Whiskey for beginners: Inside: An expert refutes the 5 biggest myths

An expert refutes the 5 biggest myths to whiskey

Whiskey can appear quite scary at the beginning. He is often associated with old men who have a whole collection of knowledge and certain rules related to drinking whiskey. This stops many women from getting to the drink.

So we just have one with oneWhisky-Expertinasked. All the questions that we have always asked ourselves about whiskey to disenchant the drink and to dissolve the myth. How do I have to drink whiskey? Which glass is one of them? And can I drink my whiskey with ice or not?

Everything you should know as a beginner: in about whiskey

Our expert:Gillian Macdonaldis Master Blender and Head of Whiskey Creation at Glenmorangie and Ardberg and has been able to gain over 20 years of experience in the whiskey business. She also has a chemical diploma and is even a distillateur. Nowadays, their tasks primarily include the quality control of the whiskey.

Whiskey with “E” or without “E”?

A lot is disputed about the question of whether whiskey originally comes from Ireland or Scotland. One thing is clear: whiskey comes from the Gaelic and means “water of life”.

Whether you write whiskey with or without “e”, depend on where you are! In Scotland, but also in Canada, Japan and India, it is mainly written without “E” - i.e. whiskey.

In Ireland (Irish Whiskey), as well as partly in America, the spelling with “E” - i.e. whiskey.

Which is the best glass for a whiskey?

"Whiskey can be drunk in any glass," assures Gillian Macdonald. But there are certain glasses in which the aromas of whiskey stand out particularly well? Yes, of course, the expert: Inside in their laboratories have special glasses because they are looking for very specific aromas. "But it shouldn't stop anyone if he has no tulip -shaped glass or a tumbler with a double floor." It quickly becomes clear that Gillian just wants to drink good whiskey - and the (constructed) structures are irrelevant.

How do you drink whiskey properly?

Do you have to chew whiskey? Sip? Wash? How do I behave correctly when I drink whiskey?

Here it depends on what kind of whiskey you drink and how strong it is, says Gillian. Most whiskeys will have between 40 and 46 percent. For everything that has more alcohol, Gillian recommends adding a drop of water so that alcohol does not so much irritate the mucous membranes.

Now she shows me how to really approach a whiskey: “First you smell it. But be careful: don't put the whole nose in and best leave your mouth open, ”advises Gilian. So you can smell even more and better recognize the tastes. But that's enough, says the expert. Then just take a little sip.

“You usually have to sacrifice the first sip so that the mouth gets used to it. You can leave it in your mouth longer, ”she explains after taking a sip. Only with the second sip would you discover more taste and you can decide whether you still want to add water or ice cream. With some whiskeys there are even more aromas. "Just please do not add a sparkling water," says the Master Blender and laughs. Perhaps this is the only guideline that Gillian specifies. Otherwise, she rates more: Experiment what tastes good.

In any case, there will be a whiskey out there that you like, says Gillian. Because there are so many different flavors that after an attempt you cannot say that the entire whiskey area would not taste good. Your whiskey,Glenmorangie, be a good entry -level whiskey because it has simple flavors, such as vanilla, apricot and caramel - and less sharp.

Which flavors and tastes should you find in a whiskey?

All noses are different and also perceive different smells and tastes: there are differences between men and women, during theIf you smell different, and it also depends on what you have eaten beforehand and where you are.

"To drink whiskey and enjoy it, you don't really have to know about whiskey how to drink it or what to taste," explains Gillian. "We do the hard work so that you can simply drink what you like." If you are in a bar and is overwhelmed, she should just ask the bartender.

I introduced Gillian to the 5 most I belonged to whiskey myths and wanted an explanation from her.

Whiskey myth #1: Is older whiskey always better?

Some like to indicate that they have one or the other old whiskey from 1900-I. But is it automatically better? "This is a clear no," says Gillian. As always, it just depends on what tastes better.

With Glenmorangia there are a number of whiskeys that, for example, have no age on the label. "We are only concerned with the taste, and if we don't specify age, we can be freer." So you can mix older stocks with younger ones to create a special taste. Because the year of the youngest whiskey must always be specified on the label - even if older people are used.

Whiskey myth #2: Can you drink whiskey with ice cream?

Whiskey must always be drunk pure, otherwise you water down the taste, told me my neighbor in the whiskey bar. I have often heard the saying of some self-proclaimed whiskey connoisseurs. But there is really something to do, I ask the expert.

“Whiskey is incredibly diverse and can be drunk on so many different ways: pure, with a little water or ice cream or in“, She says very simply. “In the 20 years in which I have now worked in the whiskey industry, a lot has changed. At that time you would probably not have liked to see that. But now we are also creating two or three cocktails for each new bottle because it just tastes incredibly good. ”

In addition, you drink whiskey differently in different cultures - depending on how the tastes have developed. "We will not tell anyone how to drink your whiskey," says Gillian.

Whiskey myth #3: Is single always paints better than blended whiskey?

That depends on it. “Basically there are 5 categories of whiskey: single malt, blended malt, single grains, blended grains and only blends. Each of them has their own characteristics that have to taste. ” For the different categories, there are clear conditions, which can be called how and when. Basically, it is like everything: what tastes better.

Whiskey myth #4: Can't you put good whiskey in a cocktail?

"This is a myth that was thoroughly refuted," says Gillian. As mentioned, there are so many wonderful cocktails, and you also create cocktails that match with every new whiskey that you get out.

"The background of the cocktails is not to hide the taste, but to add it." So you would recommend everyone to try and see what tastes of which whiskey.

Whiskey myth #5: Can whiskey ripen even further in the bottle?

Whiskey no longer ripens in the bottle. So it doesn't matter how long the whiskey has been somewhere. Even after another ten years in the bottle, the whiskey with the number “10” is only a ten -year -old whiskey.

And: please do not store whiskey lying down, but only standing upright.

How do you get whiskey from the corner of the men?

Gillian has been working in the whiskey industry for about 20 years and was able to observe a strong change. When she started, she was mostly the only woman in the room. But now she sees a big change: "More and more women are coming to our whiskey events," she explains. "We have a responsibility to expose the myths and sovereignty of interpretation that are around whiskey and to explain the whiskey as many people as possible."

In addition, visibility is particularly important: the more women are visible in the whiskey industry, the more the stereotype is broken off. “Representation changes everything - not just for women. The more diversity is in all areas, the more different ideas, thoughts and tastes will develop. ” And of course: more people who drink whiskey.

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