SCOTCH WHISKY TRAINING

HISTORY
Distilling in Scotland was first practiced by monks. In fact, it was Irish missionary monks, well over a thousand years ago, who brought the secret of distillation when they established monasteries in the wild territory that became Scotland. Scotland is undoubtedly one of the worlds classic whisky-producing regions. Although the principles of distillation were known in the ancient Orient, the distillation of liquor, a much younger art than the fermentation of beers and wines, is believed to date from the 11th century in Europe. Domestic stills existed in Ireland in the late 12th century, and some crude form of whiskey probably was produced in Scotland about the same time. The earliest explicit reference to whiskey, however, dates from 1494, when an order was recorded in Scotland for eight bolls of malt to Friar John Cor wherewith to make aquavit [water of life], and true whiskey is a purely Celtic contribution.

REGIONS OF SCOTLAND
Malt whiskies are produced in four distinct regions of Scotland: The Highlands - North of an imaginary line from Dundee in the east to Greenock in the west. The northeast region of the Highlands is referred to as "Speyside". The river Spey flows through the heart of the Highlands owing much to the character of the single malts produced in this region The Highland whiskies include the most wellknown such as Macallan, Glenmorangie, Glenlivet, and Aberlour. Islay (Eye-la) - The most southerly of Scotland's western isles, it is racked by the torrential sea and it's salty air. This intrusion by the sea is very evident in single malt's such as Laphroaig, Lagavulin, and Ardberg, which are forthright, salty, peaty and pungent. Campbeltown - On the Kintyre peninsula in southwestern Scotland. With certain exceptions such as Springbank, Campbeltown malts are used primarily as blending whiskies. Lowlands - South of the Dundee-Greenock line. Lowland whiskies are called fillers and used in blends.

Aging
Scotch whiskies age at different rates depending on where they were distilled as well as the location and the conditions in which they mature. Throughout the years of maturation, the whisky, which coming out of the still a colorless spirit, gradually becomes more complex. Its color changes too, taking on an amber tint from the wood of the cask. By law, all Scotch whisky must be aged at least three years, and few brands enter the U.S. without being aged at least four. Those that are less than four years old must carry an age statement on the label. The spirits are normally aged in oak casks, frequently casks that have been used for bourbon aging in the U.S. Many distillers also use barrels that once held sherry or wine. The majority of single malts spend a minimum of five years in casks, although most are aged at least eight years, and some for much longer. In blends, when a Scotch is aged 10 years or 12 years, the number refers to the age of the youngest whisky in the blend. As is the case with Canadian whisky, Scotch can be bottled in the country of origin or it can be shipped in bulk to the U.S. and bottled here, which can be much more cost efficient.

HIGHLIGHTS OF SCOTCH WHISKY

Scotch whisky is spelled without an "e". Irish and American whiskies are spelled "whiskey". By law, whisky can only be described as Scotch whisky if: It is matured in oak casks in Scotland. It is matured for a minimum of three years It is bottled at a minimum strength of 40% alcohol by volume (abv) Any age detail given on a bottle of Scotch whisky must be that of the youngest whisky in that bottling. The exact date of distillation and bottling may be given on a label. However, the age of the whisky, if shown, cannot be more than the number of complete years that the whisky has been in the cask - unless it is given in days. A whisky may be described as being younger than its actual age. No age statement need be given on a bottle. Single malts are the products of one distillery - but need not be all from the same cask.

Single malt can be a blend of casks of various ages, provided they are all from the same distillery. Vatted malts are malt whiskies from more than one distillery, blended together to provide a consistent product. Vatted malts can be described as pure malt" or even "malt whisky", as opposed to single malts, which come from one distillery only. Blended whiskies are a mixture of malt and grain whiskies. Blended whiskies may contain between 15 and 40 different malts - sometimes more - plus two or three grains. Various cereals can be used for making grain whisky, including wheat, maize and both malted and malted barley. The proportion of malt to grain whisky used will normally be reflected in the selling price - less expensive blends generally contain more volume of grain whiskies, which are much cheaper to make. The type of cask used to mature a whisky is vital to its final flavor and character. Casks that have previously held another spirit - normally bourbon or sherry - are used by whisky makers to impart color and flavor to their product. Warehouse location can play an important part in a whisky's final flavor and speed of maturation. A cask matured by the sea - such as the many Islay malts will have a different final flavor to one taken from a warehouse inland. Lowland malts tend to mature more quickly than those from other parts of Scotland do. Speyside malts are known to age particularly well. While it is maturing in casks, whisky loses around 2% of its alcohol by volume each year in evaporation. This is known as the Angel's Share. The Angel's Share can amount to almost 10 gallons (more than 45 liters) in 10 years. Older whiskies tend to command the highest prices. Apart from their increasing rarity, loss of volume through evaporation and the cost of storage for long periods add to the expense of production. Whisky changes in character as it matures - and the oldest may not suit everyone best. While some palates may like very woody 25-year-old malt, others prefer the softer 18 year old or the fresher 12 year old. The age at which someone enjoys his or her whisky is a matter of personal taste. Most Scotch malt whisky is distilled twice, using pairs of pot stills. However, some distilleries - particularly in the Lowlands - use of method of triple distillation similar to that used for Irish whiskey. Cask strength whiskies are those bottled at the same strength as they finish maturing. Scotch whisky is normally around 70% alcohol by volume (abv) when distilled but reduced to a standard 63.4% on being filled into casks. Regular malts are then normally diluted again with water on bottle to 40% to 43% abv.