Good Wood

Without good wood in barrels there would be no good whisky, all casks are not alike and many come from America because the Scots are a Cannie lot. It makes sense to use up the Americans who by law can only use virgin oak casks. There are many different countries producing oak casks all with different growth and density within the wood produced.

The finer the grained timber the less angel share, also a factor is the temperature during maturation and storage conditions which contribute to how much those dam angels drink.

The American oak is courser grained than European oak. Oak for barrel making is sourced from country’s all over the world and has all got specific qualities plus the barrels sourced outside America have in most cases been used wine production, again those Cannie Scots are at work.

There are barrels made from Tasmanian Oak, not a lot as a percentage of world production. But don’t forget strains of malting barley produced in Tassie and York Peninsular right here in South Australia which are sought from some local and overseas distillers.

In all cases the wood and previous use will adjust flavour profiles and add certain tastes preferred by drinkers of fine malts all over, in some cases barrels are made up using a combination of staves usually 50/50 from American and other country’s oak wine barrels, usually sherry adding to specific taste requirements by the distiller – a trick to use if you don’t want to transfer spirit into another type of individual barrel during maturation.

Barrelling in Australia

There are many opinions on whisky storage in Australia because of our high summer temperatures, in one case the distiller has painted his warehouse black to attract heat, this usually results in a typical American style whiskey. In that case casks expel water mainly with the spirit ABV rising during maturation, because of the excess spirit expansion and heat generated in this particular method. Sometimes there is an over expansion of casks causing leakage and giving occasionally a slight bitterness when they cool down in the evenings, particularly from older second and third fill casks.

In any case most casks matured on the Australian mainland are sometimes subjected to extreme temperatures e.g. above 40 degrees in many cases. In my opinion, casks should be stored in a temperature of 15 degrees or lower (where possible), producing a closer version of a matured product from a cold climate maturation. How you do this is in Australia is usually a guarded trade secret by most distillers.

This blog is relevant to our September meeting when there will be three expressions of wood:

• Sauternes Wood;
• Sherry Wood; and
• Port Wood.

Each from the same distillery using their new make spirit and presented at the same matured age, this should give you notes which will be relevant to picking tones and flavours for your assessment of whisky in the future.

Roger Gillard, Your Laird

New and Emerging Whisky Distillers

There is a new generation of whiskies put forward over the last Ten years or so, with whiskies being produced in countries other than Scotland. Lately with growing interest in Malt Whisky there have been products coming from India, Twain, China and of course Australia which the subject of this article.

The Whiskies of Modern Australia

The emerging Australian whisky industry started with Bill Lark’s struggle to get Tasmanian government to see his point of view regarding Spirit production needs no further explanation. Without Bill’s forward thinking and support from fellow Tasmanian’s the modern Australian whisky industry might not have seen the light of day.

The Tasmanian distillers that stand out to me are Bill Lark and Casey Overeem. Casey is a quiet achiever, for many years producing one wash a week and producing what I consider one of the finest whisky’s I have ever tasted, whihc is quite a lot. And let’s not forgetting Sullivans Cove.

The rest of the Australian whiskies are now produced in all states. To mention all of them would be a daily update, as every week there seems to be another coming on line, just as frequently as Microsoft updates.

In South Australia, Ian Schmidt started up his operation round ten years ago. Since then there have been an explosion of registered stills popping up all over in suburbs and country locations including the Southern Vales and Goolwa. Not forgetting the Smith’s family in the Barossa whose production stretches back further than that. Some of their distillations included the 8 year old, which is harder to find than hen’s teeth.

In Western Australia, Limeburners stands out winning awards and accolades.

In Victoria, Starward with the American style warehouse all painted black, emulating the American style of maturation are producing a product at a very fair price product in Australian retailers, against all the costly excise and government regulations in Australia.

For those I have not mentioned I apologise. Australian Whisky like all countries has a distinctive flavour profile. So, enjoy your Whisky wherever it comes from, as I have said on many occasions the best whisky is the one that you like drinking.

