07.04.2014 / 421

Whiskey. This drink is a real cultural dominant of Western civilization, especially its Anglo-Saxon part, which has now largely won the status of the number one global strong drink.

This happened largely due to the fact that the whiskey is a really worthy "strong man" in all respects. But do not discount the marketing myth of whiskey as an indispensable attribute of Western alcoholic culture, which made it possible, through many powerful brands, to implant into the consumer's mind the love for the ancient Celtic drink on all continents.

A brief excursion into history

The word "whiskey" itself is a tracing paper from the Celtic language uisce beatha / uisge beatha (in transcription it sounds like "uishke beyatha" and literally means "water of life" - tracing paper from the Latin expression aqua vitae.

It is believed that the art of distilling low-alcohol mash was brought to Scotland by Christian missionaries who, in the conditions of the British Isles, had to replace grapes with barley. Having passed the uisge - uisce - fuisce - uiskie chain, as well as a number of technological and taste improvements and finally becoming a whiskey, the drink began to subjugate the tastes of the local population.

However, the copyright for the invention was immediately disputed by the Irish. According to them, a similar process on the Emerald Isle was launched by St. Patrick, who took up whiskey smoking immediately after the completion of the baptism of pagan Ireland.

Both peoples later made a significant contribution to the formation of the drink: the Irishman Enes Coffey significantly improved the distillation still in 1830, while the very first such installation was built by the Scotsman Robert Stein.

It was their joint work that caused a revolution in production in the second half of the 19th century - the distilleries were able to significantly increase their output, it became possible to talk about the emergence of a new industry in the structure of the British and Irish economies.

It was then that the first large companies specializing in this segment appeared, and used the huge space for creativity, provided by new technologies for the production of drinks from the whiskey family, regional traditions and a variety of ingredients.

It was then that the first experiments began to mix different brands of cask whiskey to create unique aromas and flavors.

But, like any technological revolution, the process had a downside - the word "whiskey" was legally allowed to call young, three-year-old alcohols, and producers began to replace barley with wheat and corn to reduce costs, adding malt varieties "for taste."

It is these processes that have determined the abundance of varieties, brands and brands that make up a real galaxy of whiskey today.

Whiskey happens ...

In modern English, you can find two spellings of the word whiskey - what is produced in Scotland, Canada and Japan is usually referred to as whiskey.

Irish or American beverages are often referred to as whiskey. The addition of "e" took place at the end of the 19th century to highlight its products - that is, purely a marketing move that does not tell us anything about the taste and quality of the product.

The standard strength of whiskey varies in the range of 40-50%, but no one limits the scope for creativity of the creators of drinks, so you can also find varieties with a strength of 60%.

First of all, whiskey is malt - the drink is made from pure barley malt and aged without mixing with other types of whiskey, such as grain.

The most ideologically pure whiskey of this kind is a single malt whiskey produced by the same distillery, sometimes mixed for different years of the same variety. This is, in fact, the gold standard of whiskey, the original.

Single malt whiskeys are a gourmet delight, offering a huge selection of original flavors, many of which will only be appreciated by people with very specific preferences. At the same time, single malts contain a rich layer of interesting drinks that can give a lot of pleasant moments to the connoisseur's taste buds.

This is the real soul of Scotland, drinks that require a thoughtful attitude to consumption, savoring either in the company of trusted people who will not distract from the process, or completely alone.

The most famous brands are Laphroaig, Maccalan, Glenfiddich, Isle of Jura, Tallisker, Highland and many others, which are abundantly presented on the shelves of numerous Irish and English pubs and bars, as well as in alcoholic supermarkets in the Russian Federation.

Single malt whiskeys tend to be the most expensive drinks compared to other whiskey classes. The production of many single malts is a small business, at least compared to the well-known brands of widespread and more understandable blended varieties - the capacity is less, the production volumes are modest, the production cycle is longer: all this combined is the reason why a good single malt whiskey starts cost from 1,500 rubles per bottle, and there are no limits to this indicator at all.

