Whisky Descriptions.....how pretentious

[oldwheels]

We still recall our tour of the Cameron Bridge distillery. To my knowledge it is the only pure grain whisky ie no malt added that you can get.

Offhand I can think of another couple at least. Invergordon used to do it as well as malt but don't know if they are still going.
I have no experience of grain distilleries but a proportion of malted barley would be needed for the conversion of starch to sugars.

 

[oldwheels]

On the Laphroaig / disinfectant thing....
Laphroaig was the only whisky "legally" imported into the US during prohibition - it was labelled as .... you guessed it!..... disinfectant!

There are tonnes of stories about whisk(e)y and lots and lots of history - even about the more unpleasant ones! Sipping and reading - A great way to spend a long, cold, damp winter night!

Many of the original whisky stills in Scotland were owned by semi retired bootleggers but most have now been absorbed into Diago. I used to work for one who had lots of stories about his time as a bootlegger.

 

[oldwheels]

In fairness, I don't believe that more expensive means better, and I don't think I've advocated only trying expensive whiskies.
The OP has (in my opinion) received a great gift and perhaps like someone who is given an old bike and wonders "what the hell am I going to do with this?", I've offered directions on possible routes.
Some of the finest whiskies are a lot less than 50 quid. And some at 500 quid and above are absolute muck!


And this is where we're all different! - to me that sounds like a wonderful 7 day bike tour

There is a marketing ploy called "skimming the market". This applies to any product and not just whisky.
You introduce a new label blend at a ridiculous price and many mugs will buy it. Once they have bought you lower the price and invent some excuse for doing so and get those who thought it too expensive first time to buy. Once that layer is exhausted you keep lowering the price and so on till you reach rock bottom.

 

[Flick of the Elbow]

I have no experience of grain distilleries but a proportion of malted barley would be needed for the conversion of starch to sugars.

Why would that be ? Surely it’s just the germination process that is converting the starch to sugars, wouldn’t that be true of any grain ?

 

[oldwheels]

Why would that be ? Surely it’s just the germination process that is converting the starch to sugars, wouldn’t that be true of any grain ?

I have no experience of maize but I have never heard of a maize maltings. The enzymes are released in malting but the final conversion is in the mash tun where temperature control is vital. I no longer have reference books so cannot quote a source.

 

[Globalti]

Fancy descriptions sell stuff. Try working in the perfume industry, you can't have just vanilla it has to be Madagascan vanilla or cedarwood has to be Virginia cedarwood and patchouli has to be Sumatra patchouli.. nonsense.

 

[raleighnut]

Perhaps my sense of taste has changed over the years but the Islay whiskies seem to have a less pronounced peat and seaweed than say 50 years ago.

I think it may be cos of the 'sherry casks' used to 'age' whisky these days, seems to make it sweeter than fresh (burnt) Oak barrels did.

 

[Globalti]

Your sense of smell changes as you age.

 

[Dave7]

I think it may be cos of the 'sherry casks' used to 'age' whisky these days, seems to make it sweeter than fresh (burnt) Oak barrels did.

Again, the following is what was told during my whisky tour so don't shoot me if its not 100%.
Whisky, like Vodka naturally has no colour. Originally it was stored in sherry casks which gave it the colour we associate with it.
With the relative shortage of sherry casks it is now artificially coloured to be acceptable.
I 'assume' the flavour is also tampered with but that is just me guessing.
@oldwheels will hopefully correct me if the above is not true.

 

[Dave7]

Going back to 100% grain whisky ie with NO MALT added I have been using Mr Google that tells be "grain whisky" CAN include malt so that CAN tells me it is not essential.

 

[raleighnut]

Again, the following is what was told during my whisky tour so don't shoot me if its not 100%.
Whisky, like Vodka naturally has no colour. Originally it was stored in sherry casks which gave it the colour we associate with it.
With the relative shortage of sherry casks it is now artificially coloured to be acceptable.
I 'assume' the flavour is also tampered with but that is just me guessing.
@oldwheels will hopefully correct me if the above is not true.

View: https://youtu.be/JqopSMvCXv0

 

[Flick of the Elbow]

Again, the following is what was told during my whisky tour so don't shoot me if its not 100%.
Whisky, like Vodka naturally has no colour. Originally it was stored in sherry casks which gave it the colour we associate with it.
With the relative shortage of sherry casks it is now artificially coloured to be acceptable.
I 'assume' the flavour is also tampered with but that is just me guessing.
@oldwheels will hopefully correct me if the above is not true.

Most scotch whisky is matured in casks of American Oak that have previously been used for bourbon. Some are finished in casks that have previously held sherry. A few use virgin American oak, not previously used for anything. You’ll know about this because the marketing will make special mention of it, eg Benromach Organic.
I believe that all casks no matter their provenance are flamed before filling, this means that the whisky is mostly in contact with a charred surface rather than the wood itself. This is where most of the colour comes from.
Some brands add colouring as well, ie at the time of bottling, I think this is frowned upon.

 

[Dave7]

Most scotch whisky is matured in casks of American Oak that have previously been used for bourbon. Some are finished in casks that have previously held sherry. A few use virgin American oak, not previously used for anything. You’ll know about this because the marketing will make special mention of it, eg Benromach Organic.
I believe that all casks no matter their provenance are flamed before filling, this means that the whisky is mostly in contact with a charred surface rather than the wood itself. This is where most of the colour comes from.
Some brands add colouring as well, ie at the time of bottling, I think this is frowned upon.

Thanks.
Think I got my names muxticated up.....it was your good self that worked in the industry, not Oldwheels.

 

[Flick of the Elbow]

Thanks.
Think I got my names muxticated up.....it was your good self that worked in the industry, not Oldwheels.

No that was Oldwheels

 

[Flick of the Elbow]

My knowledge such as it is comes from a few tastings, a few distillery tours, and most of all the aforementioned tour of the Speyside Cooperage