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Whiskey - Complexity At Its Finest

Whiskey is a distilled spirit made from a fermented mash; different grains such as barley, corn, rye and wheat make different types of whiskey such as malt, bourbon, rye and wheat (respectively). Whiskey is then stored in charred oak barrels; whiskey can be aged for decades (such as some bourbon) or sold right after distillation (such as corn whiskey /moonshine). Whiskies are complex distilled spirits that contain a huge range of compounds leading to a very unique flavor; some 200 to 300 compounds are easily detected by chemical analysis. The flavoring chemicals include "carbonyl compounds, alcohols, carboxylic acids and their esters, nitrogen and sulphur-containing compounds, tannins and other polyphenolic compounds, terpenes, and oxygen-containing heterocyclic compounds" and esters of fatty acids. The nitrogen compounds include pyridines, picolines and pyrazines.

Dating back to the 15th century Ireland, Whiskey has a long history that has traveled the globe. Touching every continent and involving some very famous people of history such as; The Guild of Surgeon Barbers, Friar John Cor, James IV of Scotland, King Henry VIII of England, George Washington, Edward Dyer, Aeneas Coffey, etc… The next items are the Whiskey from my Mini Liquor Bottle collection, I hope you have a chance to try some of the different types of whiskey and I’m sure you will find a favorite. Cheers!