There is a class of very long-aged collectible single malts, but it is extremely difficult to find them in bars and shops - these are gift drinks for very wealthy citizens.
One of the varieties of single malt drinks is single cask whiskey. Single cask malt whiskey, not miscible. That is, how it was poured, how it was left for aging, it was also opened and bottled, without adding or changing anything.

There is quarter cask whiskey - the same single cask malt whiskey, but from a smaller barrel, usually stronger (up to 50% - the so-called barrel strength - cask strength, which also testifies to the originality of the drink and the absence of encroachments on its integrity).

There is also a blended malt, which is a blend of malt whiskeys from various distilleries. By and large, this is the same singlemolt - at least in taste. Only very big connoisseurs and deep experts in the subject area will be able to distinguish mixed "molts" from the originals.

This technology allows you to get original tastes, to combine the best from several varieties of single malt drinks in one bottle.

The place where whiskey is made should be given the utmost attention - for example, the varieties produced on the island of Islay are historically strikingly different from most other varieties.

A lot of smuggled whiskey was driven on the islands, and to speed up the production process, barley was dried on the smoke of burnt peat, the taste of the finished drink received, firstly, notes of smoke, the signature "smoked taste", as well as sea, bright iodine aromas that cannot be confused with what. This is a purely Scottish "feature" not used in Ireland. The malt for Irish whiskey is oven-dried and triple-distilled, delivering the desired softness not found in most Scottish single malts.

In general, the single malts of Scotland are divided by region into Highland Single Malts, Speyside Single Malts, mentioned Islay Single Malts, Lowland Single Malts and Campbeltown Single Malts.

Next on the classification is grain whiskey (Grain whiskey) - this is the so-called "technical" whiskey: not to be confused with technical alcohol. The term means only the fact that the drink is almost never used in its pure form for sale, but is produced for further blending purposes.

If you try, you can find single grain whiskey on sale - pure grain whiskey by analogy with single malt, but the task is not an easy one due to the specificity of the drink (almost complete absence of smell and pronounced taste typical for classic whiskey). It must be understood that grain (grain) means the same grains of malt, just not germinated, as is the case with the classics.

There are only four brands of pure grain whiskey in bottles in Scotland: Glen Wolf, Black Barrel, Glen Clyde and Invergordon.

Blended whiskey - blended or blended whiskey. The most popular and widespread type of whiskey in the world. According to various estimates, today it accounts for up to 90% of world production. Not to be confused with the blended malt described above - blended whiskey varieties include a variety of alcohols - malt, grain, wheat, rye - whereas blended malt is always a mixture of only malt alcohols.

It is with sorts of blended whiskey that inexperienced consumer masses associate the very concept of "whiskey", it is the blend that fills supermarket shelves at an affordable price tag and misleads many alcohol lovers regarding the whole kingdom of whiskey. “I drank this whiskey of yours, rare rubbish,” says the average consumer in the Russian Federation, who has tried some cheap “compote” of young spirits worth 499 rubles for a 0.7 liter bottle.

The brands John Dewar's, Johnnie Walker, Jameson, White Horse, Famous Grouse and many, many others (“thousands of them”) are the brightest representatives of this class, sometimes also called “table” or “consumer whiskey” (something like “house wine "- an affordable, high-quality drink without frills).

Nevertheless, there is a certain gradation inside blended whiskey - brands such as Red Breast or Chivas Regal are distinguished by a high content of high-quality long-aged malt alcohols in their composition, which determines a very high level of beverage quality and price. The term “Deluxe” may be added to the name of such varieties.

The same Johnny Walker ranges from Red Label, a very modest drink by the standards of connoisseurs, to quite high-quality by the standards of the same connoisseurs of Green, Gold, Blue or Platinum Label - extremely expensive and delicious whiskeys.

