Which 12 year old whiskey is the best?

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Whisky, or scotch, is one of the most popular spirits in the world. Its aroma and taste are created through a variety of manufacturing processes that result in a drink that people are willing to pay a lot of money for. It is made from crops such as rye, barley, corn, wheat and even buckwheat. The strength of this drink can vary from 32 to 50%. Traditionally produced in Ireland and Scotland.

Drink history

Where was this strong drink first made? The answer to this question has not been found, but Ireland and Scotland consider themselves the birthplace of whiskey and argue among themselves about who was the first in this matter. The Scots claim that it was they who replaced the grapes with barley in the original process. The resulting drink they called "water of life." But the Irish say that their patron, Saint Patrick, invented this recipe and started making whiskey on their island. Mass production of Scotch began in Scottish monasteries, it was used exclusively for medicinal purposes. But the farmers took over the experience of the monks and began to produce it for sale. This drink was more like moonshine, itsdid not stand, but drank immediately after distillation. In the 19th century, handicraft production was able to move to a new level thanks to the Coffey installation, which helped to significantly increase the volume of the manufactured product. Since that time, the industrial production of this product begins, firms appear that specialize only in its production. Scottish and Irish scotch are considered the best in our time. Whiskey 12 years old is appreciated all over the world.

Types of "water of life"

There is a classification of whiskey:

1. M alt - made only from barley m alt, without any impurities. In turn, it is also divided into:

• single m alt (made by the same distillery);
• Single cask (whiskey, which is taken from one barrel);
• Quarter cask (this drink is taken only from a barrel made of American oak and has a small size);
• Vatted m alt (this is a mixture of scotch from different distilleries).

2. Grain - this is almost all blended whiskey, only a small part is sold at retail. This species without impurities has practically no aroma. Most often it is used as a technical raw material for the manufacture of another variety of this drink.

3. Mixed is a drink that is obtained by mixing (blending) m alt and grain types of scotch. 90% of all production falls on this species. If it has a high content of m alt, then this drink has the status of "Lux".

4. "Bourbon"- American recipe, which involves the production of whiskey from corn, and has a special technology.

Production technology

The production of this drink is divided into several stages:

1. Preparation of barley m alt - at this stage, the processing of barley takes place. It needs to be sorted out, cleaned and dried. After that, it is soaked and laid out on the bottom of the m alt house for up to 10 days. When the grain germinates, it is sent to dry. This is how m alt is made. Grain whiskey is made from unsprouted grains.

2. Drying is the drying process of m alt, which occurs under the influence of hot smoke from the combustion of charcoal, peat or beech shavings. This is how "smoked grain" is obtained. This stage is used only in Scotland, which gives zest to scotch from this part of the UK.

3. Wort production - dried m alt is turned into flour and stirred in water. This mixture settles for 8-12 hours.

4. Fermentation, or fermentation - when the wort cools down, yeast is added to it and put in a warm place (35-37 degrees) for two days. The strength of the resulting drink reaches 5%.

5. Distillation - 5% drink is distilled two or three times. After the first distillation, the strength of the liquid reaches 25-30%, after the second - 70%. For further use, only the drink that flows in the middle of the distillation process is taken. The shape of the distillation apparatus is unique to each distillery, as this greatly affects the taste of whiskey. The resulting drink is diluted with water, and its strength is reduced to 50-64%.

6. Aging - Whiskey is aged in oak barrels. If these sherry casks come from Spain, the result is a high quality drink. But they often use American oak barrels in which bourbon has been aged.

7. Blending - this stage is used for mixed scotch. Here they merge into one m alt and grain types of whiskey, which have different degrees of aging (from 3 years). After that, they are stored for another couple of months. The cost of the drink depends on this period: if only a few weeks, then it is cheap, if 6-8 months - a high-quality expensive drink.

8. Bottling - the settled drink is filtered with the help of paper membranes. The temperature should be in the range of 2-10 degrees. After that, the tape is diluted with water taken from natural sources. If the mixture contains whiskey aged 12 years, then De luxe is added to its name, that is, it is a drink of the highest quality.

