There is no doubt that many love to indulge in all kinds of whiskies of the world. People always find themselves filling up their carafes and ordering more rounds. Whiskey, rather simply, is listed among the most lavish of liquors. Even just ordering a simple glass on ice always raises the bar. Yet, there are certain individuals who have never tried whiskey, some unlucky souls who regularly indulge in only vodka or tequila. It is not these peoples’ faults; let’s not go after them in some kind of Whiskey Rebellion. Instead, Whiskey is to blame: after all, this drink is undoubtedly intimidating to the novice. Not only does this majestic drink demand a certain level of sophistication, just like a drink that rolls its eyes in the path of light beer and one that always refuses to sit anywhere but at the top of the shelf, but it also comes in vast variety.
Top 4 whiskies of the world
Well, all the four main types of whiskey are clearly divided by country of origin. And it’s no secret that each one brings its own brilliance to the table, so there is no point of getting too nationalistic about this.
Scotch whisky
Earthy. Smoky. For it to qualify as Scotch, a whisky must be refined in Scotland and aged for at least three solid years. There are only two subcategories of Scotch whisky. The first one is single malt Scotch, the “Sylvester Stallone” of whisky, if you will. But what is single malt whiskey? For it to be referred to as a single malt Scotch, the whisky in question need to have been to be distilled at one single distillery from malted barley. The other subcategory is blended whiskey, which is just what it sounds like – a blend of several Scotch whiskies. But what is blended whiskey? Well, for those who don’t know, it is the product of blending different kinds of whiskeys and in some cases also coloring, neutral grain spirits and even flavorings.
Irish whiskey
Whilst Irish whiskey is certainly not as flavorful as Scotch whisky, it somehow ranks among the best types of whiskies of the world behind blended Scotch and single malt. As the name suggests, Irish whiskey is distilled in Ireland and, just like Scotch whisky, aged for at least three solid years.
Canadian Whiskey
Compared to the Irish whiskey and the scotch whiskey, Canadian whiskey is lighter-bodied, and even though it can taste somewhat fruity, it is not as sweet as American whiskey. The Canadian whiskey is always distilled in Canada and (have you sensed a pattern?) aged for at least three solid years.
American Whiskey
Like I have said, American whiskey is the sweetest of all the Whiskies of the world. It has been distilled in America and of course aged in barrels, though there is no clear indication of the exact length of time it should be aged. (At least 2 years is the norm.) The American whiskey can further be subcategorized as
Bourbon whiskey
Typically referred to as the Kentucky’s drink, Bourbon has to be made up of at least 51% corn, but normally contains about 70%. The other ingredients include malted barley and wheat. Most Bourbons are aged for up to 4 years, but, by law, they have to be aged for at least 2 years to be considered “Straight.” Currently, the vast majority of Bourbon is actually made in Kentucky. It is however legal to distil spirits anywhere. Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Tennessee, Virginia and Missouri all serve as states in America where Bourbon was at one time produced. The last, Virginia, still produces some occasionally.
Rye whiskey
A Gemini, this whiskey actually hails from its namesake and enjoys the long walks on the beach and certainly being made of corn. Tennessee Whiskey is somewhat similar to Bourbon in composition, where at 51% must be corn based. It must then be aged – in new barrels- for at least four years. Actually, the main difference between Tennessee and Bourbon Whiskey is that the Tennessee whiskey is normally put through a filtering method known as the Lincoln County Process. During this unique process, whiskey is carefully filtered through a maple charcoal before it is aged. This ultimately gives Tennessee Whiskey a flavor that is highly removed from Bourbon Whiskey. Today, George Dickel and Jack Daniels are among the best Whiskies of the world.
