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ABV

Alcohol by volume is a measure of how much alcohol is contained in a given volume of an alcoholic beverage. It is defined as the number of millilitres of pure etahnol present in 100 millilitres of solution at 20°C and is listed as a percentage.

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AGE STATEMENT

An age statement is the age of the whisky and is placed on the label. It can be in the form of a number, in years, or a vintage, where the distillation and bottling dates are displayed. The age statement of the whisky is the age of the youngest whisky in the bottle so if it contains 10 year old and 20 year old whisky, it can only be labelled as a 10 year old whisky. Many whiskies do not contain any age statement or vintage and are known as no age statement whiskies.

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ALDEHYDE

An aldehyde is an organic compound and is present in many essential oils and fragrances. They often contribute to favourable odours, such as cinnamon, cilantro and vanilla and most sugars are derivatives of aldehydes. They create the flavours that are found in whisky.

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AMERICAN OAK

The scientific name is Quercus Alba. Grown in the United States and used in the American whisky industry to mature their spirit. Legally, American whisky must be matured in new, unused casks. These casks are then bought by among others, the Scotch whisky industry, to mature their spirit. These trees are fast-growing and have high levels of vanillins, the compounds that impart a flavour of vanilla to the whisky. The main flavours that these casks will impart on the whisky are those of vanilla, honey, pine, nut, coconut, toffee and ginger.

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AMERICAN STANDARD BARREL

A cask that can hold approximately 200 litres of liquid. They are genreally made of American Oak and are the most common type of cask used today. They are used in the bourbon industry before being sold to whisky and other spirit distilleries.

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ANALYSER

Part of a column still. It is the first column through which the wash descends and which meets the rising steam. The vapourised wash then rises and as it does so, it cools and starts to condense into a liquid.

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ANGEL'S SHARE

Whisky is aged in wooden casks and because wood is porous, the liquid inside the cask is prone to evaporation. This evaporation is known as 'The Angel's Share' supposedly because it evaporates up to the heavens. In cold climates, like Scotland, The Angel's Share is around 2% per year but in warmer climates, it climbs to 5% and in really hot and humid places, like Taiwan (where Kavalan whisky is produced), it can be in excess of 10%.

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BARLEY

Barley is a cereal grain, grown in temperate climates. It has many uses, including animal fodder and as a health food but most importantly, it is used as fermentable material in the production of beer and distilled spirits. During most whisky production, the barley is malted before being used.

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BARRIQUE

A cask that can hold approximately 225 litres of liquid. They are commonly used in the wine industry.

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BLENDED WHISKY

A whisky that contains both malt and grain whiskies blended together to create the desired flavour profile.

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BLENDED MALT WHISKY

A blend of single malt whiskies that originate from multiple distilleries and thus cannot itself be called a single malt.

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BLOODTUB

A cask that can hold approximately 40 litres of liquid and has an elongated, oval shape.

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BONDED WAREHOUSE

A customs-controlled warehouse where casks are stored without payment of duty. The casks are stored 'in bond' and payment of duty only arises when the whisky is bottled. This way, distillers only pay duty on the whisky actually bottled and not the whisky lost to evaporation.

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BOTTLED IN BOND

A label for American -made distilled beverages. To be labelled as bottled in bond, the liquor must have been produced in the United States; it must be the product of one distillation season, by one distiller and at one distillery; it must have been matured in a federally bonded warehouse, under U.S. government supervision for at least four years; and be bottled at 50% abv (100 proof U.S.); the bottled product's label must identify the distillery where it was distilled and, if different, where it was bottled.

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BOUQUET

The bouquet of a whisky is the aroma that is detected by nosing. This aroma can change due to temperature or addition of water.

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BOURBON

Bourbon is a type of American whiskey and it's beginnings can be traced back to the 1820's. Although strongly associated with Kentucky, in the American south, it can be made anywhere in the United States. The legal requirements for the making of bourbon are that it must be produced in the United States; made from a grain mixture that is at least 51% corn; aged in new, charred oak containers; distilled to no more than 80% abv, entered into the barrel, for ageing, at no more than 62.5% abv; and bottled at a minimum of 40% abv. There is no minimum specified duration for ageing bourbon but any bourbon aged for less than four years, must have an age statement on the label.

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BRITISH BARREL

A cask that can hold approximately 160 litres of liquid.

