Whisky facts for kids
Whisky (sometimes spelled whiskey) is a type of alcoholic drink. It is made by distilling (heating and cooling) grains. After distillation, it is stored and aged in wooden barrels, called casks. This aging process gives whisky its special flavor and color.
The word "whisky" comes from an old Gaelic word. In Ireland, people spell it "whiskey" with an extra "e". Many whiskies made in the United States also use this spelling.
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Types of Whisky
There are many different kinds of whisky. Each type has its own unique way of being made. This gives them different tastes and styles.
Single Malt Whisky
Single malt whisky is made from one type of grain: malted barley. All of it comes from a single distillery. It is aged in oak barrels, usually for 6 to 24 years.
Glenfiddich is the most popular single malt whisky in the world. It comes from a place called Speyside in the Scottish Highlands. This one brand makes up 35% of all single malt sales globally. The Glenlivet is another well-known single malt from the same area. Even with many other whiskies around, this small region in Scotland is famous for its single malts.
Other famous single malts include Laphroaig, Lagavulin, Bowmore, Ardbeg, and Talisker. Most single malts are from Scotland. However, some, like Nikka Yoichi, come from Japan.
Blended Whisky (Scotch)
Blended whisky is a mix of different single malt whiskies. This is the most common type of whisky you will find. When people say "Scotch" in the United States, they usually mean blended whiskies from Scotland.
Famous blended whiskies include Johnnie Walker, Chivas Regal, Ballantines, J&B, The Famous Grouse, and Vat-69. Companies that make blended whisky do not distill it themselves. Instead, they carefully mix whiskies from different distilleries to create a consistent flavor.
Irish Whiskey
Irish whiskey is a blended whiskey made in Ireland. A key difference is how it's made: Scottish whiskies are usually distilled twice, but Irish whiskeys are distilled three times. This extra step happens before they are aged in barrels.
Well-known Irish whiskeys are Jameson's and Bushmill's.
Bourbon Whiskey
Bourbon whiskey is an American whiskey. It is mainly made from maize (corn). It can be entirely corn-based (called corn whiskey) or it can also contain barley malt.
Popular bourbons include Four Roses, Jim Beam, and Kentucky Gentleman. The name "Bourbon" comes from Bourbon County in Kentucky, where this type of whiskey first became popular.
Rye Whiskey
As the name suggests, rye whiskey is made from rye grain. This type of whisky is very popular in Canada. Famous Canadian rye whiskies are Canadian Club and Alberta Premium.
Most whiskies contain about 40% alcohol.
Scotch Whisky Rules
Scotch whisky has special rules about how it must be made. These rules are set by laws in the United Kingdom.
For a drink to be called Scotch whisky, it must:
- Be made in a Scottish distillery. It must use water and malted barley. Other whole grains can be added.
- Be distilled so that it keeps the flavor of the ingredients used.
- Be aged in Scotland in oak barrels for at least three years.
- Not have anything added to it except water and caramel coloring.
- Be bottled with at least 40% alcohol.
In the United Kingdom, the government collects a tax on alcohol, called an excise duty. When Gordon Brown, who was from Scotland, became the country's finance minister (called Chancellor of the Exchequer), he decided not to increase the tax on whisky. He said this would help the Scotch whisky industry grow, sell more to other countries, and earn more money.
Images for kids
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A man pours some whisky into a flask in this 1869 oil painting by Scottish artist Erskine Nicol.
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Copper pot stills at Auchentoshan Distillery in Scotland
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Various American whiskies on store shelves
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Various Canadian whiskies
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Various Irish whiskies
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Various Scotch whiskies
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A charred oak barrel used to age whiskey
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See also
In Spanish: Whisky para niños
