As Irish and Scottish immigrants tried to settle on the American continent, they brought with them the distilling methods of scotch whiskey. As they found the new raw materials different from what they were accustomed to, they lead the way for an evolution of new scotch now known as whiskey. Today if you can find a similarity between Irish and Scottish whiskey, and its American cousin you would be further ahead than the experts and connoisseurs.
The stronger, fuller and sweeter taste found in the American whiskey is a result of the lack of smoke in the drying process of grains and/or corns. The six different types of American whiskey is a direct result of the various aging times and adjusted amounts of grains used in each batch of whiskey.
The six different American brews are bourbon, tennessee, rye, wheat, corn and blended whiskey.
Bourbon is believed to be produced solely in Kentucky, which is a myth. Bourbon has actually been produced in many states. Stipulations for bourbon are very simple. It must be produced in the United States, should only be made from fifty-one percent corn, and must be stored in charred oak barrels for a minimum period of two years. The spirit in its raw form cannot exceed eighty percent alcohol by volume.
There are a few differences between Tennessee and Bourbon. The two drinks are very closely related. Tennessee must always be filtered through sugar maple charcoal, and can only be produced in the state of Tennessee. There are currently only two brands of Tennessee whiskey available; George Dickel and Jack Daniels.
Generally rye and wheat whiskeys are blended with other products to create other types of whiskeys. Only a very small portion of this whiskey is bottled. It must be made of at least fifty-one percent rye in order to be deemed rye whiskey. The storing and distilling conditions meet the same requirements as in Bourbon. Rye whiskey is made in the states of Kentucky and Indiana. It has a slightly bitter and more powerful taste.
Corn whiskey is another type of whiskey. Due to the large surplus of corn, this was an obvious choice and is the predecessor of Bourbon. Corn corn is the main ingredient with about eighty percent. The difference between corn and Bourbon is that corn does not have to be stored in wood. If it is to be aged it must be done in previous Bourbon barrels or barrels that have been uncharred
The final type of whiskey is Blended American Whiskey. You should not be confused by the differences in American blended whiskey and Scottish whiskey. American whiskey only contains approximately twenty percent of rye and bourbon whiskey while a mass product industrial spirit makes up the other eighty percent. As a result, the product is very cheap and much lighter than it’s American cousins.
The above article is just an introduction to whiskey. There are a few blogs available online that may be able to provide further information, such as Food and Drink Information. Topics range from how to make ice cream to packing cheese for a trip.
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