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BUNGHOLE

The round hole in a cask through which it is filled and emptied.

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BUTT

A cask that can hold approximately 500 litres of liquid. They are long and slender and generally made from European Oak to mature sherry. 

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CARAMEL COLOURING

Caramel colouring, which has the code E150A, is made by heat treating (burning) carbohydrates in a process called caramelisation. It has a burnt smell and bitter taste and is used in many foodstuffs, such as bread, chocolate, beer, soft drinks, sweets and of course, whisky. It is the only additive allowed in the whisky making process (it is not allowed in bourbon) and is used to make batches of whisky consistent in colour. Companies also believe that people think of a darker whisky as being older or better than a light coloured whisky. This is, of course, nonsense but is another reason it is used. There is also much debate as to whether or not caramel colouring affects the taste of whisky.

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CASK

Also known as a barrel (although a barrel could refer to a type of cask with specific dimensions), it is a hollow, cylindrical container, generally constructed of wooden staves (oak wood), and bound by iron hoops. It is used for storing and maturing alcoholic liquids and comes in many shapes and sizes. The cask's rounded shape makes it very strong and capable of holding a lot of weight when other casks are stacked on top of it. It's shape also allows it to be rolled and turned easily by just one person.

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CASK FINISHED WHISKY

A whisky that has been matured in a second cask type for a short period, after its initial maturation in bourbon casks. For example, a whisky being matured in bourbon casks for 10 months and then being 'finished' in sherry casks for 2 years before bottling. The finishing must be done in active, first fill casks for a more pronounced effect.

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CASK STRENGTH

A whisky bottled at cask strength is one which has not been diluted with water after leaving the cask. Generally, whiskies are watered down so that their alcohol by volume is around 40-43% but cask strength whiskies can range from as low as 40% if they're really old or as high as 70% if they are young and were casked at a really high abv.

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CHARRING

The process of applying fire to the inside of a cask and is important is the production of bourbon. The length of time spent charring the cask will have a different influence over the spirit matured in that cask. The fire is generally applied for 40-60 seconds but may be as long as three minutes. Depending on the level of char, different amount of wood sugars are caramelised and vanillins, lactones and tannins are left to influence the flavour of the spirit.

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CHILL FILTRATION

A process whereby whisky is cooled to around 0°C in order to precipitate out some fatty acids, proteins and esters created during the distillation process. It is then passed through a fine filter which removes these particles with the aim of removing the cloudiness which occurs when a whisky is cooled. A clearer whisky is seen as a sign of quality but whisky purists believe that by removing these particles, you are also removing some of the flavour. Whiskies bottled at an abv of above 46% do not need to be chill-filtered as the high strength prevents the cloudiness from forming.

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COLUMN STILL

Also known as a continuous still, patent still or Coffey still, they are used to produce grain whisky and bourbon and behave like a series of pot stills, formed in a vertical tube. The one column (Analyser) has steam rising and the wash descending within it. The wash is vapourised by the steam and as the vapour ascends the column, metal plates strip it of water and congeners, leaving alcohol of up to 96% abv which then condenses in the second column (Rectifier), consisting of a coil of pipes with cold wash running through them. As the vapour ascends, it cools and the condensed alcohol is collected. The main advantage of a column still is the ability to have continuous distillation unlike the need for batch distillation when using a pot still.

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CONDENSER

A device which converts a gas (vapour) into a liquid through a process of cooling. Two types of condenser used in whisky distillation are shell & tube condensers and worm tubs.

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CONGENERS

These are substances produced during fermentation and include small amounts of chemicals such as methanol, fusel alcohols, acetone, esters, tannins and aldehydes. They are responsible for most of the taste and aroma of distilled beverages. It is also believed that they contribute to the symptoms of a hangover.

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COOPER

A person who makes and repairs casks used in the maturation of spirits.

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COPPER

Copper is a soft, malleable and ductile metal with high thermal and electrical conductivity and is resistant to corrosion. Because of these properties, it is used to manufacture pot stills. Another important characteristic is that it allows complex chemical reactions to take place during distillation. It removes sulphur compounds from the distillate and helps to form esters which will give the spirit a fruity character. The more copper there is to interact with the spirit i.e. the use of tall stills and shell & tube condensers, the lighter the spirit will be. The less copper there is i.e. the use of small stills and worm tubs, the heavier the spirit will be.