As a rule, in the production of blended whiskey in modern conditions, the traditional technology, the aging time and many other nuances of the work of old distilleries are violated - the drinks are impersonal, standardized and hardly distinguishable from one another, but otherwise the volumes of world demand cannot be satisfied.

Finally, bourbon is an American corn whiskey produced using a special technology (aging in oak barrels fired from the inside). Jim Beam, Maker's Mark, Jack Daniels and numerous Canadian strains. An honest drink for adequate money, but not as refined as the Old World varieties, and in Great Britain or Ireland it is not considered a whiskey.

Two other important characteristics of the drink are the aging time and, taking into account what has been said about the prevalence of blended whiskey, the actual blending process.

Excerpt

The whiskey is aged in oak barrels. Ideally - in sherry barrels.

If there are none (and there is simply not enough for everyone today), then they are kept in a container made of American white oak, which previously contained bourbon, or simply processed with sherry. The barrel is the most important factor in the maturation of the future whiskey: it gains strength in it and gets the same recognizable taste and bouquet of aromas.

Scotch whiskey is legally required to mature for at least 3 years. This is the minimum period after which a malt distillate, after two or three distillations, gets the right to be called the proud word - whiskey.

As a rule, such "youngsters" go to the needs of blending, after which the cheapest temporal brands are born, which are gladly consumed in cocktails a la "whiskey and cola", or sold under the action "three bottles for the price of two" for 500 rubles and so on.

Single malt whiskey, which goes to create high-quality and elite varieties, is aged for at least 10 years. Classic - 10-12 years old, and then up to 21 years. These are already exclusive varieties, and if we talk about exotic, then you can find 30-50 year old brands.

In the rest of the world, everything is simpler: good "Ireland" is aged on average for 5 years, "Canada" - at least 6 years, of course, there are exceptions (12-year-old Jameson, for example).
After the aging is completed, it is either time to bottle it with subsequent sale, or mix it into new varieties by means of blending.

Different types of blended whiskeys can mix different types of malt (15 to 50 varieties) and grain (3-4) whiskeys with different aging periods (again, at least 3 years).

After obtaining the necessary mixture, it is time to mature the whiskey again - but here we are no longer talking about years, there is enough time from several weeks to several months of aging.

Blending is all about using cheap grain whiskeys, producing a standard quality product, and combining the best qualities of various malt whiskeys into one finished beverage.

The first blended whiskey in the world is Old Vatted Glenlivet, and was developed by Andrew Usher in 1853.

There are two types of blending: different varieties of malt and grain whiskeys are blended in special vessels, where they are kept for 24 hours. This mixture is then placed in barrels and bottled after a few weeks. Thus, a cheap whiskey is obtained (the one that is widely known thanks to the Famous Grouse, Johnny Walker Red Label, White Horse and others).

Another approach - the blended mixtures are aged for 6-8 months in oak barrels. This period is called the "wedding". Thus, more expensive high quality blended whiskey is produced (Chivas Regal, RedBreast).

The brands themselves

10. Ballantine's - a very common brand of Scotch whiskey, under which 7 different varieties are sold - Finest, Limited, 12 year old, 17 year old, 21 year old, 30 and 40 years old. In principle, within the line of this brand, you can explore all the main varieties, from a simple blended whiskey to collectible 21-40 year old single-malts. The basis of the ingredients is a can of 50 single molt alcohols, four grain varieties. The brand is widely known for sponsoring sports events.

9. Imperial Blue - whiskey produced in India by the same company that makes Ballantine’s, one of the most popular among the audience with an average monthly income. Very little malt alcohols are used in the preparation, the base is molasses.

8. Jack Daniel's Is the best-selling American bourbon in the world. Frank Sinatra is buried with a bottle of this drink. Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 is the most popular type of this bourbon, although the manufacturer tries to distance itself from this class, claiming that the drink is filtered through a maple wood carbon filter, which distinguishes it from other bourbons and makes it closer to traditional whiskey.

7. Original Choice Is another Indian brand. Although common within Indian borders, it is a premium product aged in real American oak barrels.

