Questions tagged [whiskey]

Whisky or whiskey is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Various grains (which may be malted) are used for different varieties, including barley, corn (maize), rye, and wheat. Whisky is typically aged in wooden casks, generally made of charred white oak.

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Difference between Whiskey and Bourbon?

I was wondering if anybody could give me the differences between a whiskey and bourbon, as I was in a conversation the other day and we were talking about Jack Daniels. It is a bourbon but a lot of people still call it a whiskey. We got into a lot…
Jamie Eltringham
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Is there a peatiness scale for whiskies

I am a big fan of the peatier Scotch whiskies, such as Octomore, Lagavulin, Laphroaig and Talisker, but aside from describing them as "really peaty" or "wow, so much smoke" it can be incredibly difficult to describe a particular whisky to someone…
Rory Alsop
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What are the factors that determine how long whisky is aged?

Whisk[e]y varieties often have significant differences in how long they are aged. While there are always exceptions, Bourbon is often aged for 5-10 years. Scotch, on the other hand, is more commonly aged for 10-20 years. Why is this?
Xander
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How to select upper-tier whiskies without trying them first?

In the past few years I've become a whisky fan boy, buying bottles in most styles, including Scotch. This question pertains mostly to Scotch, but other styles can be included too. One problem I've found is that I'd like to buy more upper tier…
mcraenich
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What does it mean that multiple whiskey brands come from the same distillery?

Today I was looking at buying my first bottle of whiskey since I got a liquor store gift card worth of $50. I enjoy whiskey so I figured this would be nice to buy. I was looking at for example Blanton's Bourbon and after doing some research, I found…
Markinson
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Whiskey - Irish vs. Scottish

I know that, in general, Scottish whiskey is peaty because of the way they dry the malt with peat smoke while Irish whisky is not because they use unpeated malt. Is the difference legally established in these two countries or is it convention? Can…
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How can I keep Whisky from corking over time?

I'm not a wine man but I believe the general rule is to keep the cork wet, although the story is entirely different with whisky due to the effect of its high alcohol content breaking down the cork. If the rule for whisky is to store the bottle…
Phil D.
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Does whisky change its taste in an open bottle?

When you open a bottle of whisky and don't finish it, lets say, within a year. Does it change its taste in this time period? If so, which processes lead to this change? I know there are a lot of rumors and opinions, I'm looking for (semi-)scientific…
d4zed
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What are the pros and cons of "Non Age Statement" Whisky

In the Scottish whisky market there has been a level of controversy over the last couple of years relating to "Non Age Statement" (a.k.a NAS) whisky. Several of the leading distillers now have NAS whisky in their line-ups for example Glenlivet…
Rory McCune
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How long will an opened bottle of whisky last while stored under ideal conditions?

I've recently made the decision to put my whisky collection into storage and slow down my drinking habit. Assuming I keep the bottles under moderate temperature, and out of sunlight, is there a ballpark figure to how long they'll remain…
mcraenich
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What constitutes a "stack of whiskey"?

This term was used in a TV show recently and was referring to the price of another highly prized liquor by saying it was worth 3 or 4 stacks of whiskey. The show was a recent episode of NCIS Los Angeles. In very last scene they sat down to a toast…
Kay Suitter
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How to correctly drink whiskey?

Last year I went to Dublin to visit guinness storehouse and some whisky distillery. As long as Guinness is such a masterpiece, I found myself attracted more by the whiskey, which was a surprise... During the tour in the factory I got an explanation…
Anon
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What are the predominant styles of Whisky coming out of Asia?

Something I've recognized in the past year is that popular Asian whiskies exist. And yet, I've never purchased whisky from Asia, usually only picking up bottles out of Canada, the U.S. or Britain. So I wonder, what is the whisky market like across…
mcraenich
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Can whiskey be used to purify iffy water while out in the outdoors?

Can whiskey be used to purify iffy water while out in the outdoors? We have all seen movies were someone uses whiskey to clean those gunshot wounds and more. But I would like to know if one could use whiskey to purify water while out in the…
Ken Graham
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Whiskey: Year is it from distilled or bottled?

I've noticed that on the label on some whiskey bottles it say "distilled 2010 | bottled 2016" Is a Whiskey in that case then categorized as a six-year-old whiskey or one-year-old (or zero) whiskey? I'm getting a daughter this year and I would love…
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