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COPPER POT STILL

A pot still is a distillation apparatus used to distill alcoholic spirits such as whisky. They operate on a batch distillation process and are generally made of copper which helps rid the spirit of unwanted flavours. They come in various shapes and sizes which affects the overall character of the spirit, and has four basic components: The Pot where the wash is heated, the Swan Neck where the vapours rise, the Lyne Arm which transfers the vapours to the condenser, and the Condenser which cools the vapours and returns it back to a liquid state.

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CORK

Cork is an impermeable, buoyant and elastic material that is harvested from the Quercus Suber tree (Cork Oak), endemic to Southwest Europe and Northwest Africa, with half of all cork being harvested from the Montado region of Portugal. Because of its properties, it is used in a variety of products, most notably as wine and whisky bottle stoppers. These cork stoppers can be made of either a single piece of cork or be composed of cork particles. Because of the cellular structure of cork, it is easily compressed upon insertion into the bottle and once in, will expand to form a tight seal. One drawback of using cork is that due to the natural channels, cracks and flaws in the bark, they are prone to breaking.

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CORN

Also known as maize, it is a cereal grain that is a staple food in many parts of the world. Total production of maize surpasses that of both wheat and rice and it has many applications including the manufacture of animal feed, corn starch, corn syrup and cooking oil. Corn is the main ingredient in bourbon whiskey, legally being required to be made up of at least 51% corn.

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DISTILLATION

The process of separating substances from a liquid mixture by using selective boiling and condensation. In whisky production, this is done using a pot still or a continuous still. In pot still distillation, the wash at around 8% abv is distilled in a wash still to produce 'low wines' at around 23% abv. These are then distilled again, this time in a spirit still, where the distillate, at between 60-75% abv, is divided into three: The foreshots, heart, and feints. Only the heart is matured with the foreshots and feints being recycled with the next batch of low wines.

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DRAFF

After the mashing proces, the contents of the mash tun are transferred to a lauter, which has a sieved bottom. This allows the wort to be drained off for fermentation and prevents the cereal grains from passing through. These spent grains are known as draff and are used as livestock feed.

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DRAM

A dram is, technically, equal to 1/8 of a fluid ounce i.e. 3.55ml of liquid. Informally, it refers to a small amount of spirituous liquor, especially whisky and can vary is quantity from around 20ml to 50ml.

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DRUM

A cask that can hold approximately 650 litres of liquid. They are short and fat and generally used to mature fortified wine.

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DRUM MALTING

This is a contemporary method of malting barley. It consists of a large drum which turns constantly until the malting process is complete.

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DUNNAGE WAREHOUSE

These are traditional buildings in which casks are stored during maturation. Because the casks are stacked one on top of the other, they can only be stacked 3 casks high, unlike a racked warehouse, where they can be stacked more than 10 casks high. Dunnage warehouses generally have stone walls and earth floors and provide better air circulation. They also allow for more moisture and higher humidity in the warehouse which many people believe creates a superior whisky. 

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ENZYMES

Enzymes are protein molecules in cells which act as catalysts and speed up chemical reactions. In whisky production, particularly during the malting process, enzymes present in the barley, convert starch to sugars (a fermentable substance) necessary during fermentation. The enzyme Cytase, dissolves the cell walls enclosing the starch in barley and the enzyme Amylase, converts the starch to sugars.

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ESTERS

Esters are chemical compounds derived from organic or inorganic acids. Certain esters are commonly used as fragrances and are found in essential oils and pheromones. They have a sweet smell and are considered high-quality solvents for a broad array of plastics, resins and lacquers and also make up a large part of the bouquet of a whisky.

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EUROPEAN OAK

The scientific name is Querus Robur. This oak is mainly grown in Spain and used in the sherry industry for maturation of sherry (known as a sherry cask), and then purchased by the whisky industry for whisky maturation. Nowadays, harvesting Spanish oak is highly restricted and much European oak now comes from France and Romania. These casks are high in tannins which will increase the mouth-drying quality of a whisky and will also impart a darker colour than American Oak. The main flavours that this cask will impart to a whisky are those of dried fruits, clove, nutmeg, orange and chocolate.

