Scotch

SCOTCH

HISTORYHISTORY

• It is believed that the roots of Scottish whisky lie in the Ireland.

• First official mention appears in 1494 which record the provision of malt to a certain Friar John Cor to make ‘acqua vitae’ - the Latin equivalent of the Gaelic ‘usige beathe’, or ‘ water of life’.

• By 16th & 17th century it had become the true spirit of Scotland.

HISTORYHISTORY

• In 1644 the Scottish Parliament levied the first excise tax on whisky.

• In 1713 ‘malt tax’ was imposed in Scotland.

• This in fact led to the ‘illicit distilling’ and

producing whisky of better quality than the

legally produced ones since the distillers used a

higher grain content to avoid the malt tax.

• In 1823, an act was passed as suggested by Duke of

Gordon ( one of Britain’s largest landowners). Legal

production of whisky was encouraged, and taxes

reduced.

• Within 20 - 30 years the illegal distilling declined

drastically.

HISTORYHISTORY

CATEGORISATIONCATEGORISATION

• Scotch Whisky is produced in three forms :

- Malt Whisky

- Grain Whisky

- Blends of Malts & Grains

WHISKYWHISKY

SCOTCHSCOTCH

GRAINGRAIN BARLEYBARLEY

BLENDINGBLENDINGSINGLESINGLE

VATTEDVATTEDBLENDEDBLENDED

GRAIN WHISKYGRAIN WHISKY

• It is essentially made from unmalted corn & malted barley cooked in a pressure chamber to break down the sugars.

• The wash produced after fermentation is distilled in a patent still at 95 % alcohol.

• Grain whisky has particularly no flavour of its own. Is rarely sold and mainly used in blends.

TYPES OF SCOTCHTYPES OF SCOTCH

SINGLE MALT WHISKY SINGLE MALT WHISKY

• The whisky that is produced in one distillery and is not blended or mixed with any other whisky.

• Sold as a produce of that one single distillery.

• It is exclusive & expensive.

TYPES OF SCOTCHTYPES OF SCOTCH

BLENDED MALT BLENDED MALT

• Blending of malt whisky and grain whisky of different vintages & provinces. A “standard blend” can consist of around 40 different whiskies. (Can be one or more malt and one or more grain)

• Usually 35-40% is malt whisky, 60-65% is grain whisky.

TYPES OF SCOTCHTYPES OF SCOTCH

VATTED MALT WHISKY :VATTED MALT WHISKY :

• Single malts taken from 2 or more distilleries and blended is called vatted malt whisky.

• Eg. Royal Culross, Glenleven, Dewar’s 12 year old vatted, Findlater’s Marlodge.

TYPES OF SCOTCHTYPES OF SCOTCH

FACTORS EFFECTING SCOTCHFACTORS EFFECTING SCOTCH

• Malt whisky is the unique result of the effects of

– malted barley

– Scottish water

– pot distilling

– wood maturation in the damp air.

• Single malts are made from Barley only.

• Most of the barley used comes from the continent itself or California or Australia.

• Ideally barley should be - Fully ripened

- Plump

- Dry (moisture- 10%)

• Malting is done by soaking dried barley in large tanks (steeps) for between 48-70 hours.

.

MALTINGMALTING

• Water is drained of and the wet barley is spread on the germination tanks to germinate.

• The barley is continuously turned by the maltsman using long handled wooden shovel, called skips.

• In modern times, mechanical agitators or saladin box are being used.

• After 2 or 3 days the barley sprouts rootlets, which in another 4-5 days starts to wither.

MALTINGMALTING

FLOOR MALTINGFLOOR MALTING

• The barley which is now soft, straw coloured and moisture laden is called the green malt.

• It goes to the kiln and spread on a floor of perforated metal plates or wire mesh.

• Ten-fifteen feet below is a slow peat fire. Peat is a partially decomposed, compacted vegetable matter. Usually mosses, used as fertiliser and fuel.

