American Whiskey Treasure - Part I
The history of whiskey in America begins in the period after 1745, when settlers coming from Ireland and Scotland carried the secret of production. It turned out that the barley they used could be successfully substituted with other grains - corn, rye or wheat, which gave the "Water of Life" different flavours and aromas. Different regions of America used the raw material that thrived and developed best with the local climate and soil.
Production and profits grew, but the young state imposed a harsh tax to increase revenue to the treasury. The decision led to a revolt that lasted about 3 years when it was crushed by the army. This forced many of the manufacturers to turn to Kentucky and Tennessee. Thus began the real whiskey renaissance.
The state supported the first settlers with over 400 acres of land, which proved to be excellent for growing crops, especially corn. Oak for barrel making was plentiful, water was clear, transportation links along the major rivers were convenient, and the settlers were eager to produce and consume. The preconditions for the development of the whiskey from Kentucky – Bourbon, were amazing.
"Every bourbon е whiskeybut not every whiskey is bourbon" said the old Americans and imposed strict legal rules on its production:
- To be produced with minimum 51% maize
- To age in brand new American oak barrels
- To age minimum of 2 years in the state of Kentucky (other states are allowed, but only in US territory)
- To have an alcohol content of minimum 40%, without the addition of preservatives and coloring.
The characteristic and distinctive feature of American whiskeys is the charring of brand new oak casks, which enriches the taste and distinguishes it significantly from its counterparts from Scotland and Ireland. The reason for the charring is not fully understood, but there are many versions, ranging from accidental ignition of casks being carried to the distillery to completely deliberate charring by a merchant who wanted his product to stand out from the competition. Whatever the truth, it has produced a unique effect that different distilleries use. Such as different technologies, timing and depth of charring. Besides bourbon, the other varieties of American whiskey are:
Tennessee - corn is around 51% of the total cereals
Corn - made of minimum 80% corn. No ageing, bottled almost after distillation
Rye - rye content is approximately 51%. Has strong taste
Wheat - 51% wheat. Creates a softer taste.
White Dog - Also called "Moonlight" and "White Whiskey". The distinctive part is that it is bottled immediately after distillation.
In our next whiskey story we will talk about the Prohibition, distilleries, as well as rise and fall in the last 100 years.
A small part of our American whiskey world is offered on our website www.vida.bg, and you can try some in Caldo whiskey bar.
