
Last updated on February 16th, 2025
There’s nothing quite like Whisky (or whiskey, depending on where you’re from) on the rocks after a hard day’s work. For generations now, whisky has been known as the gentlemen’s drink of choice. Could this be because of its robust flavour or simply because the process of making such a fine drink is something to be applauded and appreciated?
Either way, it’s clear that whisky is a luxury made for all to enjoy, and in this article, we’re going to cover how it’s made.
What is Whisky made from?
Whisky has been around for ages – in fact, some records show that Whisky was first created in the early 1400s in Scotland or Ireland. The dispute between these two nations regarding the origin of Whisky has been going on for just as long.
In those days, fermented grain mash was used. However, as time moved on, the famous drink has evolved, and many whisky distilleries from around the world use a range of different ingredients, such as:
Grain mash
In most cases, alcohol-based products are created by fermenting an agricultural product such as grain. Nowadays, whiskies incorporate a range of different grains to achieve a unique flavour. For instance, they’ll use malted barley, rye, corn, or wheat.
Water
Once the fermentation process is complete, water will then be added to the product to establish the volume of alcohol they’re wanting.
Time
After the whisky is made, it’ll be left to sit in oak barrels for a minimum of 2-3 years with some being aged for a much longer time. This is done to draw out a range of different flavours in the whisky.
Additional flavouring
In some whiskeys, additional flavouring is added to make it more unique and enjoyable. Many brands add spices, botanicals, and artificial flavours to help their whisky age and make it unique among others.
What process is used to make whisky?
Now, because whisky started in Scotland or Ireland, when it spread to other countries, many of them used the same methods to make whisky as the foundation for the recipes. However, nowadays, many distillers have created their own methods to make whisky. Here’s how it’s made in most cases, though:
- All of the base ingredients, like the mix of grains, yeast, and water, are added together and mixed while being heated. This creates what we call “whisky mash”.
- This mixture of ingredients is then stored for a duration of time so that it can ferment. Usually, it’s left for one to two weeks. While fermentation happens, the compounds of the mixture break down and produce a natural alcohol called ethanol.
- Then, the mixture is strained, essentially removing the liquid from the fermented solid compounds of the mixture. The solids are thrown out, and the ethanol is used to make vodka.
- After this, the distillation process happens. When a liquid is distilled, it’s heated until it turns into a vapour. When it cools and recondenses into a liquid, the resulting liquid is much purer and has a higher alcohol content.
- After the distillation process, whisky makers aren’t all left with the same concentrations of ethanol. After distillation, the first 35% of the product might contain methanol and acetone which can be toxic. This is usually removed and thrown out. The next 30% contains hearts, which is the best product. Finally, the last 35% contains the tails which aren’t as pure but can undergo the process again to be used.
- Once the distilling process is completely finished, the liquor will then be aged. In most cases, whisky is aged for a minimum of two years in new oak barrels, what oak barrels, or charred barrels.
- The last step before the whisky is bottled is to dilute it. Sometimes, this is done before or after it’s aged.
- Finally, the whisky is bottled and sent off to the stores to be sold. As a whole, the entire process can take anywhere from two to twelve years or longer, depending on how long the whisky needs to be aged.
Different types of whisky
As we said above, there are whisky distributors all around the world, with multiple brands making their own blend of the distinguished drink. As a result, we have the luxury of getting different types of whisky, like:
Blended Whisky
As the name suggests, blended whisky is a mixture of different whiskeys. The goal of a blended whisky is to provide you with a more unique flavour by combining the unique characteristics of different whiskies from around the world or from one manufacturer.
Scotch whisky
As the standard for whisky for a long time, Scotch whisky is distilled solely in Scotland. All Scotch whisky legally must be aged for a minimum of three years in oak barrels. Generally, Scotch whisky is well known for its smokey flavour.
Irish whiskey
A wonderful whiskey in its own right, the Irish whiskey is made with malt, cereal grain, and barley. Like Scotch whisky, it also needs to be aged for a minimum of three years in wooden barrels. Irish whiskey is best known for its distinct malt flavour.
Bourbon
A uniquely American Whiskey, Bourbon is largely made up of corn (51%) in its grain mash. It’s aged in charred oak barrels and has a uniquely nutty flavour with some notes of caramel.
Final Thoughts
In addition to these whisky types, there’s also Canadian whiskey, Japanese whisky, Single-malt whisky, and Tennessee Whiskey. Want to learn more about these fantastic whiskies and where to get a hold of them? Join The Whisky Club, and you’ll have access to some of the finest whiskies in the world!