Spirit Oral Exam part 1

• Spirits


  Potable alcoholic obtained from the distillation of an alcoholic containing liquid. In distillation, all the alcohol can be separated from the liquid forming pure alcohol to which distilled water is added to reduce its potency.
• Classification of Spirits by Sugar Source

  • Grain (Barley, Maize, Rye, Corn)
  • Vegetables (Potatoes)
  • Fruit (Sugarcane, grape, Apricot, juniper berry)
  • Herbs
• Whisky/Whiskey


  A spirit obtained by the distillation of a fermented mash of grain (barley, maize or rice or all together) and is aged in wood.
• Scotch Whisky


  A distinctive product of Scotland. Scotch whiskys' Scottish-Gaelic name is "Uisge beatha" or "Usque Baugh" meaning "Water of Life".
• Scotch Whisky Service

  • Scotch whisky is best appreciated when drunk neat on the rocks (whisky glasses or old-fashioned glass)
  • A popular way of drinking Scotch whisky is with a mixer of Soda or water. This may be served in short or tall glasses as per the guest preference.
• Bourbon Whiskey


  Produced in North America only. Reverend Elijah Craig produced the first Bourbon Whiskey in 1789 in Bourbon, Kentucky, USA. Most Bourbons are straight whiskies which means that they are obtained from a continuous process of distillation from a mash of corn, rye or barley, on blended and aged in charred oak barrels for at least two years.
• Bourbon Mash Ratio

  • Corn - 60%
  • Rye - 28%
  • Barley - 12%
• Bourbon Distillates

  Most Bourbon distillates are of the strength of 110 to 130 proofs. They are aged at a proof of at least 125 for two years in charred oak barrels. The barrels give the Bourbons their distinctive flavor because of charring, which produces a reddened, resinous surface on the wood to provide special flavor constituents.
• Blended Bourbon


  Must have at least 20% of straight whiskey.
• Bourbon Whiskey Service

  • Like Scotch people like to drink it neat on the rocks
  • A social variation is to service it with a lemon fizzy drink, soda, coke or dry ginger ale.
• Tennessee Whiskey


  Are all sour mash whiskies. It is aged or matured in vats packed with charcoal made from wood of the sugar maple tree which grows in Tennessee highlands. Example: Jack Daniel's
• Sour Mash


  The result of using some of the mash left over from a previous fermentation, instead of only the fresh mash and yeast used for other whiskies. Each new batch is related to the previous batch and develops more complex flavors from the fermentation.
• Rye Whiskey


  United States legislation demands that rye whiskey should be made from a grain mash which is at least 51 percent rye. Most American Rye whiskey comes from Pennsylvania and Maryland. Example: Beam's Rye
• Japanese Whisky


  The best known Japanese whiskies are made by the Suntory Company which has been making whisky since 1923. Examples: Old Suntory and Royal Suntory
• Irish Whiskey


  Is made from a mash of cereal grains (wheat or rye) mostly, with perhaps 20% oats and wheat in a manner to the malt of Scotland but it is distilled three times in pot stills. Were mostly straight whiskies highly flavored and smooth. Triple distillation and long maturation contribute to the uniqueness of Irish whiskey for even the youngest is aged in sherry casks for at least 7 years by law even though the mandatory requirement is three years.
• Service of Irish Whiskey

  • Irish whiskey is best served neat on the rocks in a short glass.
• Canadian Whisky


  The principle grain used in Canadian whisky is corn with a mix of maize, wheat, rye and barley malt. It is lighter in body and more delicate in flavor than Bourbon. The credit of Canadian whisky goes to Scottish immigrants who made the whisky very similar to Scotch whisky. Canadian Whisky is distilled in a Coffey still. The Canadian government allows the distillate to be of the strength of 150 to 185 proofs. Maturation takes place in old white oak barrels for two or more years but most Canadian Whiskies are at least six years old.
• Service of Canadian Whisky


  • Is treated like Bourbon. It is popular with lemonade particularly.
• Process of Making Whisky

  1. Harvesting - cool climate favors the cultivation of barley

  2. Cleaning - the barley is first carefully selected to contain 60% starch. It is then washed to separate it from the husk (dry covering of seeds) and is finally dried

  3. Malting - the dried barley is soaked in warm water for two or three days. The barley is spread on the floor to germinate for 8 to 12 days till it sprouts a "shoot"-a thumbnail long. The sprouting barley is constantly turned by hand or by "Saladin" machine to aerate it

  4. Drying and Grinding - germination is stopped at a certain time and the barley is subjected to heat over fires of smokeless coal and peat. The peat gives smoke, which flavors the malt during the process. The malt is then ground to form what is called grist

  5. Mashing - the grist is mixed with warm water in a tank called the mash tun (a vat or tub). The sweetish liquid produced (wort) is drawn off and the remaining husky liquid, called draff is removed

