A brief introduction of the term whisky:
The art of making perfectly amalgamated whisky dates back to the ages of the monks in the 15th century. The delicate whiff of the blended whisky has never been explained clearly even today.
Beatha an ancient term, which is a Gaelic language for the Latin aqua vitae or as, termed water of life that was tarnished to usky in the 18th century and then transformed to whisky.
Making of whisky:
1.Malting: barley is first drenched in water and then spread out on malting floors to sprout. For the prevention of heat build up it is turned up on a regular basis. In the earlier times the barley was tossed in the air by placing barley on the wooden shovels in malt shed flanking to the oven.
During this process the enzymes get activated. The starch is converted into sugar while mashing takes Place. The germination takes place after 6-7 days and then it is called green malt. After the germination is over the green malt goes to the furnace for drying. To keep the enzymes the temperature should be below 70 degree Celsius. To convey flavor from the smoke peat may be added to the fire.
2.Mashing: In this process malt is pulverized into grist and hot water is added to extract the sugar. In 3 stages water will be added starting at a temperature of 67 degree Celsius and rises up to the boiling point.
In a large stainless kettle the extraction takes place, and is termed mash, which is then stirred helping it to convert from starch to sugar. When mashing is done the sweet sugary liquid is formed.
3.Fermentation: The sugary liquid is cooled in this process and is pumped back to washbacks. Sugar is a feeder to the living yeast, which as a result produces alcohol and other compounds called congeners that take out the flavor of the whisky.
Wash froths are produced viciously along with carbon dioxide. After the fermentation the wash generate 6-8% alcohol.
4.Distillation: The alcohol is estranged from water by distillation process. The wash is distilled two times. And other residue will include yeast and pot ale; these residues are also used for cow feeding.
The distilled wash is known as low wines, containing about 20% alcohol content. Then it goes to the spirit still for another distillation. In the spirit receiver only 60% alcohol is collected.
Maturation: Whisky at a matured level becomes smooth, flavor enriched, and achieve a golden flavor from the oak cask. And the other restrained compounds enhance whiskys idiosyncratic flavor.
The law allows whisky to mature for 3 years as a minimum time. But all single malts are stored in the wood from 8-15 years. The evaporation is allowed for a maximum of 2% from the oak cask strictly controlled by customs and excise.
Bottling: A bottle of malt whisky may only contain whisky distilled from malted barley. Vatted whiskies are those that are produced at more than one distillery. It can be also termed as blended malt or pure malt. Blended whisky can be made by mixing single malt with gram whisky. Single malts are either bottled by the distillary or by an independent bottler.
Mahesh
Original source: http://www.articlesbase.com/wines-and-spirits-articles/whisky-at-its-perfect-blend-336131.html
