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Soho Whisky - Whisky glossary Category: Food and Drink > Whisky Date & country: 03/05/2011, UK Words: 36

Age
In whisky terms this is the number of years the whisky has spent in a wooden barrel. Where the whisky has been blended it is the age of the youngest component.

Blended Scotch
A whisky made from a blend of malt and grain whiskies to produce a standard repeatable whisky usually in large volumes.

Campbeltown
Term used to define whiskies from the Campbeltown region of Scotland. This is on the famous Mull of Kyntyre. There are only two distilleries remaining in this region (Glen Scotia and Springbank).

Cask
Wooden barrel used to store whisky. Whisky is stored in oak casks and aged to soften the whisky. The process of aging is complex but can be described simply as taking bad things out of the whisky and putting good things in. Casks for whisky have generally been used previously to store other alcoholic drinks and can impact character to whisky. It is not unusual to age whisky in barrels originally u...

Cask strength
Whisky is stored in casks at its original strength from the still of over 50% ABV and is normally watered down during bottling. However, many whiskies can be bought at the original cask strength. It is normal to water down the whisky at the time of drinking although an additional taste experience can be obtained from the cask strength.

Caramel
Sometimes used as a colouring agent in whisky. It is made from sugar.

Charring
The process of charring the inside of barrels. The contact of the flame opens fissures that help with the aging process. It does not colour the whisky.

Chill filtration
Whisky is often chilled before bottling to remove congeners which could cause the whisky to become cloudy if stored at low temperature.

Congeners
Chemical compounds produced during whisky making that give the whisky character. They include esters, acids, aldehydes, and higher alcohols.

Dram
Small glass of whisky (or other spirit).

Fermentation
The process of converting sugar to alcohol using yeast.

Highland
Term used to define whisky from distilleries in the highland region in the northern part of Scotland. Often dry with some peatiness.

Island
Term used to define whisky from distilleries in the islands of Scotland (excluding Islay). They are typically peaty, smokey nose with a salty, briney and smokey flavour

Islay
Term used to define whisky from distilleries on the island of Islay. Typically these are very peaty whiskies with iodine and seaweed flavours.

Kiln
Used in whisky to dry the germinated barley before all the sugars are used up.

Lowland
Term used to define whisky from distilleries from the lowland region in the southern part of Scotland. Typically they are soft and approachable.

Malt
Barley or other grain prepared by steeping, germination and drying. The process of germination converts starch to sugars that can then be fermented.

Malt whisky
Whisky made from barley malt fermented with yeast and then distilled.

Nosing glass
A glass used to imbibe whisky. It is a small glass with a narrow opening that can be used to swirl, nose and taste the whisky.

Organic whisky
Whisky made from organically grown barley (free of inorganic fertilizer, pesticides or herbicides)

Peat
Used to dry malt during the whisky making process. The peat can impart a smoky flavour to whisky. Peaty is a common tasting term and typically applies to islay whiskies.

Pot still
A common still for double distilling malt whisky. They are usually made of copper or stainless steel.

Proof
Proof is a measure is the specific gravity of whisky and measures the alcohol of the whisky by means of a hydrometer. These days alcohol is more usually given as Alcohol By Volume (ABV). British "proof spirit" contains 57.1% alcohol by volume.

Quaich
Traditional two handed Celtic drinking vessel of Scotland. It is an open squat cup that can come in various sizes often used for communal drinking.

Scotch
Whisky that is distilled and matured in Scotland and is define by the The Scotch Whisky Act 1988:

Slainte
Cheers for whisky drinkers. The correct response is "Slainte Mhor" (cheers even more).

Speyside
Term used to define whiskies from distilleries in the Speyside region of Scotland. These are alongside the river Spey. Speysides can be huge and sherry wooded, with smokiness, great length and complexity. Often the nose is enough to entrance.

Still
Distilling apparatus consisting of a closed boiler and condensing chamber. This converts the wash to cask strength whisky in a two stage distillation process ready for storing and aging.

Top dressing
Addition of higher quality malts to blends to improve the whisky's character.

Unfiltered
Whisky that has not been chill filtered. Filtering can remove some of the whisky characteristics but does prevent the whisky going hazy if stored at low temperature.

Vatted malt
Blend of single malts from two or more distilleries. This is usually to produce a consistent and repeatable product.

Wash
Raw fermented liquid prior to distillation.

Whiskey
Variation of whisky usually of US or Irish origin

Whisky
Spirit distilled from malted barley or other grains.

Year
Year in which the whisky was first distilled and entered into barrels. Unlike wine, whisky does not have vintages. However, the year helps define the process used and resulting whisky characteristics.

Yeast
A fungal type organism that lives off sugar and produces carbon dioxide and alcohol. It is used to convert the sugar from malted barley into alcohol prior to distillation.