Blended Whisky

What is Blended Whisky?


Blended whisky is a mixture of single malt whiskys and ethanol derived from grains. Developed for those who could not stomach the strong taste of whisky, it is a combination of malt and grain whiskys.

First distilled and bottled by Andrew Usher in Edinburgh in the early 1860s, it turned out to be softer, lighter and more palatable. The character of the whisky is determined not only by the proportions of malt and grain whisky, but also by the ages of the individual whiskies and the manner in which they are combined to bring out the finest qualities in each other.

Most whisky drunk across the world is blended whisky. Famous Grouse, Bells, Teacher's , Whyte & Mackay and Johnnie Walker are a few that are well-known .

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what is Cognac ?

The wines of Poitou, La Rochelle and Angoumois, produced from high quality vineyards , were shipped to Northern Europe where they were enjoyed by the English, Dutch and Scandinavians as early as the 13th century. In the 16th century, they were transformed into eaude-vie , then matured in oak casks to become Cognac.

That was the start of the adventure for a town, which was to become the capital of a world famous trade. Cognac is a living thing. During its time in the oak casks it is in permanent contact with the air. This allows it to extract the substances from the wood that give both its colour and its final bouquet.

Ageing is indispensable if an eau-de-vie is to become Cognac. It takes place in casks or barrels that hold between 270 and 450 litres. The natural humidity of the cellars, in which the casks are stored is one of the determining factors in the maturing process.

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What is Gin ?

Gin is a hard alcohol flavoured with the seeds of the juniper bush. Gin is a rather dry alcohol and is rarely drunk on its own, but used instead as a base for many different types of drinks.

Good gin is very smooth, with a strong juniper flavour exciting the senses. Gin made its way to England with the ascension of William of Orange to the British throne. And a new style of gin evolved. Dutch gin is distilled from barley and is somewhat nearer whiskey than the London Dry style, which evolved in the 19th century.

One difference today is that the London style, since it uses column stills, rather than the pot stills preferred by the Dutch, tends to have a higher alcohol concentration. The famous brands include Beefeater London Dry gin, Bombay Sapphire, Plymouth and Tanqueray.

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Single Malt Whisky

Single malt is so-called because the malt comes from a single distillery. It is a whisky refined by a single distillery, using malted barley as the only grain ingredient.

Each distillery has its own distinct taste, flavour and style and single malts bear that. Some world-renowned single malts are Glenfiddich, Glenmorangie, Glenlivet, Glenkinchie and if you move into the rare varieties, PortEllen, Dalmore , Glenfarclas, IsleofJura, Knocdhu, Lagavulin, Laphroig, Macallan, Oban,Taliskar, Cragganmore. Enjoying a single malt is a connoissseur’s job and you have to learn to be one.

A single grain, as distinct from a single malt, is a grain whisky made at one distillery, while the single malt is made with barley.

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CHAMPAGNE

WHAT IS CHAMPAGNE?

Technically speaking, champagne is sparkling wine made in the Champagne region of France. But it is often mistakenly used as a generic description of sparkling white wines in the style of the wines of Champagne.

Champagne is produced as a blend between the Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay grapes. Champagne is designed to be drunk upon purchase, and in nearly all cases is not meant to be collectible.

A non-vintage Champagne will begin losing quality within only three or four years, while prestige champagne may last up to 15 years without degrading. Champagne is normally drunk from either a flute or tulip glass, both of which are skinny and tall.

This shape allows the scents of the champagne to reach their full potential, and helps the bubbles last for longer than in flatter, larger-bowled glasses. The bigger brands include Moet & Chandon, Laurent Perrier and Krug.

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Rum...................What is Rum ?

Rum is distilled from sugar cane juice and/or molasses.

It is aged in barrels to impart additional flavours. The first true rums were made in the Caribbean during the early 17th century by fermenting the molasses left over from refining sugar into a heady liquor.

Barbados is held by many to be the birthplace of rum. Rum is one of the major liquors in the world, with a history steeped in the myths of piracy, the Caribbean, and slavery.

Others include Bacardi and Captain Morgan.

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What is Alcohal ?

Alcohol is obtained after breaking down natural sugar of grain into CO2, ethanol or ethyl alcohol and residual content. Yeast from grains and vegetables changes the sugar into alcohol.

From the cheapest beer to the most expensive wine or after dinner liqueur, all alcohol is made with the same fermentation process.

The different colours, tastes, potencies and flavours come from the different fruits or vegetables used and the additives, by-products and diluting substances employed during the fermentation process.

Reference :


http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/quickiearticleshow/5226511.cms

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