Drinking Responsibly: Whiskey
Whiskey, Whiskey, Whiskey. Oh Whiskey. If ever there was a drink clouded in the stigma of being a “manly-man drink only consumed by the saddest and toughest of the manly-men” it’s this notorious spirit. But let us assure you, whiskey is most certainly for everyone. It can be incredibly delicious and elegant, and has such a wide range of flavors and characteristics and possible cocktails that we believe it deserves to be lifted from this one-dimensional stigma.
Whiskey, though brimming with diversity in production and ingredients, is essentially any distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash and aged in wooden casks. So, whether you’re a seasoned whiskey expert, a casual enjoyer of the spirit, or a reluctant whiskey skeptic, join us as we unpack the wonderful world of whiskey!
(Brief) History
Before getting into the origins of the drink itself, it’s worth taking a moment to talk about the etymology. Many people (or maybe just me?) wonder if there is a difference between “Whiskey” and “Whisky”, and if so, why. Well, somewhat unsurprisingly, the answer is: It depends who you ask. There are opinions regarding regionality, even associated ingredients or processes, but for all intents and purposes “Whiskey”=”Whisky” and “Whisky”=”Whiskey”. The word whiskey is derived from a very old Gaelic word, “uisce”, meaning water! While many alcohols have similar root definition, there’s something hilarious to me about the idea that the ancient Scotch were that on-board with the drink.
Anyway, while the distillation of liquids dates back millennia, and the distillation of alcohol dates back several centuries, the earliest known mention of a whiskey-like beverage dates back to the 15th century in Scotland. Unsurprisingly, a lot has changed since then, namely the fact that we now age our whiskeys thoroughly and carefully, as opposed to the un-aged whiskey of that time which was certified jet fuel (or “harsh” as an adult might put it).
Over the centuries, whiskey gradually became more refined, with aging becoming more sophisticated, regional varietals cropping up, and experimentation with ingredients. Inevitably, in different regions at different times, government taxation got involved, and each time, operations moved underground and halted until the evening (when smoke from the stills could be hidden), and thus spawned the infamous “moonshine”.
How it’s made
Germination, Malting, and Fermentation
All whiskies start with grain. These grains, be it barley, corn, rye or wheat, are steeped in water, and then spread out on “malting floors” to germinate. This germination is crucial in the process of turning starch into sugar (and then later into alcohol). After several days of germination, the grain is slowly dried, and, if applicable to the whisky variety, peat (partially decomposed organic matter that resembles soil) is added to the heating fire to add flavors from the resultant smoke. Once the drying is completed, the grain is ground into a coarse flour (also called “grist”), which is mixed into water to make the infamous “mash”. The water added in this stage is incredibly important to the final product and is often a defining characteristic between distilleries. This mash is heated and stirred carefully, slowly converting the starch to sugar until the whole mixture has become a sweet, sugary liquid known as “wort.” The solid grain particulates (called the “draff”) are then filtered out and processed for future uses. Yeast is then added to the wort to begin the process of fermentation in which alcohol — as well as many of the defining flavors — is produced.
Distillation
This fermented wort is then distilled, a process in which the liquid is brought to just below the boiling point of water. The alcohol as well as other compounds evaporate and then condensate in another location. This purifies the alcohol and concentrates it. This stage often includes one or more additional phases of filtration and may be repeated many times depending on the preferences of the distiller.
Aging
Aging is a crucial step in the production of whiskey. As was previously mentioned, this wasn’t always the case, and earlier versions of the drink were, as a result, incredibly harsh. While aging, the whiskey becomes smoother, gains characteristics from the wood of the cask, draws its iconic color, and develops far more complex flavors.
Types
There are so many types of whiskey it is nearly impossible to give a proper “count.” Depending on the region, the ingredients used, the distilling processes, and even the amount of time spent aging, the name and category of whiskey can vary widely. What distinguishes a bourbon from a whiskey? A scotch from rye? A single malt from a Tennessee whiskey? We’ll touch on a handful of these definitions below:
First, let’s discuss some ingredient varietals:
Malt - this typically refers to malted barley whiskey
Single Malt - from a single distillery, using a single malted grain (of any kind)
Blended Malt - a blend of different single-malt whiskeys
Blended - a blend of different types of whiskey, often from different distilleries, in an effort to make a complex yet consistent flavor
Rye - made of at least 51% rye grain
Corn - made of at least 80% corn
Then there are process driven varietals:
Single cask - whiskey from a single cask (not blended, even between casks of the same distillery)
Bourbon - which in addition to abiding by “American Whiskey” standards (see below) and requiring at least 51% corn, must be aged in new charred oak barrels
Tennessee - essentially bourbon that has been filtered through sugar maple charcoal
Then there are regional varietals:
American - typically from a cereal grain, less than or equal to 125 proof, no added color or flavorings, and no minimum aging
Canadian - produced and aged in canada, cereal grain, wood barrels for at least 3 years, minimum 40% abv
Indian - typically blends of neutral spirits distilled from fermented molasses, a drink that would otherwise be considered rum in other countries.
Irish - triple distilled, produced in ireland, aged at least 3 years
Scotch - whisky made in Scotland, typically twice distilled, 3 years in oak casks
There are many other popular national whiskeys, notably Japanese, but their definitions are typically based around the fact that they were produced in that country, rather than a particularly unique distilling technique.
