Whisky glossary

Looking for the meaning of a particular word? This page should help you explain it’s meaning. If you find any missing words, be sure to let us know and we’ll include it.

ABV

“Alcohol By Volume”, how much alcohol does the Whisky contain, measured in percentages (%). Another way to indicate this is Proof. Depending on the country, Whisky must at least contain 40% or 43% alcohol.

Aftershots

The run from the spiritstill (the second and mostly final distillation for Single Malts) is divided in three sections. The " foreshots “, the " cut " or " heart " and the “aftershots” or " feints " or " tail “. The aftershots or feints is the last part of the distillation and will be redistilled later, as the alcohol content is too low. It also contains congeners that give the new make spirit a undesirable quality.

Alembic still

The Alembic still is an alchemical still consisting of two vessels connected by a tube, used for distilling. These were traditionally made of copper and operate on the same basis as the pot still

Angel’s Breath

The less romantic result of the Angel’s Share. It refers to the black mould Baudoinia Compniacensis which is found inside warehouses where Whisky matures.

Angel’s Share

Maturing Whisky will evaporate about 2% per year, depending on climatic conditions. More warmer regions (lowlands) will have a higher evaporation then for example on the Orkney’s.

Aqua Vitae

“Water of Life” in Latin. In Gaelic Whisky is called “Uisge Beatha” which has the same meaning.

Barley

The grain used in Scottish Single Malt production. Once it went through the maltingprocess it is referred to as “malt”.

Barrel

One of the cask types Whisky is matured in. A barrel is traditionally being used in the bourbon industry. A barrel contains about 185 Liters.

Beer

The fermented wash. Contains about 8% ABV.

Blend

Mix of Grain Whisky and SingleMalts, often in about 70% to 30% amounts.

Blood Tub

A very small cask in use by some distilleries to mature whisky. Smaller casks help mature Whisky faster as there is more contact with the wood. The content is about 35 liters.

Body

One of the sensations of Nosing & Tasting a Whisky. The Body describes how the Whisky feels in the mouth. Typical descriptions include Full, Oily, Sweet, Dry.

Bond

Economic term, a Whisky is in Bond when there is yet no excise duty (tax) paid. Maturing Whisky is under bond until it is being bottled. This way distilleries don’t pay for example tax over spirit lost with the Angel’s Share.

Brewing

Yeast is added to the sweet liquid produced by the mashing process. The fermenting process results in a form of beer, which will continue to the next process, distillation.

Bung

A large “cork” for closing the cask. Made of wood.

Butt

A cask type being used to mature Whisky, contains 500 liters.

Caramel

Also being referred to as E150, caramel is being used to color Whisky. Whisky companies use this to get a consistent color over time for their products. People more into Single Malts prefer to have their dram without it, as many believe caramel influences taste and smell as well. Sun light will bleach the color added by caramel over time.

Cask Strength

Whisky as it comes straight from the cask, usually at a high ABV, such as 50% to 60%. Normally Whisky will be diluted with water down to 40% or 43% prior to bottling.

Charring

New oak casks are being burned inside with gas. This is done to caramelize the sugars found in the wood. The result can be found back in the final Whisky in sweet and vanilla tones.

Chill Filtration

Whisky contains Fatty Acids. In higher ABV ’s the Whisky is able to keep these Fatty Acids dissolved. But if the Whisky is diluted with water, or chilled, these Fatty Acids will clutter together, making the Whisky ‘cloudy’ and ‘hazy’. To prevent this from happening companies chill the Whisky, and then filter it to remove the Fatty Acids. People more into Single Malt Whisky prefer un-chill filtered Whiskies, as they belief certain characteristics are being filtered away with the fatty acids.

Chill Haze

Another term for Haze (see above Chill Filtration).

Coffey Still

A industrial still that is being used to make Grain Whisky, the base of Blended Whiskies. Whisky coming from this type of still has a much higher ABV and is more pure, hence less flavor. Single Malts are being used to add character in blends. Unlike stills in use in Single Malt distilleries, a Coffey still can produce continuously 24 hours a day.

Condenser

A downwards spiral placed in a cylinder of cold water, being used to condense the vapors coming from the distillation stills.

Congeners

The group of elements in the Whisky that give the actual flavor to it. They include aldehydes, esters, fatty acids, oils and phenols. Congeners are also partly (besides a shortage of water) responsible for hangovers.

Continuous still

Synonym for a Coffey Still.

Cooperage

Company or section of a distillery where the casks are made, or being repaired. Here the parts of casks come in from Spain and USA and are being put together into casks for maturing Whisky. They will also repair casks that started leaking in warehouses.

Cut

Middle part of the second distillation that will be stored in casks to mature. Also being called the “heart” or “middle cut”.

Demisting point

During second distillation the stillman will determine the “demisting point”. By adding water and looking at how cloudy the spirit gets he can see where the Cut (see above) starts.

