Everything a gentleman needs to know about whisky
Words: Guy Aubrey Devito
It was originally made by the Irish – but the Scottish drastically improved it. The Americans, on the other hand, did something rather odd with it. Here is everything a gentleman needs to know about whisky with some top tips from Berry Bros heritage director Ronnie Cox.
IT’S SPELT DIFFERENTLY IN AMERICA
On this side of the pond it’s ‘whisky’ – in America and Canada it’s ‘whiskey’.
DRINK OR APPRECIATE
Gentlemen appreciate whisky, others drink whisky. Single malts are for thinkers and blends generally for drinkers. Gentlemen can be both but not on the same occasion.
AGE AND STRENGTH
Scotch whisky has to be bottled at a minimum strength of 40% ABV meaning that they’re ready to go at the ripe old age of forty.
THOUSANDS OF MALTS
Single Malts come from barley whilst maize is the main cereal of grain whisky. Single Malts generally have more flavour and complexity than blends.
WHISKY MISTRESS
The only time a Gentleman is truly promiscuous is finding a Single Malt appropriate for each mood and occasion.
TONGUE TWISTER
If you can’t pronounce it, don’t try to ask for it at Duke’s or the Connaught.
THE WORLD’S OLDEST
The world’s oldest whisky is apparently over 150 years old and the bottle, rumoured to been made between 1851 and 1858, is in the Guinness Book of Records!
WHY GLEN
A ‘glen’ is small sort of valley – usually one that is long, deep and often glacially U-shaped. Whiskies are named after them because they provide the water source.
IN OVER YOUR HEAD
Buy time when someone asks your opinion of the whisky; dip your index finger into the glass of whisky and rub it dry on the back of your hand; sniff the remains, look up to the clock and after a few seconds offer the advice of a true connoisseur, such as; ‘If only they had used the same delicious sherry casks as they do with The Glenrothes.’
YOUR OPINIONS MATTER
Always remember that your nose is your own. Be influenced by no-one. If someone offers the suggestion of a Nicaraguan plantain, immediately ask if that’s a ripe one and whether they mean on or off the tree and with or without natural fertiliser.
WATER OF LIFE
Although the Irish and the Scottish were the first to make whisky in its modern form – distilled alcohols have been around for millennia. They went by the name aqua vitae (water of life) before the term ‘spirits’ was coined.
For more information about whiskies or to find a malt that suits your palate visit BerryBros
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