SPIRIT TYPE:

Definition
neutral spirits distilled from any material at or above 190 proof, reduced to not more than110 or less than 80 proof

VODKA
Special Countries of Production Production Notes any grains (rye, corn charcoal filtration, Russia,
or wheat) or raw carbohydrates (potatoes, beets or sugar beets) earth, quartz sand and diamond dust to filter out unwanted tastes Poland, U.S.

Ingredients

Tasting notes
drink straight to see the flavors

Popular brands
Absolut, Belvedere, Ketel, SKYY, Stoli, Smirnoff

select based upon base ingredient place in freezer to get to right temperature and viscosity use brandy glasses placed in freezer for 1 hour prior warm in hand after pouring to take chill off appearance, look for tears and any color tints aroma should be creamy, sweet or grainy, not medicinal sip slowly, let warm up, swallow and note aftertaste

SPIRIT TYPE:
Definition
Similar to vodka production but extracts of herbs and spices added to final product

AQUAVIT
Ingredients
Potato Based

Special Countries of Production Notes Production

potatoes used to make base, distilled and flavorings added Sweden, Denmark, Norway

Tasting notes
similar to vodka

Popular brands
O.P. Anderson

flavors may include, lemon, coriander, cinnamon, caraway to name a few

SPIRIT TYPE:
Definition

GIN
Ingredients Special Countries of Production Notes Production
Cold Compounding (three types) Holland, England, America

Tasting notes
similar to vodka but add good quality water

Popular brands
Tanqueray, Beefeater, Plymouth. Bombay Sapphire, Gordons

London Dry: corn Juniper used in all but other flavors may (75%) and Barley include lemon and (25%), distilled at 190 proof, then redistilled orange peel, cardamom, with juniper berries and anise, coriander, etc. other botanicals Plymouth Gin: similar to London but made with soft water and Wheat Holland or Dutch Gin: made from fermented malt or malt wine then redistilled with Juniper berries

a) set amount of ingredients crushed, allowed to steep for x amount of time, then filtered and bottled b)botanicals crushed and tea bagged into a specific amount of spirit to diffuse c) circulatory where botanicals are suspended on fine mesh and alcohol pumped over until all flavors infused essential oils removed from botanicals and infused into spirit Gin Head: pot still with a basket holding the botanicals is suspended in the gin head to infuse the spirit

also gin does not have to be chilled as much

SPIRIT TYPE:

RUM

Definition

Ingredients

Special Countries of Production Notes Production

West Indies

Tasting notes
tasting profile similar to scotch

Popular brands
Bacardi

sugarcane juice, cane sugarcane juice, cane product can be aged syrup or molasses syrup or molasses (light rum 1 year, with distilled water, dark 3 years or yeast and nutrients longer) in oak added to allow fermentation (length of fermentation determines body of rum) Then distilled (1-3 times) in either pot still(allows color to stay) or continuous

SPIRIT TYPE:
Definition
blue agave plant heart produces unfermented juice (agua miel or honey water) heart is cooked (steamed in large ovens at 140 F run off juice collected

TEQUILA
Ingredients
blue agave

Special Countries of Production Notes Production

copper still used and distilled twice Mexico

Tasting notes
similar to whiskey, should be sipped

Popular brands
Jose Cuervo, Sauza, Patron

Blanco: original style bottled after distilled Joven or Gold: aged slightly and mixed with aged tequila (color comes from aged or caramel) Reposado (rested): aged 3-12 months in wood Anejo: aged up to four years in KY bourbon barrels

quality of tequila declines greatly with exposure to oxygen

hearts milled and rinsed to extract all juice agave juice fermented and distilled

SPIRIT TYPE:
Definition
malted barley that has been germinated, ground and mashed, fermented and distilled

SCOTCH/IRISH WHISKEY
Ingredients
Barley

Special Countries of Production Notes Production

Tasting notes

Popular brands
Blends: Johnnie Walker, Cutty Sark, Chivas, Dewars

first distillation in a Scotland scotch glasses preferred wash still to (Lowlands, or use sherry or port remove alcohol, Campbeltown, glasses second distillation Highlands, in a spirit still to Speyside, concentrate Islay) ethanol minimum aging for 3 year, flavor from barrels and environment review color and legs/ tears

Single Malts: Glenlivet, Bowmore, Glenmorangle, Glenfiddich, Macallan Irish: Bushmills, Jameson

Single Malt: non blended whiskey

nose carefully

taste a small sip then try with a drop of water

SPIRIT TYPE:
Definition
Bourbon: made in the US using 51% corn, aged for 2 yrs. min. in new American Charred barrels

NORTH AMERICAN WHISKEY

Ingredients
corn is the main ingredient, water

Special Countries of Production Notes Production

Sour mash: some of American: KY the residue from and TN one batch used to start the next fermentation

Tasting notes
similar to scotch

Popular brands
major distillers: Jim Beam, Wild Turkey, Maker's Mark, Buffalo Trace, Four Roses, Jack Daniels

aging important for final flavor

Canadian: similar but uses rye as one of the grains

Canada

Seagrams. Canadian Club

SPIRIT TYPE:
Definition
fermented fruit Juice that has been distilled Cognac: made in the Cognac region in France from the Colombard grape Armagnac: made in the Armagnac region in France uses 10 grape varieties Calvados: made in Calvados with fermented apple juice Grappa/Marc/Pisco: made with pomace from grapes fermented and distilled

BRANDY

Ingredients

Special Countries of Production Notes Production

Tasting notes

Popular brands

Grapes

France

France

Apples

France

Grapes

Grappa is Italy, Marc made in France, Pisco made in Peru and Chile