6. Old Tavern - another "Indian". A very soft drink at an extremely affordable price.

5. Royal Stag... And again, an Indian drink from Pernod Ricard (Imperial Blue and Ballantine's). It is a blended variety of Scottish malt spirits and a local material called molasses.
The taste is completely atypical for whiskey, but that is why it is popular both at home and abroad.

4. Bagpiper... Yes Yes. India again. Exported to 10 countries, the official Bollywood drink ..

3. McDowell's No.1 - whiskey with the aroma of vanilla wood, revealed by adding a few drops of water. The most popular drink in the Middle East.

2. Officer's Choice... Another and last representative of India, not much different from his fellow tribesmen.

1. Johnnie Walker, sold wherever a person has stepped, even in the distant Central African powers. 18 million boxes in 2012 speak volumes (box is a measure of sales volume of strong alcohol, 9 liters).

Green Label blend won three gold medals at the World Spirits Competition between 2005 and 2007, an excellent whiskey offering everything from the simplest "canteen" to the finest varieties.

As we can see, there are only a couple of Scotch tapes in the rating, with no Irish whiskey or exquisite single malts from Scotland. The overwhelming majority of the drinks presented in the rating are sold in the markets of India, China, Latin America and the Middle East, as well as in Eastern Europe.

If we are talking about countries with an established national culture of whiskey consumption, the picture will be completely different - in the USA, Jack Daniels takes the first place, in Scotland - Glenfiddich, in Ireland - Jameson.

And if you do not take into account Indian whiskey, but look at the sales of only Scottish brands, then the already mentioned Johhny Walker and Ballantines will be among the leaders for obvious reasons, in third place - Chivas Regal, J&B Rare, Grant's, Famous Grouse, Dewar's, William Lawson's, Label 5, and finally Bell's.

Despite the fact that the lineups of many of these brands sometimes offer excellent classic-aged single malts, the main sales of "scotch" are also provided by unpretentious popular blended brands. The same situation is with Irish whiskey.

These are the realities of the market, determined by the culture of drinking: people want to consume simply, without ceremony: poured, drank, or poured, diluted with cola, drank. And for this refined whiskey is not required, it is only necessary that the drink in taste and strength corresponds to the average ideas and expectations.

Actually, here is the watershed for brands - if a consumer wants something in the style of a party, so that he drinks quickly and has the main effect of achieving a quick alcoholic intoxication, these are brands of the same category. As a rule, inexpensive (or slightly above average) hoods solve the problem one or two times.

If a person appreciates the process of researching tastes, bouquets, savoring a drink in accordance with the culture of consumption, then completely different brands are needed that satisfy the high gourmand aspirations of the individual.

Whiskey a la Russe

In Russia, the relationship with whiskey is special. Every year they drink it more and more - and every year the share of counterfeit products is increasing in a growing volume.
Now its share is about 30% (data from the Center for Research on Federal and Regional Alcohol Markets (CIFRRA)).

Research center Synovate Comcon found that in 2012, 9.8% of Russians over 18 years old drank whiskey. For comparison: in 2000 - 1%, in 2006 - 3.1%.
According to the Center for the Development of National Alcohol Policy, the most counterfeited whiskey brands in Russia are Johnnie Walker: Red Label and Black Label, as well as Jack Daniels. A bottle, which in the original costs 1-2 thousand rubles, can reduce the price to only 200-500.

Actually, this is all there is to know about whiskey in Russia: what is popular is counterfeited. In the mass consciousness, there is still no knowledge of what whiskey can be and how it is drunk - for the overwhelming majority of compatriots it is the same drink as vodka, which must be drunk in one gulp, or mixed with a sweet carbonated drink a la Cuba Libre.

On the other hand, among economically successful people, the culture of whiskey consumption is undoubtedly developing - in the premium alcohol segment, whiskey confidently bypasses expensive varieties of vodka.

