Types of Whiskey or Whisky: Where does Whiskey Come From?

Have you ever visited your favorite bar and admired all the beautiful whiskey bottles on the shelf? For someone new to the world of whiskey, the choices can be intimidating. Don’t be intimidated, because we’re going to break down the different types of whiskey so you can feel confident the next time you order.

What Makes Whiskeys Different?

All whiskeys start the same way: with the grain. The grain is cooked, fermented, and distilled and contains at least 40 percent alcohol. The main differences between whiskeys come down to:

1. Where the whiskey is made

2. What grain the whiskey is made from

3. What the whiskey tastes like

Today we’ll focus on the first difference: where the whiskey is made. The following includes five distinct whiskey making regions and the taste differences between them.

Is it Whiskey or Whisky?

The spelling of whiskey or whisky comes from the first main difference: where the whiskey is made. The “e” is added in American whiskeys and Irish Whiskeys. In Scotland, Canada, Japan, and anywhere else in the world, it’s whisky.

Scotch Whisky

It was in Scotland where the very first whisky was made, back in the 15th century. Scotch whisky is made from malted barley, wheat, or corn and must be aged in oak casks for more than three years. Scotch whisky is either single malt (grain) or blended whisky. Single grain or malt varieties are created at ONE distillery, where blended whiskies are made at several distilleries and then blended together.

Scotch whisky is typically earthy and smoky in flavor and is meant to sip and enjoy slowly.

Irish Whiskey

Although the first known recorded whisky came from Scotland, it was actually Ireland that gave the drink its name, which means “water of life”. Irish whiskey is made using a yeast-fermented grain mash or malt. It must be made in Ireland, or Northern Ireland, to be considered Irish whiskey, including at least three years of barrel aging in Ireland.

There is a lot of variance in the flavor of Irish Whiskey, but generally it has a smoother finish than Scotch whisky.

American Whiskey

American Whiskey is as diverse as the people here. There are several varieties of American whiskey that tend to align with the regions of the United States.

Bourbon Whiskey

All bourbons are whiskey, but not all whiskeys are bourbon. Although it is commonly stated, bourbon does not need to be from Kentucky. Originating in the southern United States, bourbon is now produced across the country and is the main US distilled spirit export. A distinctly American spirit, bourbon is regulated by US law. To be called Bourbon, it must be made with at least 51% corn and the rest can be malted rye, wheat, or barley. It also needs to be aged in new charred oak barrels. Finally, it must be between 80 and 160 proof.

Because it’s made by so many distillers, bourbon can have many flavor profiles, but generally it’s sweet (from the corn) and smokey (from the charred oak barrels).

American Rye Whiskey

American rye whiskey meets all of the same requirements as bourbon, except it needs to be made with 51% rye instead of corn. Rye whiskey was originally made in the northeastern states. Pennsylvania was the center of rye whiskey in the 18th and 19th century – and continues to produce this distinctly American spirit today.

American rye whiskey is filled with spice and fruit notes, which is distinctly different from the sweet and smooth flavors in bourbon.

Tennessee Whiskey

Although distilleries in Tennessee don’t want to admit it, Tennessee whiskey is basically bourbon that undergoes an extra process. Tennessee whiskey goes through the Lincoln County process which involves filtering through charcoal before putting it into barrels. This process removes impurities and jumpstarts the aging process.

Often described as a lighter bourbon in taste, Tennessee whiskey also usually has a hint of charcoal or burnt wood from the Lincoln County process.

Canadian Whisky

Canadian whisky and Canadian rye whisky are used almost interchangeably in Canada. This is because there are not as many laws regulating the production of Canadian whisky as there are for whiskeys made south of their border.

Canadian whisky must be aged at least three years, but there are no regulations on the types of barrels or the amount of grains used. This results in a lot of variety in Canadian whiskies, but also accounts for the generally lighter flavor profile.

Japanese Whisky

Japan took their whisky lessons from the Scots, making a whisky that is extremely similar to Scotch. Like all things in Japan, commercial whisky making is kept to the highest standards.

Japanese whiskies are typically drier and smokier, but have a flavor profile similar to that of scotch whiskies.

That’s it! Those are the major whiskeys you will find at your local bar. Now that you know a little more about where these whiskeys come from and what sets them apart, we hope you start to responsibly experience and try all that whiskey has to offer.

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