Roger Gillard, Your Laird

Whisky Terms

My brief look at simple whisky terms from A-Z:

A
Age: The age of any bottled whisky is calculated on the youngest whisky used to produce this bottle.
Alcohol by Volume: ABV as its known is the amount of 100% pure alcohol present in any unopened bottle of whisky regardless of country of origin.
B
Blended Whisky: In general whisky obtained from different distillery’s present in a single bottle of whisky, can contain spirit from multiple grains.
Bourbon: Any whisky produced in the U.S.A. made from a mash of 51% corn, distilled to a strength less than 80% by volume and matured in new oak barrels.
F
Feints/Tails: Usually discarded, at the end of the distillation, dis-coloured and chemically tainted solution.
Foreshots: The first fluid produced from the still, usually hazy and chemically tainted and discarded.
M
Mash/Wash/Beer: The liquid made from crushed and fermented grain that is distilled into new make spirit by passing through a distillation process, a still.
N
New Make Spirit: The spirit direct from the still before it has had maturation time in barrels to classify it whisky.
R
Rye Whisky: A spirit, usually American, produced in the same manner as bourbon with a mash of no less than 51% rye grain.
S
Scotch Whisky: A spirit made exclusively in Scotland, mainly from barley but can be made from other grains for use in blended scotch and matured for a minimum of three years.
Single Barrel Whisky: A whisky from a single barrel at an individual distillery, quite often numbered.
Single Malt Whisky: A whisky produced exclusively from malted barley at one distillery only.
U
US Proof: An America n term for alcohol content , just double the ABV.

Abbreviations

YO: Years Old
QC: Quarter Cask
PX: Pedro Ximenes Cask
OB: Official Bottling
CS: Cask Strength
DE: Distillers Edition
IB: Independent Bottling
E150A: Caramel Spirit Colouring
ABV: Alcohol by Volume
CF: Chill Filtered
NAS: No Age Statement
PPM: Parts per Million (usually referred to peat content)
DW: Double Wood
TW: Triple Wood

Roger Gillard, Your Laird

Simple Explanation of Whisky Scoring/whisky terms

As recorded from many of my references and experiences, most will be familiar with my comments regarding scoring, anyway here’s my thought, in approximation:

0-50  absolutely dreadful should not be bottled as whisky
51-65 shocking stuff , throw out
66-70 just drinkable
71-75 lowest grade of acceptably drinkable
76-80 average quite pleasant with occasional faults
81-85 good
86-90 excellent
91-93 brilliant examples without any faults
94-96 without fault, quality gold medal stuff
97-100 something I have yet to experience

This is only a guide as you should score according to your personal assessment.

My Condensed List

0-65 throw out
66-75 can be drunk questionably
76-85 recommend
86-93 you can brag about this lot
94-100 brilliant

Roger Gillard, Laird

Geographical and Flavour/Style Profiles

North Highlands, South Highlands and Speyside.

The Southern Highlanders were slightly heavier, fruitier and more intense than their northern cousins. While the Northern Speysiders were firmer, sweeter and more aromatic than the Southern Speysiders, which were generally more cereal like.

Classification by character, style and flavour is more useful in picking the distillery than mere geographical grouping and although regional characteristics are familiar to you. Generally, we all know how difficult it is to place some malts, especially single cask ones.

Classification by Clustering

This approach seeks to group malt whiskies by aroma/flavour alone as an aid, which I find most useful.

General Comments

My random selection and comments:

• Medium sweet unpeated spicy nutty fruit notes: Glengoyne
• Sweet low peat spicy fruity floral notes: Speyburn, Miltonduff, Tormore, Edradour, Balblair, Cragallachie, Benriach, Deanston, Glen Moray, Inchgrowe, Benromach and Aberlour.
• Sweet Low-Peat smokey spicey nutty fruit: Glen Grant, Knockando, Macallan, Longmorn, Springbank and Scarpa.
• Sweet low-peat spicy sherried fruity floral: Balvenie and Glenlivet.
• Sweet medium-peat smokey spicy sherried fruity: Tamdhu, Belrinnies, The Singleton, Glen Rothes, Glenfarclas, Mortlach, Linkwood, Glen Ord and Dalmore.
• Sweet medium peat with smokey honeyed fruit and floral notes: Dufftown, Glen Eglin, Dalwhinnie, Glenfiddich, Teaninich and Royal Brackla.
• Medium sweet medium peat with smokey fruity floral notes: Strathisla, Glenmorangie, Auchentoshan, Bladnoch and Tobermory.
• Sweet peaty with smokey spicy floral notes: Blair Athol, Ardmore, Cardhu, Aberfeldy, An Cnoc, Cragganmore and Tomatin.
• Medium-sweet light peat smokey spicy fruity notes: Glendronach, Dailuaine, Oban, Old Pulteney and Clynelish.
• Dry peated smokey spicy floral notes: Bunnahabhain, Bruichladdich, Jura, Bowmore, Highland Park and Ledaig.
• Dry well peated smokey spicy and medicinal notes: Ardbeg, Lagavulin, Talisker, Caol lla and Laphroag.

