Want To Know How Whisky Is Made, Exactly? Here’s A Breakdown Of The Process
Whisky is more than a golden hued, exquisite-looking spirit added to cocktails or to a Glencairn glass for tasting. A lot goes into making the perfect whisky, whether it is a single malt, a blended Scotch or an American bourbon. And this process of whisky-making is what sparks the curiosity of many amateurs new to the realm of this spirit. From the grains used for making whisky to the process of malting, mashing, fermentation and even distilling, there is a lot involved in preparing this fine spirit.
Here’s a look at some of the processes involved in the production of whisky, right from the first step to the final bottling:
What are the basic ingredients involved in making whisky?
Whisky requires three ingredients for its making namely, grains, yeast and water. Barley, corn, rye and wheat are the commonly used grains for making malts and blended whiskies.
As the type of whisky changes, so do the grains used for making whisky shift. Barley is used for making single malt, corn is used to make American bourbon and malted blends are brought together for making blended Scotches.
What is malting, the first step in making many whiskies?
Malting is the process that is followed while using barley to typically make Scotch whisky. This involves soaking barley in water, allowing it to germinate. The process converts starches into fermentable sugars. Once the barley is malted, it is dried in a kiln which develops its colour and lends it a smoky flavour. Malt whisky makers diligently follow this step whereas others might skip it.
What is mashing?
For malted whiskies as well as other whisky variations, this step which comes after malting involves grinding grains and then mixing them in hot water. This extracts sugars from them to form a liquid called the wort.
What happens in the fermentation process?
Once mashing is complete, the next step in the process is fermentation. This involves adding yeast to the mashed mixture which produces flavour compounds and works on the extracted sugars such that the grains slowly begin to show the first signs of being transformed into whisky. This process called the ‘wash’ may take about 2 to 5 days.
What is distillation?
One of the most important steps involved in whisky making, distillation concentrates the flavours and alcohols in the whisky. The fermented mixture is heated and alcohol and flavour compounds are separated through evaporation and condensation for more concentrated and refined tasting notes.
There are two kinds of distillations:
– Pot stills: a batch process used for making single malts and Irish whiskies, for developing richer flavours
– Column stills: a continuous process used for making bourbons, blends and grain whiskies, for developing cleaner and lighter spirits
Also Read: Barrel Of Lies: Which Of These Whisky Words Is A Fake?
What happens during maturation?
After distillation, the next step is maturation. Whisky is filled in oak barrels and aged for at least 3 years. This is the process in which whisky gets its colour from the cask woods, absorbs the more complex flavour compounds such as vanilla, spice, caramel and smoke and gets rid of some of its harsher notes.
Why are cask types so important?
Casks used for maturation are what lend whiskies their complex flavour profiles. Barrels which once held bourbon are complete with vanilla-like, caramel notes whereas sherried casks carry a dried fruity, nutty richness. Each of these casks lend the finishing touches to the tasting notes of whisky, making them very important in the whisky-making process.
What happens before bottling?
Before bottling, whisky is filtered, diluted and sometimes even mixed with other whiskies in the case of blended spirits. Some whiskies are non-chilled-filtered for better flavour retention.
Do all whiskies follow the same production steps?
Barring certain regional variations, all whiskies follow these basic steps in their making. Some differences do emerge such as while Scotches use malted barley, Irish whiskies are triple-distilled for smoothness. Bourbon is aged in new charred oak barrels and Indian whiskies need ageing for a much shorter duration.
Drink Responsibly. This communication is for audiences above the age of 25.