Bars and pubs are developing, in the lines of which you can find varieties for every taste and color - from pure cocktail whiskey Black Beast (in its pure form, it is difficult to drink it, so to speak) to refined Laphroaig Quarter Cask 10 year or Ardberg 10 year.

The staff of the establishments in a large number of cases is well versed in the types and varieties of whiskey, will tell you where to start your acquaintance, and give advice on proper consumption.

True, there is no need to talk about the displacement of vodka - the total consumption of whiskey, rum, tequila, gin in the Russian Federation is insignificant against the background of the consumption of vodka, which is drunk about 1 billion liters per year.

So, it is difficult and simple to understand the host of brands at the same time. It is unrealistic to learn all of them - only Scotch tapes are sold in the world about 2,500 titles (!!!).

You are determined with a goal. If this is a feast, holiday and entertainment format of the evening, then take simple understandable blends / blends. As we have already indicated, there are a great many of them, and in their mass they are quite similar, both in characteristics and in price.

Irish whiskey varieties Bushmills Original, Feckin, Finian "s, Jameson, Kilbeggan, Merry" s, Power and Son, Tullamore Dew, Paddy, as well as Scottish blends Ballantines Finest, Cutty Sark, Dewars White, Grant "s 8 year, J&B, Lauder "s, Chivas 12 year, Famous Grouse 12 year, Highland Harvest Organic, Johnnie Walker Black Label.

Bourbons of similar altitude - Gentleman Jack, George Dickel No. 12, Jack Daniels Old No. 7 Black Label, George Dickel Special Barrel, Jack Daniels Single Barrel, Ancient Age, Benchmark, Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare, Early Times, Jim Beam White, Ten High, Wild Turkey 101, Baker "s 7 year, Basil Hayden" s, Blanton's Single Barrel, Bulleit, Four Rose's Single Barrel, Jim Beam Black, Knob Creek Small Batch, Maker's Mark, 15 year Old Rip VanWinkle and Woodford Reserve.

Canadian varieties - Canadian Club Classic 12 year, Canadian Mist, Black Velvet, Forty Creek Barrel Select, Mountain Rock, Pendelton, Windsor Canadian, 8 Seconds, Canadian Club Sherry Cask 8 year, Crown Royal, Forty Creek Three Grain, Tangle Ridge Double Cask ...

All this is an honest "canteen": that is, a good, even table whiskey / bourbon, for which it is not a pity to give even more money than asked. It is also not at all shameful to pour cola and add ice and citrus fruits to it. Get a quality Cuba Libre or Old Fashion and get drunk fast.

Next, there are more elegant drinks - Bushmills Black Bush, Clontarf Single Malt, Jameson 1780, Michael Collins Single Malt, The Irishman The Original Clan, Tullamore Dew 12 year, Connemara Cask Strength Peated Single Malt, Greenore Single Grain, Jameson 18 year, Red Breast 12 year, The Tyrconnell 10 year Single Malt.

Fine whiskey, which is not a shame to put on the table on an anniversary, for a wedding or other festive occasion.

Bushmills 1608, Bushmills 21 years, Middleton Very Rare, Jameson Rarest Vintage, Ambassador 25 years, Buchanan "s 18 years, Johnnie Walker Green, Tomintoul Oloroso 12 years, Chivas 18 years, Compass Box Hedonism, Wild Scotsman, Ballantine" s 30 years , Chivas Regal 25 year, Johnnie Walker Blue, Kings Crest 25 year, The Antiquary 21 years, Booker "s Small Batch, Eagle Rare 17 year, Jefferson" s Reserve, Michter "s 10 year, Noah Mill" s 15 year, AH Hirsch 16 year, Longrow Cask 10 year, Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve 20 year, Willet 28 year.

More or less luxury drinks are also made in Canada - Seagrams VO, Wisers Deluxe 18 year, Crown Royal Special Reserve, Glen Breton Rare Single Malt, Canadian Club 30 year, Crown Royal XR, J.P. Wiser "s Red Letter - all this is already the elite, despite the popular brands, drinks of the most serious, gourmet class, suitable for savoring in the quiet of the office or at the bar.