Distillation

Since alcohol has a lower boiling point then water, you can separate the alcohol from the water with heating to about 78 degrees Celsius, this process is called distillation. In Single Malt Distilleries this process is usually done two times. Some use a triple distillation setup.

Draff

By product of mashing; everything that has not been dissolved during the mashing stage. The Draff is mostly sold to local farmers who use it as a cattle food though in recent years has begun to be used for biofuel and power generation.

Dram

Mostly being used to describe a glass of Whisky, the dram was actually a Scottish legal measurement of spirit.

Drum

A large rotating drum in which Barley is being malted in a industrial way. By rotating the drum the Barley is being malted evenly unlike on an traditional malting floor where for example the spread Barley builds up more heat on the bottom near the floor.

Enzymes

Once dried Barley is being steeped in water, the enzymes (specifically Diastate and Cytase) naturally available inside the Barley will start to break down (Cytase) the cell walls so the starch in there is ready to be turned into sugar. Diastate is turn will convert the starch into sugar.

Esters

Part of the congeners in Whisky, Esters give Whisky fruity and flowery notes.

Expression

Term to describe the content from a bottle. For example the ‘10 year’, or a ‘sherry cask finnish’.

Fatty Acids

Congeners that are responsible for the Haze when a Whisky is being chilled or diluted with water. In many Whiskies they are being removed prior to bottling in a process called Chill-filtration.

Feints

Last part of the second distillation that will be re-distilled later. This part is too low in alcohol, and contains congeners which are unwanted in the new make spirit. Also called " aftershots " and the " tail “.

Fermentation

After the mashing stage, yeast is added to the wash to convert the sugars into alcohol. During this process the sugars will be converted to alcohol, carbon dioxide and energy. The result of this stage is called beer.

Finish (1)

One of the sensations of Nosing & Tasting a Whisky. It is the final part describing the after taste.

Finish (2)

A additional period of maturing another cask. This period is unofficially set at least 6 months. Being done to give the Whisky notes from another cask type, like sherry or port notes. Also being referred to as “finishing”.

Floor Malting

The original method to malt the Barley. Once the Barley has been steeped in water, the enzymes in the Barley will break down the cell wands and convert starch into sugar. This is done on large floors where the Barley is regularly turned to prevent uneven malting. The Barley will be dried just after the sugar is released, but before the Barley is using to much of the sugar to grown into the beginning of a plant. These days only a handful of distilleries still use floormalting.

Foreshots

The first part of the second distillation, and being redistilled later as the alcohol content is too high, and containing too much unwanted components. Also being called the “head”.

Fortified Wine

Wine which has been enhanced by adding spirit. A range of casks that had been holding fortified wines are being used to finish Whisky in, like Madeira, port and sherry.

Fusel Oils

Fusel Oils are particular present in the feints. It is a name for a group of higher alcohol’s, and are unwanted as they produce unwanted notes in the final Whisky.

Green Malt

Barley right after the malting process, but before the kilning.

Grist

Once malted and dried, the malt will be grinded in the mill. The product is then referred to as grist

Heads

Other name for Foreshots.

Heart

Other name for Cut.

Hogshead

A Cask type that contains 250 liters.

Home Vatting

Practiced by some, the blending of Single Malts at home for fun. Goal can be to add notes from one Malt to another, prolonging the life of a very pronounced malt or to create a new type of malt altogether.

Hoop

Metal rings around the casks.

Kiln

The recognizable pagoda roofed buildings often associated with Scottish Whisky.

Kilning

The process directly after the malting. Goal is to stop the Barley from growing and using up the sugar being released at the malting. Many distilleries used peat in this process, but also plain hot air was used. There are only a handful distilleries left that still (partly) malt and kiln their own Barley.

Legs

If swirled in a glass, Whisky will stream back down in “legs”. Looking carefully to the legs you can get indications of age and ABV.

Lomond Still

Unusual shaped still with a cylinder shaped form on the upper part of the still. Being used since it gives more control over the resulting spirit.

Low Wines

The product of the first distillation, and about 20% in ABV.

Lyne Arm

The sloping arm that is part of the still and goes to the condenser. The length and angle can influence the fumes inside the still, so heavier alcohol and contents may be falling back down faster, and thus influencing the final spirit quality.

Malt

Once Barley has germinated, and the growing process has been stopped because of heating in the kilning process, Barley is being called Malt. It is also short for ' Single Malt Whisky ‘.

Malting

The process after the steeping of Barley, faking the wetter spring conditions so the Barley will begin to grow. During this process enzymes will convert the starch inside the Barley to sugar.

Maltings

Building where the malting process is being done. These days mostly industrial done.

Marrying

Period of time where Whisky from separate casks or distilleries are given time to “marry”. This improves the harmony of the resulting Whisky.

Mash

Mix of hot water and grist. Goal is to dissolve all the sugar present in the grist.