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FEINTS

Also known as Tails, it is the spirit that runs from the still at the end of the second distillation. It is unusable and is recycled with the next batch of low wines.

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FERMENTATION

After mashing, the cooled, sugar-rich wort is transferred, along with yeast, to a fermenter, also known as a washback. During fermentation, the yeast consumes the sugars in the wort, producing ethyl alcohol. Once the alcohol level reaches a certain point, the yeast dies and the resultant liquor is called wash. A short fermentation lasts around 48 hours whilst a long fermentation is in excess of 55 hours but can be as much as 120 hours. The length of fermentation has a direct influence on the overall flavour of the whisky.

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FINISH

The flavour the whisky leaves in your mouth after it has been swallowed. It is also described by the length of time the flavour stays in your mouth as short, medium or long.

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FIRKIN

A cask that can hold approximately 40 litres of liquid. It is one quarter the size of a British Barrel.

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FIRST FILL CASK

A first fill cask is one that is used to mature whisky for the first time. It will have been previously used in another industry to mature, for example, bourbon or sherry. First fill casks are much more active than refill casks and impart stronger flavours on the spirit. First fill casks are also essential for cask finished whiskies.

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FORESHOTS

Also known as Heads, it is the spirit that runs from the spirit still at the beginning of the second distillation. It contains too many volatile compounds and is thus not used but instead recycled with the next batch of low wines.

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GERMINATION

Germination is the process by which an organism grows from a seed. It depends on internal and external conditions such as temperature, water, oxygen and sometimes light. Seeds are dry and require a lot of water before growth can resume. The uptake of water leads to the swelling and breaking of the seed coat. Most plants store a food reserve within the seed, such as starch, which provides nourishment for the growing embryo and when water is absorbed, enzymes are activated to break down these stored food resources into metabolically useful chemicals. It is this reserve of starch that distillers want to tap into. They need the starch to be converted, by enzymes, into sugars (Malting) which are required for fermentation but they don't want the plant to use all these sugars to grow and so need to dry out the barley before this happens (Kilning).

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GLEN

The word 'Glen' comes from the Gaelic word 'Gleann'. It refers to a valley, typically one that is bounded by gently sloped concave sides, and has a river running through it. It is a Scottish term for 'a deep valley in the Highlands', that is narrower than a strath (a large river valley that is wide and shallow). Most distilleries were built near a glen as they require a steady water supply and thus many of the distilleries were also named after a glen.

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GORDA

A cask that can hold approximately 700 litres of liquid. They are generally made from American Oak and are not often used for maturation as their capacity is near the legally regulated maximum cask size for Scotch Whisky, of 700 litres. Instead, they are used to combine different whiskies to create a Blended Malt.

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GRIST

After the barley has been malted, but before mashing, it goes through a milling process where it is ground to a flour. This flour is known as grist.

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HEART

The spirit that runs from the spirit still in the middle of the second distillation, between the foreshots and the feints. It is the only part of the distilled spirit which is kept for maturation.

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HOGSHEAD

A cask that can hold approximately 250 litres of liquid. It is constructed using the staves of American Standard Barrels (200 litres), where five of these are reconstructed to make four Hogsheads, which are preferred by Scottish distillers.

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HORIZONTAL TASTING

A whisky tasting which includes whiskies of the same age or matured in the same cask type but from different distilleries. This enables you to compare how different house styles are affected by maturation in the same cask type, or assess how they evolve over time.

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INDEPENDENT BOTTLING

A whisky bottled by a company other than the owners of the distillery. Independent bottlers will buy casks of whisky directly from a distillery and then either bottle it straight away or mature it further, usually in a different cask type. The whiskies are bottled under the name of the independent bottler and may or may not indicate the origin of the whisky.

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KEEPERS OF THE QUAICH

An exclusive, international society that recognises those people that have shown an outstanding commitment to the Scotch whisky industry. Those that work, write or evangelise about Scotch whisky are honoured by the society as a 'Keeper of the Quaich'. A select few are invited each year to be distinguished with the role of 'Master of the Quaich', a rare and revered privilege.

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KILDERKIN

A cask that can hold approximately 80 litres of liquid. It is half the size of a British Barrel.

