Irish whiskey

Ask an Irish person and they will tell you whisky was invented in Ireland.  True or not, Irish whiskey is a wonderful entry point into the culture of whisky.  Sweeter and more drinkable, “Irish” is the product of malt, cereal grain and barley that is distilled, aged, and bottled in Ireland. Its signature smooth, sweet, and spicy taste is a result of aging in Sherry or rum barrels for a minimum of 3 years. 

Varieties include in Pot Still, Single Malt, Single Grain, and Blended Irish Whiskey.

Canadian whisky

To call Canadian whisky “Rye” is a bit of a misnomer.  On the one hand, rye is a foundation grain that Canadian whisky makers have used for centuries. However, Canadian whisky makers originally used wheat and barley malt to make their spirits, and only eventually incorporated rye into their mash bills over time. By the 1940s, the larger distillers separated the grains and fermented, distilled, and aged them individually.  Blending the grains via a recipe after ageing.   Canadian whisky is distilled from a fermented mash consisting of any combination of wheat, corn, barley, and rye.  It must be aged a minimum of 3 years in barrels no bigger than 700 litres and must be made in Canada.

When it comes to taste, Canadian whiskies share a bright, clean, and lighter profile and are rich in flavour. Rye is Canadian whisky’s DNA. It gives our whisky character.  Rye is a naturally spicier grain than wheat, so Canadian whiskies made with rye share exciting peppery notes that create a balanced and interesting spirit.

Scotch whisky

The rule is simple: Whisky made in Scotland is scotch. If it’s not made in Scotland, it’s not. While the two terms are often used interchangeably, scotch has specific traits that make it unique in the whisky world.  There are 5 key scotch producing regions: Campbeltown, Highland, Islay, Lowland and Speyside. And it’s the landscape itself that defines scotch’s “peaty” taste profile. Peat moss is used to dry the malted barley and while the intensity of smokiness varies, it’s always there.  Behind the “peatiness” of scotch, you’ll find a complex list of flavours: from sweet caramel and vanilla to spice and pepper, and everything in between.

Scotch whisky is distilled in 5 varieties: single malt, blended malt, single grain, blended grain, and blended.

American whiskey

There is a wide variety of American whiskies, including Bourbon whisky, Rye whisky, Tennessee whisky, Blended whisky, and Single Malt whisky. For simplicity’s sake, a line can be drawn at Bourbon and not Bourbon.

Bourbon whisky making involves mixing selected grains together during the fermentation process.  This is called a mash bill.  Other whisk(e)y categories do not require mash bills.  For Bourbon whisky, corn must be 51% – 80% of the mash bill, and the remain portion can be small grains such as rye, barley, wheat, rye malt, or barley malt.  Corn gives the bourbon it’s signature sweetness.

Many whiskies use a range of used and unused casks of different varieties.  Wine-based barrels are common in American whiskey aging.  Bourbon on the other hand can only be aged in first fill or new charred American   barrels.  No additives and no colourings can be used.

American whiskies range in taste, from floral vanilla, honey and caramel notes to exciting spice, pepper, and wood.