Mashing

The process of mixing hot water with Grist. Goal is to extract all the sugars from the grist. Once all sugar is removed (often in 3 batches), the left over solid parts called Draff is sold to farmers as cattle food.

Mash Tun

The vessel where the mashing takes place.

Maturation

Whisky can only be legally called Whisky if it has been matured at least 3 years in cask. Most Whiskies however are matured about 10 to 12 years. Most used cask types are casks that usually contained bourbon or sherry.

Middle Cut

Synonym for Cut.

Milling

Process where malt is being grinded to grist.

Mothballed

Occasionally, a owner of a distillery might close a distillery for a certain amount of time. Not with the goal to close the distillery, but to resume production later. Such a distillery is then being “Mothballed”.

Mouser

The name being used to describe the cats on distilleries who suppose to keep the distillery free of rodents.

Mouth Feel

Other term for Body.

New Make Spirit

As Whisky can only been called Whisky after a maturation period of at least 3 years, this is the name once it has been coming from the spiritstill.

Nose

Term to use to describe the sensations on the nose while doing a Nosing & Tasting of a Whisky.

Nosing Glass

Name for a glass suited well for Nosing & Tasting a whisky. Traditionally glasses are being used from the wine industry. But attempts have been made to give Whisky it’s own glass.

Pagoda

The distinctive roof of a Kiln. Designed around 1880 by Charles Chree Doig who discovered this shape would improve the effect of smoke from the burning peat in the kilning process. Although almost all distilleries still have these roof’s, only a handful still use them for kilning.

Palate

the sensations in the mouth when Nosing & Tasting a Whisky. Also being referred to as the Body.

Patent Still

Other name for the CoffeyStill.

Paxarete

A wine which sometimes is being used under pressure to prepare casks for maturation. This practice is no longer accepted under SWA rules. Often casks having used this method have had descriptions on the nose such as “baby puke” and “sour milk”.

Peat

Vegetation build up over thousands of years. Once dried, it is being used in the kilning process to dry the germinating Barley.

Phenols

Part of the congeners group, phenols are responsible for the peat, tar and smoky notes.

PPM

Abbreviation for “Parts Per Million”. A measurement used to indicate how much peated a malt is. 20PPM is considered low, which a distillery like Ben Nevis uses. Some Islay distilleries are using high PPM’s, going up to 60 PPM.

Pot Ale

Residues left in the still after distillation.

Pot Still

Name for the onion shaped distillation stills used in Single Malt distilleries. In most Single Malt distilleries there is a two still distillation. The first still is being called the wash still, the second the spirit still.

Proof

An older measurement for how much alcohol is in the spirit. Something was considered 100% proof if soaked in whisky, gunpowder would still ignite. Some distilleries use it as a name for their expression, as the extremely high ABV 105 Proof from Glenfarclas.

Pure Malt

This term is used to describe Single Malt Whiskies who have been vatted together. As they no longer come from a single distillery they can’t be called SingleMalt anymore.

Reflux

The heavier fumes inside the still that during distillation don’t reach the higher parts of the still but fall back down.

Run

Term to describe the process of distilling, i.e., “doing a run of distillation”. Also a term to describe the spirit as it flows from the still.

Scotch

Legally protected term to describe Whisky distilled and matured on Scottish soil.

Single Malt

Name for Whisky which originates from a single distillery, and is made from malted Barley.

Slainthe Math

“On your good health!” In Gaelic, the original spoken language in the Scottish Highlands. Often shortened to just “Slainthe!”

Spent Wash

Another term for Pot Ale.

Spirit Safe

Device distilleries have to use by law. In the spirit still the stillman measures the alcohol strength, and when to switch to and from the “hearth” of the run.

Spirit Still

The second still, producing the final spirit.

Staves

The separate wooden parts which make up a cask. Casks are taken apart in Spain and USA where each stave is numbered. In a cooperage in Scotland the staves are then build together again into a cask.

Steep

Large container where Barley is soaked in water in order to let it start germinating.

Vatted Malt

The product if you bring together Single Malts from multiple distilleries.

Vatting

Process of bringing Whiskies together from separate distilleries.

Vintage

Term to describe a expression which contains Whisky from only 1 year.

Warehouse

Building to store maturing Whisky casks.

Wash

Other name for Beer. The liquid which contains about 8% ABV after fermentation which is going to be distilled in the first still, the washstill.

Wash Back

The large containers where the wash is being fermented in. Originally these were made of Oregon Pine, as these trees have very little side branches which can cause leakage otherwise. It was thought wooden washbacks contributed to the final product. The labor intensive cleaning of the wood after each batch made many distilleries choose these days for stainless steel alternatives.

Wash Still

The first still in a distillery, where the wash (8% ABV) will be distilled to make the Low Wines which contain 20% ABV.

Worm

The Downwards spiral in the condenser where the vapors will condense into liquid after distillation.

Wort

Name for the liquid as it comes from the mashtun. It is high in sugar which will be converted into alcohol during fermentation.