Exposure period

In 1860, a law was passed in Scotland, which stated that this alcohol must be aged for at least 3 years. If the m alt scotch is not intended for blending, it is aged from 5 to 20 years. Whiskey aged 12 years belongs to the original varieties, 21 years - to the collection. The rarest varieties are stored in barrels for up to 50 years. In Ireland, the most common term is 5 years, in Canada - 6.

Whiskey "Chivas Regal"

This brand supplies high-end spirits from Scotland to the market. Chivas was founded by brothers John and James. Chivas as early as 1801. They felt that in Scotland there is no such whiskey that could have the status of an elite one. Therefore, they decided to create such a kind of drink with their own hands. The newly created scotch turned out to be very good, and all the nobility of Scotland quickly fell in love with it. But the brothers did not stop there. The next step was to create a long-term whiskey for export to the United States. This brand was called Chivas Regal 25 and it quickly conquered the American market. But in 1920, prohibition was introduced in the States, which cut off trade. After its cancellation, the company returned to the market under the brand name Chivas Regal 12. Nowadays, Chivas Regal sells only aged drink. Its aging period is from 12 to 21 years. Whiskey "Chivas" aged 12 years in special conditions and is considered the most popular. Eighteen-year-old scotch was created in 1997 by Colin Scott and was awarded a bunch of certificates and medals for quality. The twenty-year-old is aged for 21 years; it was created in 1953 specifically for the coronation of Elizabeth II. But still whiskey "Regal" 12 years old sold out much more willingly because of the lower price and excellent quality.

Whiskey Macallan

This drink is made in the Spey region of Scotland, which is famous for its distilleries all over the world. This is a high quality whiskey, it is aged in sherry casks. Its distinguishing feature is a triple distillation, while 2 circles are used as standard. The founder of this enterprise is Alexander Reid, who back in 1824acquired a license and opened his own distillery. In subsequent years, it was bought up by various private and legal entities. In the 1950s, The Macallan began bottling its product. The maximum shelf life at this facility is 30 years, but Macallan whiskey 12 years old is the most popular and loved around the world.

Whiskey "Aberfeldy"

In a small village in the Grampian Mountains in Scotland, one of the most famous whiskeys is created. It has a distinctive color, aroma and taste that definitely makes it stand out from all the others. The first to produce whiskey "Aberfeldy" began brothers Devar in 1898. At first they planned to make regular m alt, but then they decided to go into single m alt whisky. This drink was used as the basis for other brands, but since 1988 the original brand has been working only for itself. Whiskey "Aberfeldy" 12 years and 20 years of exposure conquered the world. After all, this distillery is trying to get away from modern benefits and produce a drink using traditional technologies using water only from local mountain sources.

Glenfiddick Whiskey

This Scotch whiskey (or scotch) is produced in the area of the Fidik River, near which the city of Dufftown is located. Only a single m alt variety of this drink is produced here. This brand was created in 1887 by William Grant. He built the distillery himself with his family and named it after the valley in which it was built. And to this day great-great-grandchildrenWilliam own this production. In 1957, this whiskey began to be bottled in a unique triangular bottle. The products of this distillery are divided into classic line, premium line and limited edition. The most common whiskey - "Glenfiddik" 12 years old - refers to the classic. It also includes drinks that are stored for 15 and 18 years. Elite drinks are aged 21 and 30, limited - 40 and 50 years.

Whiskey "Balveni"

Another venture from the Spey Valley in Scotland. It was opened in 1892 by the same William Grant and got its name from the castle located nearby. In the basement, he kept his drink, on the first floor there was a m alting shop, on the second floor, barley, which was grown in the district, was stored. In 1973, the brand "Balveni" began to produce bottled whiskey. It is divided into regular and limited. Whiskey "Balveni" 12 years old refers to both the first and second type. It all depends on what barrels it was aged in.

Use

The Irish and Scots have their own traditions in the use of whiskey. The former never dilute it, while the latter adhere to a special ritual of the five "S": look, smell, savor, iron and splash water. They believe that this will help to fully experience the full taste of whiskey and get maximum enjoyment from it. Whiskey 12 years old is very much loved and appreciated in these parts. It is of very high quality, and its purchase does not hit the family budget so much.

Sowhiskey is a drink with a unique taste and smell that won the hearts of millions of people. Scotland and Ireland are considered its homeland. This drink is stored from 3 to 50 years, on which its quality and price depend. Whiskey 12 years old is the most common type of this drink.