Irish whiskey uses kiln-dried barley which does not involve peat, so it has a less smokey flavour than Scotch whisky. Scotch whisky reviews: Irish Whiskey What is it?Īs the name suggests, Irish whiskey must be produced in Ireland. The presence of each flavour varies based on the techniques used by the distillery where it was produced, the grain mix, and the type of scotch (eg. This process, along with the time spent ageing in the oak barrel, will impart some very distinctive aromas and flavours in the whisky. Scotch whisky exposes the barley grain to peat smoke during the drying process. Most Scotch whiskies will be made in pot stills and distilled twice. The end product must have an Alcohol by Volume (ABV) content of at least 40%. Single cask - the bottle was poured from one caskĪll Scotch whiskies must be aged in oak casks no bigger than 700 litres in size for at least 3 years.Cask strength - bottled from the cask undiluted, at a very high strength.Blended - a combination of malt and grain whiskies.Blended malt - 100% malt whisky which has malt from multiple distilleries.Single malt - 100% malt whisky with malt from one distillery.If the mash contains additional grains, like corn or wheat, it will be called a grain Scotch whisky. If the whisky is 100% water and malted barley, it will be called a malt Scotch whisky. Scotch whisky is made in Scotland using water and masted barley, but they can also contain other grains. So what does whiskey taste like? Here are the most common flavours found in different types of whiskey. Whiskies are further categorised according to where they are made and how they are made.ĭifferent types of whiskey can have dramatically different flavours and aromas, which is why sampling whiskey has become such a popular hobby. Sometimes, different types of whiskey will be blended together to add certain flavours to the spirit (called a blended whiskey). Whiskies that are only made using water and malted barley are called Malt Whiskies, while whiskies that use a combination of grains are called Grain Whiskies.

The most common grains used to make whiskey include barley, malted barley, wheat, corn, rye, and malted rye. Whiskey/whisky is a term used to describe a range of alcoholic beverages that come from different varieties of fermented grain. We will explain the key differences between different types of whiskey and what their most common flavour characteristics are. If you are new to the world of whiskey and wondering what the different whiskeys taste like, this is the article for you. On top of that, there are hundreds of whiskey brands producing whiskies that emphasise different flavours and aromas. There are many varieties of whiskey to enjoy, from sweet Tennessee Bourbon whiskeys through to the robust Scotch whiskies. Its distinctive flavour and aroma work well when consumed neat or as a part of a cocktail. Whiskey remains one of the world’s most popular alcoholic drinks.

Different whiskey brands