Any casual whiskey drinker knows there are many different varieties of the stuff, and each one has its own unique taste.
The differences in composition that result in those many varieties may be less common knowledge. And once the differences are understood, the question becomes how best to use each spirit.
Generally speaking, whiskey is distilled liquor made from grain mash and barrel-aged. The most common grains are malted barley, corn, rye and wheat.
Bourbon Whiskey
Must: Be made in the U.S. and aged in oak barrels, with grain composition of at least 51 percent corn and maximum alcohol content of 80 percent. To be labeled “straight bourbon,” it must be aged at least two years.
Examples: Watershed Distillery Bourbon (Grandview Heights), OYO Bourbon Whiskey (Middle West Spirits, Short North), Cleveland Whiskey Black Reserve Bourbon
Cocktail: The Smoking Barrel
Ingredients
- 2 oz. Watershed bourbon
- ¾ oz. sweet vermouth
- ½ oz. amaro
- ¼ oz. grade B maple syrup
- 2 dashes maple bitters
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass. Add ice and stir until well chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe glass or over rocks into an old fashioned glass. Garnish with a brandied cherry.
(Courtesy www.watersheddistillery.com)
Tennessee Whiskey
Must: Be made in Tennessee and charcoal-filtered, as well as meet all the same requirements as bourbon.
Examples: Jack Daniel’s, George Dickel, Benjamin Prichard’s
Cocktail: Hot Tennessee Toddy
Ingredients
- 1 oz. Tennessee whiskey
- Spoonful honey
- Cinnamon stick
- Fresh lemon juice
- Boiling water
Instructions
Pour whiskey into a heavy mug. Add honey, cinnamon stick and a squeeze of lemon juice. Top with boiling water and stir, then serve.
(Courtesy www.jackdaniels.com)
Rye Whiskey
Must: Be aged in oak barrels, with grain composition of at least 51 percent rye and maximum alcohol content of 80 percent. Like bourbon, it must be aged two years to be labeled “straight rye.”
Notes: The above rules apply only to American rye; rules for Canadian rye are looser, requiring only that the mash contain some rye.
Examples: Old Homicide (Ernest Scarano Distillery, Fremont), Jim Beam (ri)1, Copper Fox Rye
Cocktail: Suburban
Ingredients
- 1 ½ oz. rye whiskey
- ½ oz. dark rum
- ½ oz. port
- 1 dash orange bitters
- 1 dash Angostura bitters
Instructions
Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Stir well with cracked ice, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
(Courtesy www.esquire.com)
Wheat Whiskey
Must: Be aged in oak barrels, with grain composition of at least 51 percent wheat and maximum alcohol content of 80 percent. Like bourbon, it must be aged two years to be labeled “straight wheat.”
Example: OYO Whiskey (Middle West Spirits, Short North), Bernheim Original, Cedar Ridge Wheat Whiskey
Cocktail: Whiskey Sangria
Ingredients
- 1 oz. OYO Whiskey
- 1 oz. Malbec wine
- ¼ oz. simple syrup
- 3-4 dashes orange bitters
- 8 drops orange flower water
Instructions
Build in a tub glass over ice. Garnish with a whiskey-soaked cherry and a slice of orange, skewered together, and serve.
(Courtesy www.middlewestspirits.com)
White Whiskey
Must: Be made like other American whiskeys, but is aged either for a minimal length of time or not aged at all.
Examples: OYO White Rye Whiskey (Middle West Spirits, Short North), Staley Rye Whiskey (Indian Creek Distillery, New Carlisle), Ole Smoky
Cocktail: Lorenzo’s Revenge
Ingredients
- 1 oz. OYO White Rye Whiskey
- ½ oz. St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur
- ¼ oz. fresh lime juice
- Ginger Beer
- 2 dashes bitters
Instructions
Combine whiskey, liqueur, lime juice and bitters in a highball glass and stir. Fill with ice and top with ginger beer. Garnish with a lime coin.
(Courtesy www.middlewestspirits.com)
Scotch Whisky
Must: Be made in Scotland from malted barley and aged in oak casks at least three years, with alcohol content no higher than 94.8 percent.
Notes: Most of the best Scotches are single-malt – distilled at one distillery in copper pot stills. Scotches that combine multiple different whiskies are called blended Scotch. It is not a requirement that the barley be dried over peat fires, though this is a popular means of achieving a smoky taste.
Examples: Johnnie Walker, Glenfiddich, Lagavulin
Cocktail: Chancellor
Ingredients
- 2 oz. blended Scotch
- 1 oz. ruby port
- ½ oz. French vermouth
- 2 dashes orange bitters
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Stir well with cracked ice, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass and serve.
(Courtesy www.esquire.com)
Irish Whiskey
Must: Be made in Scotland from malted and unmalted barley, and aged in wooden casks at least three years, with alcohol content no higher than 94.8 percent.
Notes: Irish whiskey aficionados often differentiate Irish whiskey from Scotch by pointing out Irish whiskey is distilled three times to Scotch’s two, but this is not a required step. Like Scotch, it can be single-malt or blended.
Examples: Bushmills, Midleton, Tullamore Dew
Cocktail: Copywriter
Ingredients
- 2 oz. Irish whiskey
- ½ oz. hot water
- ½ oz. honey
- ¾ oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ oz. sweet vermouth
- Chilled seltzer water
Instructions
Stir together hot water and honey until honey dissolves.
Add whiskey, lemon, sweet vermouth and newly made honey syrup to a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake until well chilled. Strain into an ice-filled Collins glass. Top with seltzer, garnish with a lemon twist and serve.
(Courtesy www.seriouseats.com)
Canadian Whisky
Must: Be made in Canada. Most combine a base whiskey (mostly corn) and a flavoring whiskey (mostly rye).
Examples: Crown Royal, Canadian Club, Pemberton
Cocktail: Citius, Altius, Fortius
Ingredients:
- 1 tsp. Canadian whisky
- 2 oz. gin
- 1 tsp. absinthe
- ½ oz. dry vermouth
- ½ oz. rosso vermouth
- 2 dashes orange bitters
- 1 tsp. simple syrup
- Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange half-wheel and serve.
- (Courtesy www.liquor.com)
Garth Bishop is editor of CityScene Magazine. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
