A Beginner's Guide to Whiskey: Everything You Need to Know

Whiskey

Whiskey is popular all over the world in part because there is so much variety to it (and because of how it makes you feel). Historically whiskey may be associated with cowboys, gangsters, or burly men, but more and more women are finding they have a taste for whiskey. 

Whether you’re hoping to understand the different types better, want recommendations on great whiskeys to try, need recipes for rye cocktails, or need advice for hosting a whiskey tasting with friends, you are in the right place.

Let’s start with the spelling. Both whiskey and whisky can be correct. The word comes from the Gaelic word for "water of life" and legend has it that Irish distillers added an “e” to differentiate their spirits from the ones being made in Scotland. 

Whiskey connoisseurs like to debate the merits of single malts vs whiskey blends. Here’s what you need to understand to be part of the conversation. Single malts are made from water and malted barley exclusively, from a single distillery. Blends include a combination of grain whiskeys and don’t have to come from the same distillery.

A single malt scotch will be an absolute treat with lots of earthiness. A blend will have a less intense taste, which some may find more pleasing. Because of the restrictions of how it is produced, single malts will cost more than blends.

Single barrel selections are unique hand selected expressions of whiskey. A single barrel is a premium class of whiskey in which each bottle comes from an individual aging barrel.  Most whiskies come from blending together the contents of various barrels to provide uniformity of color and taste to the individual bottle.

By contrast, some other whiskeys, even ones that are not blends may be combined from more than one batch, or even from differing years to achieve consistency. The whiskey from each barrel is bottled separately, with each bottle bearing the barrel number and in most cases the dates for the beginning and end of aging. Each bottle is usually bottled at cask strength, and no additional water has been added. Each barrel is believed to contribute unique characteristics to the finished whiskey.  

In our case, each barrel is hand selected by our Haskell's team. We will sample through various barrels and select the perfect one we feel has the best characteristics and flavor for a great tasting experience.  Single barrels are often given a fun name to commemorate the unique experience.  Sometimes an additional alcohol barrel (ie, cognac, wine, sauterne cask) is used to finish the whiskey. Single barrels are not just limited to whiskey.  We have tequila, rum, brandy, and multiple wine single barrels, too. 

Here are some we love:

Whiskey is fun to play mixologist with because it can combine with some many flavors to give you exciting drink combinations. Here are some of the classics and a few that are a bit more out there.

Want to be more popular? Host a whiskey tasting and tell your friends to bring their friends. Another option is to tightly control the guest list and create an intimate gathering that will live on in the lore of your friends-circle for years to come. Here are the things to make sure your party is primo. 

Whiskey Tasting Event Supplies

You could go with one of the above recipes and offer a signature drink at your party. You could let people try whiskeys (scotch) from various countries to see which they prefer. Either way, it’d be wise to have these common mixers on hand so people can pick their favorite way to enjoy the spirit too: ginger ale, dry vermouth, sweet vermouth, soda water, cola, citrus, and plenty of ice. 

The go-to glasses for most whiskey drinkers is either an Old Fashioned or rocks glass. Other options include the Glencairn, which allows people to swirl their whiskey and open up its flavors. Some people prefer tulip shaped glasses to feed the aromas right up to them.

The Right Foods to go with Whiskey

Think quality over quantity when you’re feeding a group focused on fully appreciating the flavor of a fine bourbon or whiskey. You want things that complement the experience. You will always win with a good cheese tray or charcuterie board. The stronger the cheese the better. Your spread can include fruits like cherries, cranberries, and apricots. Nibbling items like walnuts, almonds, pecans, and dried meats have tannic properties that will go over well too. Add some crackers or salty chips to round things out.

Here are some information tidbits you can use to entertain your guests, your drinking buddy, or anyone you want to impress with your whiskey knowledge. 

• George Washington wasn’t just our founding father, he was also one of the nation’s largest distillers. His distillery at Mount Vernon produced 11,000 gallons in 1799. Six of the men Washington enslaved were assigned to the distillery because it was so busy. 

• Alexander Hamilton did not win any fans among whiskey lovers. He proposed the whiskey tax that led to the Whiskey Rebellion in Pennsylvania in the 1790s.

• Scotch whisky makes up roughly 20% of all the food and drink exports from the United Kingdom.

• During World War II, many distillers switched to making fuel and penicillin to help the war effort.

• A senator from Missouri (where oak barrels are a big industry) introduced the requirement that whiskey must be aged in new oak barrels for at least two years. 

• Frank Sinatra was buried with a bottle of Jack Daniel’s.

• John Jameson, who founded Jameson’s Irish whisky, was Scottish.

• Whiskey represents the letter W in the NATO alphabet.

• Nikola Tesla drank whiskey every day because he thought it’d help him to live to be 150.

• There is a Japanese whisky called Kikori made entirely from rice.