MALTINGMALTING

• The peat gives a pungent, earthy smoke, with its own particular fragrance, which permeates the green malt. This gives the whisky its peat reek.

• Coal and Anthracite are later added to the fire to raise the temperature to around 160 deg. F.

• The malt dries out to crispy, crumbly, fragrant grain quite different from the original barley.

• It is then left to rest for a month or more.

MALTINGMALTING

• Malt is gristed.

• The grist goes into mash tun in measured quantities and

hot water is added to extract the soluble sugar.

• The water is changed to 3 to 4 times and each time the temperature is increased.

• The fist two washings form the wort.

MASHINGMASHING

Malt that is delivered in sacks is crushed

MASHINGMASHING

• The third and the fourth wash are called the sparge. It forms the first and second washing of the next batch.

• The left over is sold as the cattle feed.

MASHINGMASHING

MASH TUNMASH TUN

FERMENTATIONFERMENTATION

• The wort is poured in wash tun and the yeast is added.

• Fermentation lasts for 36-48 hours.

• A clear liquid is obtained called wash at 5% alcoholic strength.

FERMENTATIONFERMENTATION

DISTILLATION

• All malt whiskies are distilled in the pot still.

• Each batch of malt whisky requires two pot stills to produce the finished spirit.

- The wash still

- The low wine still

DISTILLATIONDISTILLATION

• The wash in the wash still is heated by coal or oil fire.

• The product after distillation and condensation goes into the low wine still where it is distilled to give spirit of higher alcoholic strength of 75%.

• The purity of the product is controlled by spirit safe.

DISTILLATIONDISTILLATION

SPIRIT SAFESPIRIT SAFE

• The residue in the wash still the ‘burnt ale’ is used as fertilizer or animal food.

• The residue in the low wine still called the ‘spent lees’ is dispersed as steam.

• The whisky emerges from the still as, water white, very pungent fiery spirit around 115 to 120 degree proof.

• It is reduce to around 110 degree proof with pure spring water.

DISTILLATIONDISTILLATION

MATURATIONMATURATION

• Maturation is the mellowing of the whisky by its being stored in oak barrels.

• By law maturation of single malt is for a minimum of 3 years.

• Is matured in Scottish cask (110 gallons) butts

MATURATION

• The cask come from Jerez in Spain.where they have been used to mature sherry.

• The sherry has taken much of its woodiness ( tannins ) from the oak and left part of its own character in the wood, that in turn contributes to the mellowness,

colour and taste of the matured malt.

MATURATION

• In the wood the malt whisky :

– Softens

– Loses a lot of its pungent character through oxidation.

– Takes on its colour from pale straw to honey

• After the whisky has reached its optimum maturity it is diluted using spring water to get the strength of 70-75° proof.

MATURATION

• No two variety of single malts are similar inspite of the same base ingredient and same process.

• It is impossible to produce scotch outside of scotland.

• It has to be both, distilled & matured in Scotland.

• Distilled at less than 98.4 % in such a way that the distillate has an aroma and flavour derived from the materials used.

CHARACTERISTICS

• Single malt whiskies have been categorised as per following geographic regions:

– IslayIslay

– CampbeltownCampbeltown

– LowlandsLowlands

– HighlandsHighlands

CLASSIFICATION OF WHISKIESCLASSIFICATION OF WHISKIES

• Located Southernmost of the outer western isles.

• Islay has eight distilleries.

• Distilleries produce malts which are traditionally very heavily peated to give a pungent whisky with deep flavour .

• Laphroaig, Jura, Talisker, Bowmore, Lagavulin, Islay Mist,

ISLAYISLAY

ISLAYISLAY

ISLAYISLAY

ISLAYISLAY

• Campbeltown has two distilleries:

- Springback makes light mellow and almost sweet malt

- Glen Scotia by contrast makes pungent malts

CAMPBELTOWNCAMPBELTOWN

CAMPBELTOWNCAMPBELTOWN

• The Glenlivet - Best single malt. Rich, ripe and mellow and with outstanding malt bouquet.