And remember - Scottish single malts are suitable only for such savoring. Let's list the main ones: Deanston 12 year, Glenfiddich 12 year, Speyburn 10 year, Aberlour 10 year, Ardmore Traditional Cask, Glenlivet 12 year, Highland Park 12 year, Laphroaig Quarter Cask 10 year, Macallan Fin Oak 12 year, Scapa 14 year, Ardberg 10 year, Bowmore 16 year, Bruichladdich 15 year, Glendronach 12 year, Highland Park 18 year, Old Pulteney 17 year, Scapa 16 year, Glenfarclas 25 year, Highland Park 40 year, Macallan 25 year, Springbank 15 year, The Glenrothes 1975, Aberfeldy , Balblair, Ben Nevis, Dalmore, Dalwhinnie, Glen Ord, Glenmorangie, Oban, and Old Pulteney, Arran, Jura, Tobermory, and Talisker, Ardbeg, Bowmore, Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain, Caol Ila, Kilchoman, Lagavulin.

They must be DRINKED. Specially. Not in the bite. Not in one gulp, without diluting any cola (in a decent pub you can earn the bartender's contempt forever). Not getting drunk (or doing it extremely slowly and elegantly).

Single malts, unlike the simpler American, Irish or Canadian varieties, drink according to the rules - the Irish traditionally do not dilute their whiskey (it is extremely soft - Jameson, Paddy as vivid examples), while some "scotch" is flavored with ice or freshened up with a few drops of water are recommended (otherwise they can get in the throat).

Single molts are poured and drunk in special tulip-shaped glasses, as it is believed that it allows you to better reveal the aroma of the drink.

No glasses, shots, glasses, bowls - just old fashion or a tumbler. To cool whiskey, it is considered good practice to use, in addition to ice, which still affects the taste, diluting the whiskey, cubes of the so-called soapstone (good luck finding it in bars in Moscow or St. Petersburg).

Single malts are expensive drinks: a shot in a pub will cost 400-500 rubles (however, there are varieties in the range of 300-350 rubles), and a bottle - from 2.5 to 15-16 thousand (we are not considering the super-elite segment of 30 and over the years of aging, these are presidential drinks, and even then not all the presidents of the world, probably, had the good fortune to taste them).

You need to understand that for this money you will not always (not always) get what you like. Single malts are often very original drinks that will only be appreciated by very big connoisseurs and amateurs, therefore it is probably inappropriate to pay quite large money for tasting experiments by the standards of the average salaries of modern Russia, with the goal of simply relaxing after a working day.

But if you have a desire to indulge yourself with something like that, destroy your alcoholic routine and open up a new space for research, study and comparison - then single-molts are an excellent subject area for this kind of tasks.
It is worth remembering that the world of whiskey brands is not a static hierarchy, where nothing new happens and everything is frozen in the eternal harmony of peaceful coexistence.

New brands appear - Japan is performing quite well (for a long time, but it is not so easy to find the famous Suntory in the menu of bars, however, they are sold in stores), Canadian varieties become a pleasant discovery in terms of price / quality ratio (completely untwisted brands save on marketing and do not raise the price tag for a big name, offering a high-quality drink for almost nothing), manufacturers are trying to improve the existing varieties, create something original on the basis of the classics.

In the end, varieties known in the West are making their way to the Russian market - not so long ago an excellent Scottish single malt AnСnoc appeared - it is not in bars, and in stores an excellent drink is sold for unexpectedly low money with excellent quality of the softest taste of a real Scottish single malt.

And there are plenty of such surprises - mostly pleasant ones - in the world of whiskey.

• Single Cask is a single malt whiskey that has been bottled from one barrel for one year. These whiskeys are also called Single Years.
• Single Cask Strenght is a single malt whiskey that was poured from one barrel and not diluted with water. These whiskeys have an alcoholic strength of over 45, and sometimes even 50 degrees.

