched to NAS.”
-New Make: The clear alcohol that comes off of the still before it has been put into barrels to age. “Buffalo Traces sells their new make for you to try.”
-Norlan Glass: A nosing and tasting glass made to feel more substantial in the hand when tasting whiskey. “I like to drink my bourbons in a Norlan glass.”
-Nosing Glass: A glass, typically tulip shaped, to help find all of the scents in a whiskey. “I smell a lot more stone fruit in this whiskey when I use a nosing glass.”
-Nosing/Tasting Wheel: A circular graphic showing different flavors or scents to help in finding them in a whiskey. “I used a nosing wheel to realize there was fresh green apples in this scotch.”
O:
-Oak: A type of tree from which whiskey barrels are typically made. “I love whiskies that are finished in Oregon Oak.”
-Oloroso Sherry Cask: A barrel that was used to age Oloroso Sherry which is a variety of fortified wine. “This scotch is finished in Oloroso Sherry Casks which give it a nutty flavor.”
-On the Rocks: Whiskey served on ice. “Ill take a Maker’s on the rocks please.”
P:
-Peat: A partially decomposed type of soil. It can be cut from the ground and dried. The dried peat can be burned to create heat and smoke for drying grains. “Islay whiskies often use peat to dry the malted barley.”
-P.X./Pedro-Ximinez Sherry Cask: A style of sweet Sherry which is a fortified wine. Used for finishing some whiskies. “This scotch is finished in PX Sherry Casks.”
-Port Wine Cask: A barrel that was previously used to age Port which is a fortified wine. “Angel’s Envy is a port finished bourbon which is why it has fruity notes.”
-Pot Still: A traditional style still made of copper. “Balcones Bourbon is made using a copper pot still.”
-P.P.M./Parts Per Million: A scale used to measure the “smokiness” of a peated whiskey. “Octomore is one of the smokiest whiskies out there with more than 120PPM.”
-Prohibition: The period in American history between 1920 and 1933 when alcohol was banned. “Speakeasys were common during prohibition.”
-Proof: A measurement of the amount of alcohol in a liquid. Calculated as the doubling of the alcohol by volume. “This 80 proof rye is 40% ABV.”
Q:
-Quarter Cask: A smaller barrel that can be used to age whiskey. Typically 33 gallons or 125 liters. “This Laphroaig is finished in quarter casks which give it even more flavor.”
R:
-Rack House: A warehouse used to store aging barrels of whiskey. “When we got a tour of the distillery, I liked the rack house the best. It was so big.”
-Refill: A used barrel that is refilled for additional aging or finishing. “After they ship the used bourbon barrels to Scotland they fill them with Scotch to age.”
-Rickhouse: See Rack House.
-Rye: A grain used in the production of some whiskies. “This bourbon is high rye and has a bit of spice to it.”
-Rye Whiskey: Whiskey that is made with at least 51% in the mash bill. “I love a good rye whiskey in the fall.”
S:
-Sherry Cask: Barrels that formerly held sherry which is a fortified wine. “This sherry cask finished scotch has a lot of almond notes in it.”
-Single Cask: A whiskey that is bottled from one single barrel rather than a blend of multiple barrels. “Blanton’s was the first single cask bourbon.”
-Single Malt Whiskey: A whiskey made from only malted barley and produced by a single distillery. “Lagavulin is one of my favorite single malt scotches.”
- Slainté: An Irish toast which translates to “health”. “Thank you to everyone for coming tonight. Slainte!”
-Solera aging/cask: A style of aging where the barrels are not completely emptied during bottling. The barrels are refilled with younger whiskies allowing the younger whiskies to interact with the older whiskies. “Hillrock Bourbon is one of the more common solera aged whiskies.”
-Small Batch: An unregulated term which typically means the whiskey was produced in limited numbers. “This bottle of Elijah Craig Small Batch is easy to drink.”
-Sour Mash: A style of fermentation where part of the previous ferment is added to the current fermentation. “Jack Daniel’s uses a sour mash when they distill their whiskey.”
-Stave: A piece of wood used to make a barrel. “Maker’s Mark 46 uses French oak staves in their finishing process.”
-Steeping: Soaking grains in water to allow the germination process to start. “They steep the barley before they allow it to germinate to start the malting process.”
-Straight Whiskey: American whiskey produced by a single distillery that meets requirements including being aged for at least 2 years old. “Woodford Reserve is one of my favorite Straight Bourbons.”
T:
-Taste: Flavors that are perceived once a whiskey is sipped. “I taste a lot of banana on this Old Forester 86.”
-Tasting: Drinking whiskies specifically to find flavor notes. “I went to a tasting at that distillery down the road and had a lot of good whiskies.”
-Tennessee Whiskey: Whiskey that follows a set of guidelines including being made in the state of Tennessee and typically following the Lincoln County Process. “Dickel is a great Tennessee Whiskey.”
-Toast: A saying that is said before a glass is raised for all to drink. “Cheers!” is the most common toast in America. “Cheers! To good health!”
-Toasting: Heating a barrel at a lower heat than charring a barrel but for a longer period. Thought to bring out more caramel and vanilla notes in a whiskey that is aged or finished in a toasted barrel. “Elijah Craig has a fantastic Toasted Barrel expression.”
-Tumbler: A round glass used for drinking whiskey or cocktails. “I love the heft of a nice glass tumbler.”
V:
-Vintage Whiskey: Whiskey that has the year the whiskey was distilled on the label. “This Scotch is a 1994 Variety.”
-Virgin Oak: Whiskey that has not been filled with any other liquid prior to whiskey being added. “Bourbon has to use virgin oak to be legally called bourbon.”
W:
-Wheat Whiskey: Whiskey that is made using at least 51% wheat in the mash bill. “Woodford Wheat whiskey has a lot of soft sweetness to it.”
-Wheated Bourbon: A bourbon who’s second most used grain in the mash bill is wheat in stead of rye. “Weller is a very popular wheated bourbon.”
-Whiskey: Whiskey with the “E” is the common spelling in American and Irish styles of whiskey. “Michter’s American Whiskey is one of my all time favorites.”
-Whiskey Neat: Whiskey served in a glass with no additions. Typically served at room temperatures. “Ill take a Woodinville Rye, neat please.”
-Whisky: Whisky without the “E” is the common spelling for Canadian and Scotch whiskies. “Scotch is what first got me into whisky.”
-White Dog: Whiskey as it comes directly from the still before being aged. “That white dog whiskey had a real bite to it.”
-Wort: Mash that has yeast added to it to begin the fermentation process. “They added the wort to the tank so it could ferment and create the alcohol.”
Y:
-Yeast: A kind of fungus that can convert sugars into alcohol. “Four roses uses a number of different yeasts to create different flavors in their whiskies.”
