What should whiskey taste like

Even most whiskey novices grasp that whether or not a barrel is charred impacts a spirit's flavor. In this case, the charring process is what enables the vanillin compounds within the wood to provide bourbon's signature vanilla and caramel sweetness. There's a range of chars available though, numbered to denote distinct stages. Wild Turkey, for instance, is one of many producers who uses the deepest char, 4, which yields a characteristic "alligator char," the inside of the barrel reminiscent of an alligator's scaly skin.

Barrels may also be toasted to different levels, generally using dry heat as opposed to open flame, separate from or in addition to the charring, imparting still different qualities.

The Brown-Forman Cooperage utilizes a proprietary toasting system based upon radiant heat. A new barrel, or virgin barrel, is one which has never been used to age a spirit.

This type of barrel would impart stronger charred elements and flavors than a barrel which is being reused and has already soaked up whiskey for years. The Scotch industry primarily uses ex-bourbon barrels, as well as ex-sherry barrels, some of which were specifically "seasoned" with sherry for the sole purpose of eventually aging whisky.

First-fill barrels, which have only been previously used once, second-fill barrels, previously used twice, and those used repeatedly beyond that, all offer varied levels of their original flavors.

Staves are the individual pieces of wood used in the construction, or "raising" of a new barrel, and they too play a role. For example, the Brown-Forman Cooperage raises a barrel with between 31 to 33 staves of different widths. Beyond sizing, there are other characteristics to consider as well. For instance, was the grain cut to produce the proper grain profile? Were the staves heated, or naturally aged or "seasoned" in the elements, and if so, for how long?

At Maker's Mark, they season their staves for nine months, including a full summer, helping to produce peak levels of vanillin compounds. To produce Maker's Mark 46, they insert month-old seared French oak staves into a barrel for an extra eight to 11 weeks of aging, only performed in colder months of the year.

Woodford Reserve ages their wood outdoors for nine months before toasting it, and finally charring it. Meanwhile, at The Macallan, Bridger notes that they dry age their staves for up to two years. While much of the industry has faced barrel scarcity issues due to an array of factors including extra demand, a re-burgeoning housing market, not enough loggers hacking away and detrimental weather, certain companies produce their own barrels, or tightly control the process.

This helps them achieve their own exacting standards, while ensuring the supply is never caught off. Brown-Forman has their own cooperages, producing nearly 3, barrels a day for their brands, including Jack Daniel's and Woodford Reserve, while The Macallan has their own "master of wood," Stuart MacPherson, who oversees their entire regimented process of production.

That simple equation though includes infinite room for variation, experimentation and refinement. Clockwise from top left: Barley, wheat, corn, rye. The mash bill of a whiskey is the ratio of grains it includes. Bourbon must incorporate a minimum of 51 percent corn, rye must utilize at least 51 percent rye grain, and different types of whiskey have other requirements. The mash bill for a single malt Scotch is by definition percent malted barley.

From there though, brands are free to go in their own directions. Bourbons traditionally incorporate three grains: corn, rye and malted barley. A simplified explanation offers corn as the base, rye as providing extra flavor, and malted barley providing the enzymes to feed the fermentation process.

Distilleries today are experimenting with everything from oats to triticale, quinoa to millet, and a range of other grains to produce new whiskey riffs. The ratio of these grains though varies heavily, and wheat may also be used in place of rye. A "high rye" bourbon will impart more spice from the rye grain into the whiskey, while "wheated" bourbons offer softer palates, and are in high demand in the wake of the Pappy craze.

But even then, not all rye or barley is equal. For instance, many companies utilize very specific, and in some cases, exclusive or proprietary grains. For instance, at Maker's Mark, they don't just incorporate wheat, but rather soft red winter wheat. Even the milling techniques utilized impact the end result, offering a different consistency or mix of grain sizes.

Enter the hallowed ground of any distillery and the yeast strain used for fermentation will undoubtedly be cited as one of that brand's special characteristics. At Wild Turkey, the same yeast has been utilized for more than 50 years, and was formerly kept at master distiller Jimmy Russell's house.