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KILNING

The first process in making single malt whisky is malting. Kilning is the process of drying out the malted barley to stop germination. This can be done using warm air but if making a peated whisky, the kilning will be done over a fire which uses peat as a fuel source. The oils in the smoke, known as phenols, stick to the barley and in turn, give the whisky a smoky flavour.

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LAUTER

A vessel with a sieve at the bottom which, after the mashing process, allows the wort to be drained to a washback without any/much of the draff coming with it. Nowadays, distilleries use lauter mash tuns with flase bottoms so that the  wort can be drained without any of the draff passing through. The speed at which the wort is drained will determine how much draff enters the washback. The more draff present will create a more malty and cereal rich flavour in the whisky.

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LOW WINES

The spirit that is produced after the first distillation in a wash still. It has an abv of around 23% abv.

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LYNE ARM

A copper pipe which connects the top of the still to the condenser.

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MALTING

This is the first step in the production of single malt whisky.The barley is steeped in water and then allowed to germinate in cool, damp conditions. Enzymes then convert the starch into sugars necessary for fermentation but in order to access those sugars and prevent the plant from using them to grow, the barley must be dried in a process called kilning.

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MASHING

After kilning, the barley is ground into a rough flour called grist. Mashing is when the grist is mixed with hot water in a vessel called a mash tun and is done in order to extract the sugars from the barley in preparation for fermentation. The resulting liquid is known as wort.

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MASH TUN

A large vessel in which grist is combined with hot water during the process of mashing.

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MASTER BLENDER

The term is most often associated with the whisky industry but is also used for other industries, such as rum and cognac. A master blender is an individual who develops specific blended spirits using a combination of spirits with different characteristics. In whisky, master blenders choose single malts and grain whiskies to combine to make a particular blended whisky. Their role also includes evaluating spirits with different characteristics, such as age and cask type and choosing a combination of these to create the desired product. Master blending is a skill achieved over many years of experience and in some companies, the master blender also serves as their public figurehead and may even have marketing duties as well.

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MATURATION

After distillation, the new make spirit is brought down to 63.5% abv, with the addition of water. It is the placed in oak casks to mature which has numerous effects on the new make. First, the cask removes the unpleasant, sulphury, new-make character. Secondly, The spirit extracts flavour from the cask and thirdly, the wood and the spirit interact which increases complexity of flavour. The flavour of the whisky also depends on the type of cask used in maturation. Where ex-bourbon casks (American Oak) will impart more vanilla, spice, and coconut, ex-sherry casks (European Oak) will impart flavours like nuts, nutmeg and raisins. Generally speaking, the longer the whisky spends in the cask, the fewer harsh flavours will exist in the whisky and the flavours imparted by the cask will be more pronounced. Whisky no longer matures after being bottled.

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METHANOL

Also known as methyl alcohol, it is a colourless, volatile, flammable liquid with an odour similar to that of ethanol (drinking alcohol). It is far more toxic than ethanol and is often the result of a faulty distillation process and may cause blindness, if consumed, or even death. 

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MONKEY SHOULDER

Originally, barley was turned by hand whilst germinating. This manual flipping of barley led to a condition where one arm hung lower than the other, called monkey shoulder. This ailment no longer exists as the process is now automated.

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MOTHBALLING

This refers to the instance where a distillery is closed but not yet demolished and usually occurs with a  downturn in the economy. This leaves open the possibility of the distillery being revived if circumstances improve.

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NEW MAKE

The unmatured spirit that comes from the still. It is clear and has an abv of around 60-75%. New make bourbon is called 'White Dog'.

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NO AGE STATEMENT - NAS

A whisky that does not have an age or calculable age (via vintage statement) on the label. These are generally younger whiskies where the producer doesn't want to put, for example, a 5 year old age statement on the whisky, which may deter certain people from buying it.

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NOSE

To nose a whisky is to smell its aromas. Specifically designed glassware, such as a Glencairn glass, can vastly improve the ability to detect more flavours in a whisky.

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OFFICIAL BOTTLING

A whisky bottled by the distillery itself and not by a third party such as an independent bottler. Official bottling usually comes in a range of expressions, including age statements and no age statements.

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OXIDATION

In respect of whisky, it is the reaction of whisky with oxygen in the air. Over time, the reaction can alter the flavour of whisky and there is a lot of debate about how much oxidation actually affects whisky. When nosing a whisky, the aromas do open up more after being left to sit in a glass for a while.

