What are the different types of whiskey?
Without getting too far into the weeds on every single type of whiskey out there, especially considering that a new style pops up all the time these days, we put together a primer on the most common styles out there and a little background on what the base requirements are to make any whiskey.
The Basics
- All whiskeys are made from grain.
- The starch in the grain is converted into sugar and then fermented into a rudimentary beer.
- The alcohol in the beer is then distilled out, resulting in whiskey.
- The most common grains used are corn, rye, and barley. But whiskey can be fermented and distilled using millet, wheat, spelt, oats, triticale, and sorghum as well.
- In all categories of whiskey produced in the U.S., there are requirements for the proof levels at which they’re distilled and also at which they’re barreled.
How do you get sugar from grain?
In order to produce alcohol, you need sugar. The sugar can come from any source. You feed that sugar to yeast, and the yeast ferments the sugar into alcohol.
In order to make alcohol from grain, the starch in the grain must be converted to sugar using an enzyme that is created when the grain germinates. Once the grain has the enzyme, it is called “malt.” The malting process involves germinating a grain, usually barley, until it has produced the enzyme, and then stopping the germination using heat.
What is Malt Whiskey?
Malt Whiskey is made from a fermented mash consisting partially or entirely of malted barley. Barley is the most efficient grain to turn into malt, so when you hear the term “malt” it generally means barley.
The recipe, or “mash bill” must be:
- Comprised of at least 51% malted barley
- Aged in new charred American oak barrels
- Any other grain may be used in addition to the malted barley
- A maximum of 160 proof is allowed in the United States
What makes Single Malt Whiskey a little different?
If the mash bill is 100% malted barley, and is distilled entirely in a single distillery, it qualifies as a Single Malt Whiskey. Which is a term that has been typically associated with Scotch Whisky, but is now a quickly growing category in the United States.
Tired of reading about whiskey and want to learn about it in person? Come visit us!
We will answer every last question you have about whiskey, because we are whiskey geeks just like you. Our tours are about 2 hours and we go through everything from our history to the history of whiskey. You will learn about how our whiskey is made and get to try many of the hard to find limited releases with us in the tasting room.
What is the difference between Scotch Whiskey and American Single Malt Whiskey?
Currently, there is not an official law on the books in the USA for American Single Malt, but it is in the works.The American Single Malt Whiskey Commission has petitioned the Federal agency that governs alcohol production to establish legal standards for the category. For more information on this you can visit https://www.americansinglemaltwhiskey.org/.
This category has influence from Scotch, but since Scotch can only be made in Scotland, a new category is being born in the US.
In summary, Scotch Whisky by UK law is:
- Made in Scotland from only cereals, water and yeast
- Matured for a minimum of 3 years in oak casks
- Bottled at a minimum strength of 40% abv
- Distilled below 94.8% abv so that it retains the flavour and aroma derived from its raw materials
- No flavouring or sweetening is permitted
Which leads us to the time honored question, is it whiskey or whisky?
There are no set rules for this one, but history has it that it was originally whisky in Scotland and whiskey in Ireland. The irish influence won over in the US and we ended up with whiskey. Some US distilleries still use whisky as a nod to their influence from scotch. The Canadians and Japanese decided to leave out the E as well. Ultimately, if you think about how the Scots might pronounce it vs the Irish, it seems to make sense why one has the E.
For us, we like to spend less of our time splitting hairs on spelling and more time on producing delicious whiskey, so if you ask us…spell it however you want! 🙂
What makes a whiskey a bourbon?
Bourbon Whiskey is made predominantly from corn. It almost always has some barley malt as well, because barley is the most efficient grain to malt, and is often used to make sure there is plenty of enzyme to convert the starch in the corn to sugar. Mash bills for Bourbon often also include grains like wheat or rye. Contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t have to be made in Kentucky, although 95 percent of the world’s supply is.
By U.S. law, a Bourbon must be:
- Made in the United States.
- At least 51% corn in its mash bill.
- Aged in new charred oak containers (it does not have to be in barrels, but the containers must be new charred oak).
- Not be distilled above 160 proof, which helps preserve the unique grain flavor.
- Not start the aging process above 125 proof, although it can end up at higher proof.
- Be bottled at at least 80 proof.
- Bourbon must be aged for at least two years to be considered a straight bourbon.
What is a rye whiskey?
The U.S. requirements for Rye Whiskey are similar to those for Bourbon. As you might imagine, it is mostly rye and often has corn or wheat. It almost always has barley malt as well.
By U.S. law, a Rye Whiskey must be:
- At least 51% rye.
- Hold the same proof and oak requirements as Bourbon.
- A “high rye” mash bill can include 95% rye and 5% malted barley.
Want to try some rye from AZ? Check out our Sentinel Straight Rye!
Using our own process of aging and finishing with mesquite charcoal from our process to make our Dorado Whiskey, we have a very unique flavor profile in our rye.
You can purchase at the distillery or order online and we can ship to most states.
A Short Quiz (Grade Yourself):
- When you see the term “malt,” what grain is it generally referring to?
- What are the most common grains used in whiskey production in the U.S.?
- What is the predominant grain in the mash bill for Bourbon?
- What is the only grain in the mash bill for single malt whiskey?
- Sometimes at Whiskey Del Bac we say, “Whiskey is what beer wants to be when it grows up.” Why do you think we say that?
- What is your favorite kind of whiskey?
Now the best way to learn about whiskey?
Visit us! We have regular tours of the distillery and they all end with a tasting of our whiskey. We go deeper into the process of how whiskey is made and even deeper into how we approach making it. It is fun and you will end your tour ready to dazzle your friends with your expert knowledge of the trade.