Irish Whisky: How To Differentiate Between Premium And Budget Spirits
For whisky connoisseurs, an interesting way to understand more about the flavour and depth of the spirit is to dig into its price points and production method to find out what would be a premium whisky vis a budgeted liquor. Such a connoisseur would then be able to decide which whisky to choose for serving on the rocks or adding to cocktail blends, based on the flavour profile and complexity of the liquor. However, spotting the difference between premium and budget Irish whisky requires a tad bit of skill.
Irish whisky has a very smooth profile that is known for its harmonious blend of sweet, fruity and floral flavours. Undoubtedly, a well-made Irish whisky contains such pronounced tasting notes that build into its depth and nuance. Such a whisky is easy to spot at a whisky tasting experience by following some simple hacks.
For a novice, keen to study more about the spirit, here are some of the ways to recognise the difference between premium and budgeted Irish whisky:
Flavour And Complexity
One of the simplest ways to identify the difference between a budget whisky or a premium whisky is its flavour. Where premium Irish whiskies carry an in depth flavour of dried fruits, spices and toasted oak, a budget whisky might offer less complexity.
Such a drink contains straightforward notes that are quite easily identified to be less intricate. Budget whiskies have lesser nuance too, even as they carry similar flavours that a premium whisky would offer connoisseurs.
Price Point
Another criterion for differentiating between premium whisky and a budget whisky is price point. While a premium whisky is indicative of more production and ageing cost along with ingredient quality, a budget whisky would cost much less to make.
Such a whisky might be priced lower than a premium Irish whisky. While price is never always the most certain indicator of quality, certain whiskies which are nonetheless priced higher do require more resources to distill and bottle than others.
Cask Quality
Assessing the difference between premium and budget whisky also means analysing the cask quality. This would require a novice to go beyond simply tasting the whisky to actually studying its making and production process. This can be done by diving into the whisky’s history and reading the bottle label carefully.
Labels provide information about the casks in which whisky is aged such that a premium whisky is often matured in select bourbon or port barrels infusing it with more complexity. This is opposed to a budget whisky aged in generic barrels which seldom carry such nuanced flavours leading to simpler spirits.
Age Statement
Age statement is typically displayed on a premium whisky and indicates the duration for which the youngest whisky in the bottle has been matured. The more aged the whisky, the better its flavours develop, leading to a spirit with a sophisticated finish.
Such an age statement might be difficult to procure for budget whiskies which are generally aged for shorter durations and thus have limited scope to build nuance into their flavour profile. Premium whiskies for their part, come with detailed information about their ageing and maturation process, enabling a study of how ageing in port or sherry casks has led to the development of deep, earthy, fruity notes in the drink.
Production Methods
A study of the production methods of a distilled spirit also enables a budding connoisseur to gauge the difference between a budget and premium Irish whisky. Often, premium whiskies use a higher proportion of malted barley and the brands making this drink might employ additional methodical cuts to build more nuance into the blend.
Budget Irish whiskies on the other hand might use more grain whisky and standard distillation processes leading to a lighter taste and paler colour that sharply contrasts the deep golden hues of a premium Irish whisky blend.
Drink Responsibly. This communication is for audiences above the age of 25.