There are two really great documentaries about two types of whiskey on Hulu that we highly recommend. If you’re interested in learning about Scotch, we highly recommend Scotch: A Golden Dream. And then there’s Neat: The Story of Bourbon that goes into the history of bourbon. Both are a bit corny but really informative, and fun to watch while sipping some scotch or bourbon…
How it’s enjoyed
I love whiskey. Have I said “I love [insert alcohol here]” on every alcohol article I’ve written? Well anyway, I really do! And I think a nice Whiskey (Bourbon, Scotch, you name it) is best enjoyed neat. Just a shot or two in a glass, room temp, sip sip, lovely. This method really allows the smoothness and every flavor characteristic to shine. Especially if you have a fine whiskey like a single cask, long aged Scotch, inhibiting the flavor with ice or simply covering it up with other ingredients is a shame (in my opinion)! Though, some whiskey enthusiasts add a few drops of water to pull out the flavor, so it’s all up to personal opinion! If you do want to mix it up but still want to focus on the unique character of the whiskey at hand, I think an Old Fashioned really does the trick. A little bit of sugar, some bitters, a big piece of ice, maybe an Orange peel garnish, and you’re good to go!
That said, there are a ton of incredible whiskey cocktails that are delicious and classic and elegant and punchy and I couldn’t possibly name them all but here are some of our favorite:
Classic Manhattan (rye whiskey + sweet vermouth, bitters, and cherry if you want to get fancy)
Whiskey Sour (bourbon + lemon juice, simple syrup, egg white, cherry)
Irish Coffee (Irish whiskey + brewed coffee, brown sugar, whipped cream)
Mint Julep (bourbon + mint leaves, simple syrup, bitters)
Highball (bourbon, rye, or scotch + ginger ale)
Pickleback (Irish whiskey or bourbon + pickle juice...sound gross but its amazing)
Sazerac (rye whiskey + absinthe, sugar, bitters, cognac, lemon peel)
Boulevardier (bourbon or rye + campari, sweet vermouth, orange peel)
Sustainability
There are a handful of fairly obvious things one can do when aiming to drink whiskey in a more sustainable way. First, you can try to shop locally and give your business to local distillers. This not only cuts down on shipment and packaging related emissions, but helps stimulate small businesses and local economies! As an added bonus, these small-batch distilleries often produce wildly unique whiskies that can carry flavor characteristics from the very region you live in! Woo! You can also make sure the product you’re buying is made of easily recyclable materials (like glass as opposed to plastics).
That said, the industry as a whole is taking big steps to improve its own sustainability, and researching the company you’re planning to buy from to ensure it’s on a path to a more sustainable future is one of the most impactful choices you can make. The steps being taken are ambitious and inspiring, and many distillers are working to improve the impact of whiskey at every stage of its production and life. Let’s discuss some of these steps:
Pre-production:
Many producers are working to use new crop varieties that require less inputs (fertilizers, pesticides, water, etc.), including organic barleys.
Land usage is being addressed in an effort to ensure regenerative agricultural processes are enacted and our environment is being cared for as we harvest the crops needed for this spirit. This includes restoration of the peat that is often used to smoke and flavor whiskey in its production.
Sustainably sourcing wood for the production of casks (which will later be used to age the whiskey). Like we mentioned earlier, while bourbon has to be made in new charred barrels, used barrels are just fine for other types of whiskey. Often scotch distillers and other whiskeys will reuse bourbon casks or casks of their own to cut down on costs and not cut down trees.
Production:
Generating/sourcing the energy used in production from renewable resources (the Scotch industry has increased renewable energy usage from 3% in 2008 to 21%)
Using water resources more efficiently, and thus using less (the Scotch industry has increased water efficiency 29% since 2012)
Increasingly the efficiency of chemical usage within the facilities, including cleaners that are a part of normal sanitizing operations.
Post-Production
Reducing packaging materials (the Scotch industry has increased its overall packaging material usage but supposedly due to increases in demand globally)
Reducing overall waste (the Scotch industry has reduced its landfill usage from 13% in 2008 to 4% today)
Reusing byproducts of production: in addition to animal feed, byproducts (like “draff”) are being used as biomass power in the facilities themselves, and sometimes further processed into biogasses and biofertilizers (all of which can be reused by the facilities). Some companies leading the charge in this respect include Diageo, Chivas Brothers (owned by Pernod Ricard), William Grant & Sons, Bacardi, The Edrington Group, Ian Macleod Distillers, and Inver House Distillers.
Using recycled materials in packaging (the Scotch industry has increased recycled material usage to 44%)
Creating packaging that is recyclable (the Scotch industry has increased its production of recyclable packaging up to 97% in recent years)
If you’re wondering why producers would go to these lengths to improve their sustainability, there are two main reasons. The first is that it can save them a ton of money. By reusing waste, using less energy, and improving overall efficiency, distilleries can reduce their reliance on a variety of resources. The second is that many many many producers are so connected with their natural environments that it is both their logical and moral imperative to protect and respect it. So, look for producers who are making efforts to increase resource efficiency, drive circular economies, improve land use sustainability, and rely on more renewable energy resources for their production. Vote with your dollar and drink responsibly my friends!