Start Here – Whiskey Guide for Beginners

Flavor Profile

Whiskey is a broad term that describes the overall category of bourbon, rye, Scotch, Irish whisky, Japanese Scotch, American whiskey, and so on. Whiskey means you are dealing with alcohol made from fermented grain. 

Whiskey is typically aged in casks but does not have to be (such as with moonshine and white whiskey). Think of whiskey as similar to the category of wine, while you may want a glass of wine, you must then decide if you want a red wine, white, rosé and then what grape, region, or age from there. Whiskey is no different. 

Under the umbrella of whiskey, you have flavors that vary from sweet and fruity to smoky and earthy to spicy and strong. Unfortunately, there is no clear indicator of the tasting profile on most bottles. The good news is, we can give you clues to look for, which will help you understand what the bottle in your hand is going to taste like. For example, the region the whiskey comes from will give you a clue about how it tastes, and so will the mashbill and age. 

Know your palate and you’ll be able to direct your sights.

Grain Content and Styles

Different grains make for different flavors. Corn and wheat usually make for a sweeter and softer drink. Rye is stronger and spicier. Barley tends to be earthier but can really morph depending on the techniques used to distill and age the whiskey.

Aging Casks

Like grain, the casks a whiskey is aged in have a significant effect on the resulting flavors. Sherry casks will add a sweeter hint. Rum casks tend to add a thicker, molasses flavor. Charred oak casks add smoke and caramel. 

Look for the cask information when you’re thinking of purchasing your whiskey, it is often on the bottle and will help you decipher what the flavor profile will be like.

Techniques

Peated or non-peated, chill filtration or no chill filtration. It’s easy to get caught up in all of the explicit details of a particular bottle. Every step is important in crafting a bottle of whiskey, which is what makes trying them all so much fun! We suggest keeping a journal to help keep yourself organized. This will not only remind you of what you liked (and didn’t like) it will help you make smarter purchases down the line. 

What does Bottled in Bond mean?

You will see the term “Bottled in Bond” on a few whiskies as you’re navigating the whiskey waters of the world. This means that the whiskey was bottled accordingly to the federal regulations put forth by the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897. Like many federal laws concerning beverages and food, this was to ensure higher quality and safe products.

Those regulations are as follows:

• The whiskey in question must be produced in a single distillation season by a single distillery. This is not guaranteed if not marked Bottled in Bond.
• The whiskey has been aged in a U.S. bonded warehouse for a minimum of four years.
• The whiskey must be bottled at 50% ABV. 

Location

Just like wine, different locations create different whiskey flavors. This is perhaps most notable in Scotch. Islay Scotch creates what most would associate with the “classic” peated Scotch. A non-peated single malt will likely come from Speyside. In order to be categorized as a Scotch the whisky must come from Scotland and be distilled from grains, water, and yeast. It is aged at least three years in oak barrels, bottled at a minimum strength of 40% abv. Scotch is peaty (also referred to as “smoky”) because peat is burned to dry the barley. 

Japanese whiskey is varied. While the mineral-rich local water is only one of the reasons why this whiskey stands out amongst others, all the other ingredients are imported. Japan does not have the space for grain fields like many other countries do, so they have no choice but to import the barley they need to create whiskey.

Irish whiskey isn’t like Scotch, despite the countries being neighbors. Most Irish whiskey distilleries do not dry their barley with peat, which makes it lack that signature Scotch taste. 

Canadian whiskies, like Scotch and Irish whiskey, must come from the country they are named for. Furthermore, they must also be aged in wooden barrels for at least three years—though the cask material, charredness, or previous tenant does not matter in the Canadian whisky world. However, the barrels must be smaller than 700 liters. Due to the more flexible guidelines here, Canadian whisky can have a lot of different tastes.

While bourbon was invented in America, it does not need to be made here to fall under the category. Bourbon must have a mashbill of at least 51% or more corn, the rest of the mash does not matter. It also must be aged at least two years in virgin, charred, American oak barrels. The corn and aging process softens bourbons and the corn especially when paired with a high-wheat content, makes for a sweeter, softer bourbon. 

Like bourbon, rye whiskey can come from any country. It also must be aged at least two years in charred, virgin, American oak barrels. Rye must have a specific mashbill as well, of at least 51% or more rye. Like bourbon, the remainder of the mash does not matter. Rye offers more spice and heat to the mash, making rye whiskies spicier than others. 

Alcohol

Alcohol content varies among whiskies.