• The Glenfiddich- Pale and peaty.

HIGHLANDHIGHLAND

HIGHLANDHIGHLAND

HIGHLANDHIGHLAND

• The eleven Lowland malts are mostly used as filler malts to give weight to a blend.

• As they tend to lack a distinctive malt character, they do not add much value to the commercial whisky either.

• Rosebank and RJ Mc Dowells are the best, other brands are Glenkinchie.

LOWLANDSLOWLANDS

LOWLANDSLOWLANDS

LOWLANDSLOWLANDS

BLENDINGBLENDING

BLENDINGBLENDING

• Blending is the art of combining whiskies from several distilleries, malt as well as grain.

• Blending has its origin in distant days when distillers masked the spirit with herbal flavourings.

• Modern blending began around the turn of the century, when the Scots lightened their whisky with grain spirit, which became highly popular.

BLENDINGBLENDING

• A blend will consist of anything from 15 to 50 different single whiskies combined in the formula that is the secret of the blending company concerned.

• The objective of the blender is to produce a whisky of a definite and recognizable character and that his blend should never vary from this standard which customers all over the world accept.

• A blend of whisky will have 35-40% Sgl malt and 60-65% grain whisky.

• The different whiskies are stirred using compressed air ensuring they are mixed well, and then left to marry, usually for 6 months or more.

• The final step before bottling is the addition of small amounts of caramel colouring, to ensure continuity of colour in the blend.

BLENDINGBLENDING

• Scotland possesses 119 distilleries.

• Some of the major companies who manufacture blended scotch are:

– Haig - Oldest of modern whisky families.

– John Walker - “Born in 1820, still going strong”

– John Dewars - Started as a grocer.

– White Horse - Based his blend on Lagavulin.

– J&B

– VAT 69

– Famous Grouse

THE DISTILLERIESTHE DISTILLERIES

• The largest company in the world manufacturing scotch is DCL. Formed by 6 lowland distillers and John Haig

• Their famous brands are– Johnny Walker

– Haig

– White Horse

– VAT 69

– Abbots Choice

THE DISTILLERIESTHE DISTILLERIES

– Black and white

• Other major companies are:

– Seagrams

– Hiram Walker

– Bells

.

THE DISTILLERIESTHE DISTILLERIES

BLENDED MALTSBLENDED MALTS

BLENDED MALTSBLENDED MALTS

CLASSIFICATION AGING EXAMPLES

Regular 5-7 years Ballentine’s, Cutty Sark

Bulk Premium J&B Rare, Johnnie Walker (red), Dewar’s White Label

White Horse, Black& White

Premium 12 years Johnie Walker (Black)

Super Premium Chivas Regal

All single malts, J&B Jet

Deluxe 20 years Royal Salute

Ultra Premium Bell’s Royal reserve

Johnnie Walker (Blue)

Glenfiddich

CATEGORISATIONCATEGORISATION

• Cardhu • Glenfiddich• Gragganmore• Talisker• Oban• Lagavulin• Glenmorangie

SINGLE MALTS SERVED AT SINGLE MALTS SERVED AT OBEROI HOTELSOBEROI HOTELS

• White Horse

• John Haig

• J&B Rare

• Black and White

• Johnnie Walker Red Label

REGULAR SCOTCH AT OBEROI REGULAR SCOTCH AT OBEROI HOTELSHOTELS

• Johnnie Walker Black Label

• Chivas Regal

• J&B Jet

PREMIUM SCOTCH AT OBEROI PREMIUM SCOTCH AT OBEROI HOTELSHOTELS

• Blue Label

• Gold Label

• Royal Salute

DELUXE SCOTCH AT OBEROI DELUXE SCOTCH AT OBEROI HOTELSHOTELS