Every week, the company makes the yeast from scratch starting in a Petri dish. At Jim Beam, their yeast dates back to Jim Beam himself used to drive back home after a day at the distillery with his carefully protected yeast sitting in the front seat of his Cadillac with him. At Maker's Mark, the same Samuels family yeast strain has been maintained over the decades, and is grown every day.

Fermentation length also will impart different qualities, with longer fermentations producing more esters, and therefore fruitier characteristics. At Woodford Reserve, the brand follows a six-day fermentation process, which is perhaps the longest of any distillery the world over, and far longer than the average two to three day fermentation. Ask a Manhattanite, or anyone from the tri-state area, and bagels just aren't quite right beyond New York.

The same principle follows whiskey around the world, too. If a visit to Kentucky offers a chance to talk aplenty about yeast, that discussion still pales compared to talk of the famous limestone water supply. There are literally dozens of different types of whiskey, and each one offers a completely different sensory experience. How can two bottles of whiskey taste so different? Whiskey has one of the widest flavor ranges of any spirit because there are so many variables in its production.

It can be made from any grain, on any type of still. The grains can be smoked, or unsmoked. Distillers can use any kind of yeast, and a huge variety of barrels. Yet there are still some overlaps between all the various different styles. All whiskey is made out of grain. But any grain can be used to make whiskey, from traditional choices like corn, rye, or malted barley to out-there heirloom grains like triticale, spelt, and millet. Single malt Scotch whisky can contain no other grain except malted barley, but Scottish blended whisky can use any grain at all.

Just like cornbread tastes different than a pumpernickel bagel, different grains give whiskey different flavors. So what does whiskey taste like? But if you get it right, it will taste delicious. A full-bodied whiskey is one that has several if not dozens of dominant flavors.

In contrast, light-bodied whiskeys have only one or two dominant flavors and therefore a clear, fresh taste. This means having a more mild flavor.

This is a concrete example of the problem of different people describing the same thing in different ways. On the other hand, you may not. First it can refer to the whiskey not being harsh or burning. Flavorings, sweeteners, and blending agents which only some countries allow can enhance the roundness of the mouth feel and reduce the burn.

The second thing smooth can refer to is a soft flavor which could be due, at least in part, to the grain used to make the whiskey. If the whiskey is blended, smooth could mean that all the flavors are well-balanced and work together.

If peat was used to fuel the kiln in the drying part of the malting process , its pungent smoke is transferred to the grain and the final flavor of the whiskey.

You can use a Flavor Wheel to help you identify some of the more common flavors. This is just a list of words in the shape of a wheel obviously that are commonly used to describe different tastes, grouped together in families with similar flavors. You can also use it to define tastes by a process of elimination. There are always more. Also, as mentioned, not everyone will describe the same taste in the same way.

This is because the perception of taste is a personal thing. What tastes like one thing to one person may taste like something else to another.

Be honest, when I first mentioned that last flavor you thought I was kidding. The grain or grains from which a whiskey is made will give it some of its flavor.

If you know what your whiskey is made from then you can predict some of its taste. Here are some of the more commonly used grains and the flavors they impart to the whiskey.

Malted barley is sweet with lots of caramel, toffee and brown sugar notes. It will have a nutty, smoky, chocolatey flavor. Corn is also very sweet. It has a syrupy taste, with white sugar, cotton candy, vanilla and maple syrup. Rye makes a whiskey more spicy with pepper and cinnamon flavors. It imparts a dryness to the mouthfeel what the whiskey feels like in the mouth.

This will make a whiskey that tastes of wheat bread and honey. It can introduce a gentleness to the whiskey making it smooth. If the barrel had previously been used to store other spirits, the wood will have absorbed some of it and will transmit its taste to the whiskey. American whiskeys are generally aged in new barrels, but scotch is aged in barrels that previously contained bourbon which imparts a creamy, sweet, caramel flavor. The longer the whiskey is in the barrel the more flavor is transmitted.

The smaller the barrel is the higher the ratio of whiskey to surface area of flavor-imparting wood and the more flavor is transmitted.

The environment also affects the speed at which the flavor is imparted. Scotch is whiskey made in Scotland. There are five scotch regions that make different types of whiskey: Lowlands, Highlands, Speyside, Campbeltown and Islay.