The Whisky Maunche is now "The Crafty Cadger"

I apologize for the time in between posts.  I have decided to re-name the blog "The Crafty Cadger", and have already begun posting under that name.  It has some of the old postings and a couple of new ones.  I will completely close out this blog no later than July 31st, 2012.  For all of my visitors, I thank you for your readership and invite you to continue doing so at my new address.

What is Wheat Whiskey?

Out of the four grains used in making whiskey, wheat is the one least represented.  During my research, I found very little information on the topic.  Most of my literature concerns itself with Rye, Scotch, and Bourbon.  Wheat is mentioned, but as an additional ingredient to a mash, not as its own whiskey. The internet followed a similar line of reasoning, but it had a few more bits of information.  Whiskey.Com had more information on wheat whiskey than any other resource I could find.

So what is wheat whiskey?  Well, as the name implies, its whiskey distilled from a wheat mash.  I was only able to find two sources on its regulation.  They both agree that the whiskey be distilled from a mash bill of at least 51 percent wheat, with the rest of the mash made up of other grains.  Bernheim Whiskey states that its whiskey is aged for two years in a new, charred white oak barrel.  This conforms to a similar requirement in the U.S. for a rye whiskey to be labeled as “straight.”  Whiskey.Com states that the age requirement is three years.  Neither site states the ABV of the whiskey before maturation.

As I mentioned earlier, wheat whiskey is under represented in the whiskey world.  For my experimentations, I was only able to find two locally, and neither can be considered straight whiskies. 

The first whiskey my friends and I tried was Koval Midwest Wheat Whiskey.  It is made using 100 percent “organic” wheat.   It is un-aged, so it’s perfectly clear.  The bouquet was baffling, in that all of us came up with different scents.  Aside from different noses, we all let our drinks breathe for different lengths of time, which had a noticeable effect.  I got a light bread or doughy smell, while my friends got hints of vanilla, licorice, and unripe banana/green plantain.  On tasting, I had white pepper “tingle” on the tongue with a finish that was short and sweet, like frozen green grapes.  Not everyone got the pepper, but they all got some sort of fruity/citric character from it.  We all agreed that for an un-aged whiskey, it was smoother than expected.

The other whiskey we tried was Buffalo Trace White Dog Wheated Mash.  They state, quite proudly I might add, that it is un-aged.  It, too, is perfectly clear.  Now, the difference from this whiskey and Koval’s is that it is not 100 percent wheat.  In fact, it is very likely that wheat makes up less than 51 percent of the mash bill.  So why did I get it?  Well, I like Buffalo Trace as a company and this product is very similar to their bourbon recipe, replacing the rye with wheat.  Also, the selection for wheat whiskey is fairly limited.  But I digress.  The bouquet was the first cause for debate.  We came up with all sorts of descriptions:  active dry yeast (the kind you add to warm water), grappa, sourdough, and sour wine.  Again, scents waxed and waned when it was allowed to breathe.  The second debate was the taste.  I got a light oatmeal taste with a smooth finish, while someone else got Easter Bunny eyes (a kind of “dull” candy taste) with a cognac-like finish.  I didn’t get any of the pepper I tasted with the other whiskey.  Again, it was smoother than what you would expect from an un-aged whiskey at 114 proof.

As with Rye, there seems to be an increase in the demand for wheat whiskey.  Whereas Rye is having a revival, Wheat is having its dawning.  From what I have gathered through research and shopping for wheat whiskey, it has only been in small batch production since 2005.  Perhaps it is the novelty of trying something new and different that is creating the demand.  I should also note that both of these spirits were not aged, which segues into the moonshine/poitín fad that seems to be developing.  Whatever the reason, whether it enjoys the same level of success as its brother and sister grains is anybody’s guess.

Sláinte

PS:  I'd like to thank Donna, John, Roger, Barbara, Karen and Mike (aka: Douche Baggins) for all of their input.

What is Rye Whisky?