Roger Gillard, Laird

Championship or Event

Last Minute Preparation

By now you should have memorised most of your notes on the whisky’s master list given to you by the organisers and most important have completed a tasting regime with other club members (get together at least four or five times to taste and discuss all of the whisky’s on the list provided by the organisers). Now study all previous classification notes gained through this process, go sit in the corner away from all distractions, usually young children, family pets etc. go find a deserted island if possible (as if).

On the Day of the Event

Be sure not to taste any whisky prior to the event, eat no curries or overly spiced food until you have finished the event, personally I would drink only water and light foods on the day. Some advocate a small beer, whatever you find comfortable with. Another point the organisers will use different sizes and types of glassware if you know of this or if you have to bring your own glasses be sure to do your group tastings in the same glassware.

Good Luck,
Roger Gillard

Whisky Classification

With the club championship just months away over the preceding time I will be concentrating on whisky classification as I have used it in preparation for these events, this also assists in hiding the blind within the list. Many articles have been written but they follow a common theme, here are my thoughts.

Traditional
Originally, many years ago it was very simple just Highland / Lowland distillery’s above or below the Highland line.

The Modern Interpretation
Geographically the regions took a change round the 1980’s when people in the industry reviewed there thinking and added sub categories e.g. Speyside , Islands etc. plus the Irish and Japanese. Then the fun began in later years as other regions/country’s put in their bid for recognition until today we have a plethora of distillery’s bidding for their share of a now world market.

This bought a new way to the whole method of picking the blind I would say broadly for instance, distinct flavours follow in specific regions in the Scottish area as defined by other writers include islands by name, speyside, Campbelltown and other areas in Scotland.

Then we have in no specific order:

• Irish with their grassy finish;
• Japanese with their specific water profile; and
• The American’s with the sour mash something people love or love to hate.

Then there is the Canadians who love to add their flavourings e.g. maple syrup for instance. Aussie’s, New Zealanders, Indian, South African, Asian, even Sweden gets a mention, all have specific style’s/profiles which with practice will aid broadly in blind selection.

A good example of regions has been had at our own meetings when David Baker bought along a range of the old Glenlivet’s as it was known pre-round the 1980’s that covered most of as we now know it, for want of a better word Speyside distillery’s, but it was not until Wallace Milroy (Malt Whisky Almanac, 1986) that sub-division really happened and when Michael Jackson’s (The World Guide to Malt Whisky,1987) appeared.

Milroy divided the Highland Region into Northern, Southern, Eastern, Western, Speyside, Islands and Orkney. Jackson followed this, but called the ‘Southern Highlands’ ‘The Midlands’, and sub classified Speyside according to its main rivers, viz: the Finhorn, the Lossey, the Upper Spey, the lower Spey, the Livet, the Fiddich and the Dullan, Strathisla, the Bogie and the Deveron.

This dovetails into next month’s Edition when we get into Geographical and Familiar Flavours, and Style Profiles which individual members will put characteristics to in their own memory bank.

Roger Gillard, Laird

Whisky Colour

This month my hints and tips column, is devoted to whisky colour. You should source a quantity of clear glass or plastic bottles between 50 to 100ml, easily obtained from medical or catering or glass bottle suppliers to start a reference library. From your current open bottles fill one small bottle and clearly label it, as you open each new bottle repeat the process. If you replace a bottle (of course drink the old small bottle contents) replace the contents of the small bottle; reason, in each batch of whisky there will be a slight change in colour.

Over time you will build up a library of bottles. Then grade them from lightest to darkest on a master sheet or spreadsheet you can take this along to most meetings together with any other reference books as allowed. This is a simple way of assessing by colour the contents in your glass in picking the blind; this is an aid and must be used in conjunction with the accepted criteria of nose, taste, finish and balance of the dram.

In my opinion, do not swill the dram around in the glass as in wine assessment. In some cases the spirit will have a good deal of oils in the glass and in some cases will carry slight colour as in Irish and blended whiskies, a definite game changer.

I have used this criteria to effect and assess in picking the whisky blinds and in competitions. Put simply this is a method to eliminate silly mistakes, as I am also guilty of in certain cases.

Roger Gillard, Laird