France is the first consumer country of whiskey. The French buy nearly 200 million bottles each year , in front of the United States and England. Scottish and Japanese whiskey are popular and snapped up in whiskey cellars. This strong alcohol possesses a vast aromatic palette , very rich and of a great diversity. It is often tasted (by purists) without any addition.
Whiskey in all its forms
The whiskey is divided into 3 categories :
- Blend : this category represents 90% of the existing whiskeys in the world. These whiskeys whose assembly is at least 2 grains, often corn or wheat with barley from different distilleries. The Blend is light and round in the mouth and is often served with soda or ice cubes.
- Blended Malt : Often confused with Single Malt, Blended Malt has a malted barley base . It also comes from an assemblage of several distilleries, but is very small in the world of whiskey. It is more marked than the Blend and is round and harmonious .
- Single malt : i l represents 10% of world whiskey production. Created in a single distillery and exclusively based on malted barley , this category of whiskey is considered the most "classy " and it is rather these whiskeys that will be "tasted" (although no rule prevents to taste a Blend or Blended Malt) .
How to choose your whiskey?
Whether you are a connoisseur of whiskey or not, the most important thing is the sense of smell . A whiskey whose sweet smell intoxicates our nose should please our palate. The number 1 tip is to choose the whiskey with its sense of smell. Little experience to try (without choking) , drink his whiskey by plugging his nose: the notes of whiskey are then almost nonexistent.
Whiskey with water: blasphemy or good idea?
There is no shame in drinking whiskey with a little water. In Japan, the Japanese drink it at the table and use a dose of whiskey for 4 doses of water. This gives the whiskey a certain elegance and a fruity taste. There are, however, some rules to follow.
Why add water?
The idea is not to completely drown his whiskey, but to make, thanks to a dash of water , a slightly spicy, mellow alcohol.
Which water to choose?
Tap water should be avoided, it is necessary to use a water that has no pronounced taste (Example: Volvic , Crystalline) which is content to develop the aromas , without adding. Adding water allows you to open the aromas and control the whiskey .
As for ice cubes , here again, there is no rule. The cold paralyzes the aromas , but brings others at the same time. In case of strong heat, a very fresh whiskey brings a note of freshness.
It recapitulates: if the mode of tasting is multiple, the principal remains to appreciate his whiskey in his way , according to his tastes. Pure, we prefer a glass shaped "tulip". We appreciate the visual aspect of the alcohol, we smell it, we let the whiskey open its aromas in the mouth a few moments and we swallow to discover another perception of the product. Good tasting !
Thanks to Salvatore Mannino, Brand Ambassador of Whiskey House
