Whiskey is a strong alcoholic drink that has a rich taste and color. It is known all over the world, moreover, it’s hard to even imagine an American film in which the hero would not sip this drink in the silence of a bar or savor it in his office after a hard day at work. But at the same time, the history of the production and use of whiskey is replete with many surprising facts about which you had no idea.
The history of whiskey
It is believed that this alcohol beverage began to be produced in Europe in the Early Middle Ages, but the first written mention of it appeared only in the early 15th century. It was associated with Irish monks. And at the end of the century, their Scottish counterparts told about their ability to create “living water” (that is how whiskey was called in Latin in the source - “aqua vitae”, which corresponds to Celtic “uisce beatha”). By the way, in modern English it is customary to use two words to designate whiskey: “whiskey” and “whiskey”. The first is in relation to a drink made directly in Scotland, and the second is from Ireland or the USA.
Interestingly, in the early stages of its history, whiskey began to acquire a special status. At the beginning of the 16th century, it was sold in pharmacies as a miracle cure, and the Guild of Surgeons and Barber of Edinburgh had a monopoly on its production. Later, the Scottish Parliament even tried to ban the drive of whiskey to commoners, but this only led to the formation of underground enterprises.
What is whiskey made of
The production of this drink is a real art, because the final product is influenced by many factors: water quality, the type of grain, fermentation and filtration method, the characteristics of the wooden barrel and the aging time, the design of the distillation apparatus and even the air temperature during the spill. All this gives the whiskey not only original taste, but also a special elite status among alcoholic beverages.
The main raw material for whiskey is a variety of cereals. In the classic Scottish version, barley is used, which is grown in special areas, but the Irish add rye to barley malt. In the United States and Canada, rye, wheat, and even corn are used to produce the so-called bourbon.
As for the term of aging of the product, it is at least 3 years, and elite varieties can mature up to 50 years.
Varieties and types of whiskey
Depending on the country of origin, technology, raw material base and the duration of exposure, there are thousands of types of whiskey. But they can be combined into such groups:
1. Malt. This is a classic and expensive version of the drink, which is made from pure barley. It may belong to the same distillery (single malt) or be mixed from different places (cask).
2. Grain. Such a whiskey basically contains corn, sometimes mixed with barley, and undergoes only one distillation. Most often, the resulting liquid is used for mixing, rather than a separate sale.
3. Blended. The undisputed leader in global sales. This alcoholic beverage is obtained by mixing cereal and malt whiskeys.
4. Bourbon. This is US whiskey, which is based on corn malt. It is aged in special oak barrels that are burned from the inside.
How to drink whiskey
You may offend scot, irish or any other fine connoisseur of alcohol by asking them how exactly do the drink whiskey. And things would go good, if you get off with only verbal outrage. Mixing with ice, cola or other sodas, which is very popular in films, may be suitable only for cheap varieties. And if your only purpose is just to get drunk. But to feel the real taste of the drink, the production of which has so many subtleties, we need a special culture of consumption. It includes the furnishings, the company, the special glasses and even the special supply temperature - 18-21 degrees Celsius.
Here are a few recommendations from Scots on how to drink whiskey:
- admire (each variety has its own color);
- inhale (aroma is one of the main features of this drink);
- grease;
- swallow;
- dilute (take a sip of water to fully reveal the taste).
If you do everything right, you will feel the beauty of this “living water” and a pleasant evening will be guaranteed.
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