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PAGODA

The pyramid-shaped ventilator at the top of the kiln chimney. It is used to draw off the peat smoke during the kilning process by creating a constant updraft.

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PALATE

The taste of a whisky. If you're not just drinking but tasting a whisky in order to detect a larger array of flavours, there are certain techniques you can use. They include, not eating anything too spicy beforehand, holding the whisky in your mouth for an extended period before swallowing, and adding a few drops of water which encourages the whisky to release more flavour.

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PEAT

Peat is a deposit resembling soil and is the accumulation of partially decayed vegetation or organic matter in the wet and acidic conditions known as bogs. It is cut from the ground and burned as a heat source. In whisky production, it is burned in order to dry out the malted barley during the kilning process.

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PHENOLS

When we talk about the peatiness of whiskies, we're really talking about phenols, or the phenolic level of the whisky, measured in parts per million (PPM). These lighlty acidic, naturally occurring compounds, which are absorbed into the barley during kilning, can give whisky flavours ranging from tar, creosote and bonfires to germolene, iodine and smoke. The PPM can range from below 5 PPM for very lightly peated whisky to around 50  PPM in very peaty whiskies. Bruichladdich produce a range of Octomore whiskies that are peated up to 309 PPM.

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PIPE

A cask that can hold approximately 650 litres of liquid. They are long and narrow and are used in the Port wine industry.

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PORT

Port wine is a Portuguese fortified wine produced with distilled grape spirits, exclusively in the Douro Valley. It is a sweet, red wine and although wines in the style of Port are produced all over the world, only the product from Portugal may be labelled as Port. Port is matured in oak casks and it is these casks which are then used in the whisky industry to create port finished whiskies.

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PPM

Stands for parts per million and is a measure of the phenolic level of a whisky.

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PROOF

Alcoholic proof is a measure of the content of ethanol in an alcoholic beverage. It is mainly used in the United States and is defined as twice the percentage of abv. i.e. 50% abv equals 100 proof.

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PUNCHEON

A cask that can hold approximately 320 litres of liquid. A sherry puncheon is made from European Oak and is used in the sherry industry. Machine puncheons are made of American Oak and are used mainly to mature rum.

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PURE MALT

Another term for a blended malt whisky. The term 'Pure Malt' is no longer used in Scotch whisky as it is deemed confusing by the Scotch Whisky Association.

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QUAICH

A two-handed drinking vessel/cup made of wood, stone, brass, pewter or silver and often features ornate engravings. They became popular in Scotland in the 17th century and are generally used to drink whisky.

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QUARTER CASK

A cask that can hold approximately 50 litres of liquid. It is a quarter the size of an American Standard Barrel and the small size provides a greater surface to liquid ratio which enables spirits to age more quickly.

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RACKED WAREHOUSE

This is a warehouse for storing casks during maturation. The casks are stored upright, on supported racks and because of this, they can be stacked quite high without the casks at the bottom bearing the brunt of the load. The casks can also be easily moved from one part of the warehouse to another, using machinery.

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RECTIFIER

Part of a column still. It is the second column which contains a long coil through which cold wash is pumped. As the wash travels down the coil, it is heated by the vapours from the still and is fed into the top of the first column, the analyser.

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REFILL CASK

A refill cask is one that has previously been used to mature whisky. A cask that has been used twice before is a second fill cask, three times is a third fill cask, and so on. The more times a cask is refilled, the weaker its influence on the contents of the cask (think of the cask like a teabag, the more it is used, the weaker its influence) and it will have less of an ability to draw out the sulphury notes from the whisky as well as less flavour to impart to the whisky.

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REFLUX

The spirit vapours which condense in the still before reaching the condenser. They run down the still and are thus re-distilled.

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RE-RACKING

The transfer of the contents of one cask into another. This is done when 'finishing' a whisky or if a cask is damaged.

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RUNDLET

A cask that can hold approximately 70 litres of liquid. It is one seventh the size of a Butt and is not often used for maturation. When it is used, it is only for specialty, limited bottlings.

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RYE

Rye is a grass that is grown extensively as a grain, a cover crop and a forage crop. It is a member of the wheat family and is closely related to barley. It has many uses, including bread, beer, vodka, whiskey and animal fodder. It is most often used in American whiskey and is said to give the whiskey a spicy character.

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