  6. Fermentation - the wort is cooled and then passed into vessels where it is fermented for 40 hours. Yeast is added to convert the maltose into glucose, which produces crude alcohol and carbon dioxide. The result is a sort of beer called the "wash", with an alcoholic strength of about 10%

  7. Distillation - the wash is distilled twice in pot stills, the wash is heated with a lower boiling point than water becomes vapour, which is then cooled and condensed back into liquid. The distillates are combined with new wort for distillation

  8. Maturation - the new whisky is poured into oak wood casks where it is matured into a pleasant mellow spirit for as long as 15 years, though not less than three years. Scotch matures during aging process, developing smoothness and improved character. Aging also gives colour of the barrel. Finer whiskies are matured in actual sherry or port casks or wine treated-treated casks. Most regular scotch is aged for 5 or 6 years while premium scotch undergoes this process for a minimum of 8 years. Premium Scotch takes the woody flavor of the barrel as it is aged for a longer period

  9. Blending (optional) - after the whisky are matured, they are "married" to achieve consistent quality and bouquet. Blended with grain whisky that provides lightness; malt gives body and character; grain gives lightness

  10. Filtering and Bottling - the Scotch whisky is finally filtered and bottled.
• Rum


  Spirit distilled from by-products of sugarcane
• Countries that Produce Rum

  • Puerto Rico
  • Britain
  • West Indies
  • Venezuela
  • Brazil
  • Jamaica
  • Dominican Republic
  • Haiti
  • Mexico
  • Philippines
  • Cuba
• Types of Rum

  • White Rum - a distillate of molasses (a mash of a by-product of sugarcane and water). This rum is white because the spirit is not given a coloring. Bacardi rum is a world leader in white rum as envisioned by Don Facundo Bacardi in 1862
  • Dark Rum - has the same production process as white rum except that a highly refined sugarcane syrup or caramel is added to it to give colour and flavor
  • Golden Rum - gets its color when white rum is matured in casks that lend the golden color to the rum
• Categories of Rum

  • Light Bodied Rum (also known as silver or dry rum) - are popular in the United States. It is produced by the continuous distillation method and emerges as a high proof distillate. It eliminates flavourings but gives smoother rum with a mild sweet flavor. Light rums are aged for one year. Puerto Rican and Cuban rum belongs to this category
  • Heavy Bodied Rum - Produced in Jamaica, New England and British Guyana has a strong bouquet using many flavorings
  • Medium Bodied Rum - are produced in Virgin Islands and New England. They range in color from tan to rich mahogany
• Puerto Rican Rum


  Distilled in Puerto Rico, dry, lightly flavored and light bodied.
• Rum


  A brown distilled spirit that comes from sugarcane
• Types of Rum

  • White rum
  • Dark rum
  • Golden rum
• The largest producer of Rum is Puerto Rico
• Brandy


  A distillate of fermented grapes
• Cognac


  The best quality of all brandies
• Types of Cognac

  • La Granda Champagne
  • La Petit Champagne
  • Les Borderies
  • Les Fins Bois
  • Les Bons Bois
  • Les Bois Ordinaire
  • Bois Commums
• Cognac labels indicating age

  • One star - matured for 2 years
  • Two Stars - matured for 2 to 4 years
  • Three Stars - matured for 5 to 8 years
  • V.O. - Very Old
  • V.O.P. - Very Old Pale
  • V.S.O. - Very Superior Old
  • V.S.O.P. - Very Superior Old Pale (matured for 50 years)
  • V.V.S.O.P. - Very Very Superior Old Pale
  • X.O. - Extra Old
• Armagnac


  A fuller bodied and drier brandy than Cognac
• Armagnac regions

  • Haut Armagnac - 10%
  • Tenarēze - 40%
  • Bas - Armagnac - 50%
• Calvados


  A famous apple brandy from Normandy in upper France
• Types of Calvados

  • Calvado duˊ Pays duˊ Auge
  • Calvados
  • Fau-de-vie de cidre
• Brandies from other nations

  • Marc (France)
  • Kirsch (France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland)
  • Framboise (France)
  • Mirabelle (France)
  • Quetsch (France)
  • Grappa (Italy)
  • Kirschwasser (Germany)
  • Zwetschgenwasser (Germany)
  • Poire Williams (Switzerland)
  • Slivovitz (Balkans)
  • Ouzo (Greece)
  • Metaxa (Greece)
  • Baracj Palinka (Austria and Hungary)
  • Carlos I and Fundador (Spain)
  • Pisco (Peru)
  • Apple Jack (USA)
• Cognac Production

  1. Fermentation (St. Emillon Grapes)

  2. Distillation

  3. Double Distillation

  4. Aging in limousine oak barrels

  5. Blending with distilled water

  6. Coloring with caramel

  7. Addition of sugar syrup

  8. Bottling
• There are three types of brown spirits: whisky, rum and brandy
• Whiskey comes from the distillate of malt or barley. Americans use "whisky" while Europeans use "whiskey"
• Most whiskies are served "neat on the rocks"