Whisky Fundamentals
Types of Whisky Stills
Published 18/08/2020
There are many different types of stills in use around the world. From the vast to the strangely small, long-necked, multi-story, column stills, hybrid stills, and Lomond stills, indirect or direct fired. One of the most important distinctions, however, is the one between batch pot stills and continuous column or coffey stills. Those looking a little deeper into the processes of distillation, quickly realise that the process has changed little over the centuries.
Whisky Glassware
Published 17/08/2020
What Are The Best Whisky Glasses? The SMWS glass - the best all rounder The Glencairn - the most widely known glass, poorer for grain whiskies The Copita - fantastic for grain and sherried whiskies The Cognac Glass - widely available and great for most drams, weaker on peat The Blender’s Glass - perfect for blended whisky, good for grain The Túath Glass - solid for bourbons, ryes and Irish pot still The NEAT Glass - the perfect upgrade from a tumbler, excellent for high ABV The Norlan - an expensive tumbler The Tumbler - for those who want their whisky chilled The Highball - for those looking for refreshment Historical Background If you look into the history of whisky drinking, you will quickly come across the “Quaich” or “Quaigh” or “Quoich”.
Inert Gas and Whisky Oxidisation
Published 15/08/2020
Unlike wine whisky doesn’t continue to mature in the bottle once opened, unfortunately the chemical transformations don’t stop entirely. While the change much slower than with wine, Oxidisation will inevitably change the taste of the spirit over the course of months and years. This can be a net benefit, with oxidisation improving younger whiskies, rounding out deficiencies just as it did to the whisky maturing within the cask. Unfortunately it can also be very detrimental.
Baudoinia Compniacensis
Published 14/08/2020
What is Baudoinia Compniacensis? Baudoinia Compniacensis is a sac fungus (Ascomycota) that has been observed on a variety of natural substrates near distilleries including soil, rock and vegetation, as well as bonded warehouses, and nearby street signs. The fungus is a habitat colonist with a preference for airborne alcohol. Controvertial Neighbours In recent years the Baudoinia fungus has made newpaper headlines, as the fungus don’t limit their growth to the distilleries and warehouses.
Single Cask Whisky?
Published 13/08/2020
Within the world of whisky single malts are generally seen as the upper echelon of Scottish whiskies, for enthusiasts however the single cask whisky wears the crown. While single malts are the result of the married of many different barrels from a single distillery, under the control of a master blender. In contrast a single cask whisky is in principle the sole contents of a single whisky barrel and thus totally unique.