Whiskey has been a part of America’s history since the beginning BY NIKHIL AGARWAL What comes to your mind when you think of the United States of America? For me, I think of grandness, innovation, larger than life thinking and of course big portions! When it comes to their whiskies, I see some similarities here. The oak must be charred before putting the spirit to give big complex flavours, for instance. They like to bottle their whiskies at high alcohol strength to give each sip extra depth. Very few countries can say that the history of the country itself is linked to the culture of distilling spirit. This makes distilling and USA intertwined in its very identity. American Whiskey is indeed unique. Nowhere else in the world do you have a version of Bourbon, and whiskies made from rye is a very North American thing. Made in America The history of American Whiskey can be traced to the beginning of the colonial period in what is now known as the United States. George Washington, the first President of the United States, was a distiller. He began producing American Rye Whiskey in 1797 and his recipe is still used today to distill whiskey at the original site in Virginia. For centuries, American distillers have experimented with a range of grains such as corn, wheat, barley, and rye to create uniquely American Whiskeys that are cherished around the globe. Today, a global resurgence of cocktail culture and interest in premium and super-premium spirits have helped U.S. distillers export spirits to over 130 countries around the world. Types of American Whiskies From mash bills to char levels, production can be a complex process, but go into making American Whiskey GRAIN Many American Whiskeys use multiple types of grains which gives rise to the tel mash bill, that is the whiskey’s recipe. American Whiskey can have 100% of one type of grain, or a combination of other grains. Corn provides creamy sweetness. Rye a a spicy/ peppery flavor, while wheat gives a soft mellowness. Distillers will list their mash bill on the bottle to hint at the spirit’s flavor. YEAST Each distillery uses a unique proprietary yeast strain to make their whiskey. These secret processes can either be sweet or sour. In the sweet mash process, fresh yeast is added to the mash for fermentation, while the sour mash process mixes leftover mash from previous distillation with new mash instead of yeast WATER Many US distilleries are located near natural water sources that they use in their whiskey distillation. Local reservoirs provide distilleries with water that is naturally filtered and rich in minerals. Water in states like Kentucky and Tennessee is naturally filtered through limestone rocks and completely iron-free. Juju Cafe BARREL Barrels provide the vibrant color and some of the flavor of American Whiskey. The barrels are first toasted, allowing the heat to pull the wood sugars to the surface which are charred. This transforms the surface sugars into dark caramel. Different degrees of charring may be preferred by specific distillers. In 1964, the American Congress recognized Bourbon Whiskey as “a distinctive product of the United States.” It is also recognized as a “distinctive product” of the U.S. by 44 countries. It must be distilled to no more than 80% or less than 40% alcohol by volume. Bourbon must be aged for some time in new, charred oak barrels and cannot include coloring, flavoring, or other spirits. Bourbon that has been aged for at least two years may be further designated as “straight. Tennessee Whiskey is characterized by charcoal filtering called the “Li Process.” Like Bourbon, it is recognized as a “distinctive product” of the countries. In the “Lincoln County Process,” the whiskey is filtered through a column of sugar maple charcoal. Like Bourbon, Tennessee Whiskey must be aged for some time in new, charred oak barrels and cannot include coloring, flavoring, or other spirits. Each distillery has its own technique in producing and filtering whiskey through sugar maple charcoal. American Rye Whiskey largely disappeared after the 1921 resurgence over the past decade. American Rye Whiskey, as with bourbon, must be aged for some time in new, charred oak barrels with no added coloring, flavoring or other spirits. American Rye Whiskey that has been aged for at least two years may be further designated as ‘straight’ as in Straight American Rye Whiskey. Two styles of American Rye Whiskey blossomed during the colonial era: Pennsylvania or Monongahela-style, a fullbodied, spicy American Rye Whiskey, and Maryland-style rye, which was believed to be a mellower, sweeter American Rye Whiskey. Today, distillers can source grains 34|LUXEBOOK|NOV/DEC 2023 NOV/DEC 2023 |LUXEBOOK|35 WHISKEY HUNTING
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