Aside from being a hardy cereal grain that has a high tolerance for colder climates, rye is one of the four grains that, when distilled, can be labeled a whiskey.  As I write, rye whiskey is currently undergoing a small but growing renaissance of sorts.  I’m starting to see more and more of the stuff, both in brands and varieties.  So much so that I felt that I should talk about it for a moment. 

Personally, I have little experience with straight rye.  Ten years ago, I found it to be rough or “raw”, like a very young scotch or blended scotch.  Also, unless the bottle tells you it is malted, it’s a grain alcohol, which also tends to be rough in character.  However, when it is part of a mash mixture (less than 50%), it is known for imparting what many call a “spicy” or “fruity” flavor to bourbon or other whiskies. 

Recently however, I have started to alter my opinion.  It can still be rough in character, but that’s only if you like it that way.  The products distillers are putting out today are starting to follow the format set down by the single malt industry.   Many of the bourbon distillers, such as Bulleit, Buffalo Trace, and Jim Beam, have added rye to their repertoire.  Woodford Reserve recently unveiled a “boutique” rye of its own.

Rye whiskey can refer to either of two types of whiskey: 1) American rye whiskey, which must be distilled from at least 51 percent rye or; 2) Canadian whisky, which is often referred to (and labeled as) rye whisky, although it may only include a very small proportion of rye in its production.

In the United States, "rye whiskey" is, by law, made from a mash of at least 51 percent rye, though in many instances it runs from 80 to 100%. The other ingredients of the mash are usually corn and malted barley.  It can’t be distilled higher than 80% ABV (160 proof) or go into the barrel for aging higher than 62.5% ABV (125 proof).   The barrels must be new oak barrels with the interior charred.  Rye whiskey that has been aged for at least two years may be designated as "straight" (i.e. straight rye whiskey.)

In Canada, Canadian law allows Canadian whisky to be called Canadian Whisky, Canadian Rye Whisky (that’s a whole lot of Canadian, eh?), or Rye Whisky, even though the actual amount of rye in the grain mixture is usually very small.  In truth, a corn mash makes up the majority of the spirit with the rye acting more like a “spice” ingredient.  This gives Canadian whisky a much mellower, sweeter character compared to the bolder American version.  Similarly, it must be aged in barrels, but the barrels do not have to be in new oak or charred.

So the next time you pour yourself a dram and you're not in the mood for the complexity of a single malt scotch, or the smoothness of bourbon, a bold rye may make an interesting contrast.

Enjoy!

What is whisky?

When I sat down to write this post, I bounced around the Internet and referred to some of my books to find an easy to digest explanation about what a whisky is.  The problem I found was that the answer was too mechanical (i.e. whisky (ˈwɪskɪ) n. 1: a spirit made by distilling fermented cereals, which is matured and often blended) or assumed the reader already had certain knowledge.  So, let me make this long, but simple.

Whisky is a distilled spirit.  Which means that you have to take something that has alcohol in it and refine or “distill” it.  There is a long list of spirits you can distill. Other spirits include brandy (distilled from wine), rum (distilled from sugarcane or molasses), vodka (distilled from potatoes or grain but not aged), and gin (also distilled from grain and flavored with juniper berries and other ingredients but not aged.)

Whisky is distilled from one, or a combination, of the following four grains: Barley, Rye, Corn, and Wheat.  Simply put, you take water, one of these four grains, add yeast (which converts the sugars in the grain into alcohol), heat it in a copper still, collect the condensation and repeat.

While gin and vodka are also generally distilled from grain, they are not aged in wood barrels.  Whisky is further defined in that the process includes aging in oak barrels.  The oak is air permeable which helps oxidize the raw spirit and release flavor compounds which gives whisky its signature taste.

Remember that the word whisky is a broad term covering categories like Scotch, Irish Whiskey, and Bourbon.  Each of those categories has its own set of rules and regulations that define it.  So, when the bartender asks, "What'll you be having?", don't just say "Whisky", or you'll get a dirty look.  Trust me.

Sláinte