What are the ingredients of whisky?

Posted on Feb 05, 2009

Grains

The choice of grain is quite possibly the single largest factor in determining the overall taste and style of a whisky. Scottish and Irish style whiskies are traditionally made using malted barley. Other whiskies such may use a combination of barley, corn, rye, and wheat. The preferred combination of grain will vary from distillery to distillery due to both flavour and economic preferences. Malted barley is the most expensive grain to produce whisky from, whereas corn will offer the highest output per tonne of grain. In terms of flavour barley imparts a cereal-like biscuity flavour onto the end product, corn a much sweeter and spicy note that is most commonly experienced in the American bourbons. Rye whiskies are commonly associated with a pepper and spice note, and wheat gives a honey sweetness which balances the spice in bourbon.

Yeast

Yeast is a form of single-cell fungi used in the production of breads to assist the rising process. In the production of alcohol it is mixed with the grain and through breaking down the starch and sugars in the grain produces alcohol and carbon dioxide as a by-product.

Water

The water content of the whisky product varies constantly during the entire production process. As part of the fermentation process warm water is added to the grain to activate the yeast. Through the distillation process water is steamed off to increase the alcohol content prior to casking. And finally prior to bottling and drinking water is added back into the spirit to make it more palatable.

Wood

The traditional colour of whisky varies from pale straw and amber hues, right through to dark mahoganies. The colour is almost entirely imparted on the liquid during the casking and maturation, where the alcohol leeched colour from the wood it is being aged in. Young oak barrels as often used in the production of American Bourbon will typically give a rich golden colour. Scotch whisky which uses aged oak will typically have a slightly paler appearance. This can again be varied depending on how old the cask is, and what it’s previous contents were. Many Scotch producers will finish their whisky in an old port or wine cask which will then allow it to take on the deeper red tones.