By country of production

• - such brands of whiskey are distinguished by following traditional technologies, in particular, double distillation, smoking peat, aging for at least 6 years. The raw material can be smoked malt or a mixture of malt and cereals. ,.
• are produced according to a modified technology: for this, triple is used, not a, and both malted and non-malted barley are used as raw materials (that is, sprouted and non-sprouted barley grains are mixed). Irish whiskey brands include Connemara, Dunvilles, Powers, Paddy, Midleton, Redbreast and Green Spot.
• almost entirely produced from corn, moreover, this raw material was selected solely for economic reasons. is called, the drink got its name thanks to the county of the same name, in which at first the vast majority of distilleries were located. American whiskey, or bourbon brands: Wild Turkey.
• won a large market share during Prohibition in the United States: during this time, whiskey production on the continent almost completely moved north to Canada. The lack of clear competition and the desire to save money led to the fact that it always differed (and differs) in low quality. In addition, it may contain not only whiskey spirits themselves (that is, aged grain distillate), but also other alcoholic beverages, for example, rum or tequila. can be considered the Canadian Club.

So how do you choose a really high-quality drink from a huge variety of whiskeys?

In fact, the choice is not as difficult as it seems. First of all, let's talk about choosing a whiskey when you are on a budget.

How to choose an inexpensive quality whiskey?

Good blended whiskey

Good blends are all old ones with an aging of 15 years or more, as well as collectible varieties. The premium whiskey also includes deluxe whiskey, 18 years old.

How to drink whiskey properly? What to drink and what to eat whiskey?

Please don't do bullshit. If you want whiskey, buy a ready-made whiskey. Even the ingredients to cook will cost more than 0.5 liters of Grant's - and that doesn't include your time and equipment. It is impossible to get it purely technologically, as well as to build a rocket to the moon, build a bridge to the Crimea, assemble a racing car. Making whiskey at home is a stupid, stupid, economically unprofitable occupation.

However, people are interested anyway. Well.

Cooking requires 8 kilograms of barley malt, 32 liters of water, and about 300 grams of compressed yeast. It is best to purchase barley malt. In some cases, already sprouted malt is sold, and occasionally sprouted and milled. The more whiskey-ready malt you buy, the better for the bottom line. If you bought non-sprouted malt, then it must be germinated (wet it and put on a large area for germination), then grind it into a coarse grind: just break the grains, you do not need to make flour.

Then you need to make the wort. To do this, take hot water and pour the ground malt into it. As a result, it is kept this way for about 90-120 hours (appreciate the simplification of the process of making whiskey at home - in production, only the preparation of the wort takes at least a day). After that, yeast is added to the wort, and the mash is fermented for two weeks. In the process, it is necessary to constantly stir the mash in order to achieve the most uniform fermentation, and to avoid the appearance of lumps.

Moreover, in some cases, the separation of the "head" and "tail" does not occur.

Occurs in glass containers. The original recipes recommend going to chop the oak; but it is obvious that the problem can be solved differently, simply by buying oak chips at the pharmacy. Chips are simply put in whiskey and stored for a year. Obviously, so should be the best for the drink; however, it is unlikely to be able to somehow spoil the already controversial taste of the finished moonshine.

Whiskey history

The name of the homeland. The first mention of the drink dates back to 1494. As a distillation apparatus, an apparatus was used, which was a cross between a samovar and a teapot turned upside down on it.

The first alembic of the modern type was created by Anness Coffey in 1830, an Irishman, however, the first use of this cube was made by the Scotsman Robert Stein. Initially, whiskey was used exclusively as a medicine - like half of the world's alcoholic beverages. Whiskey was drunk immediately after distillation, that is, no one waited for the aging and blending process.

Moreover, since 1579, only nobles could produce whiskey, however, this did not stop local moonshiners at all. They continued to make whiskey and sell it by sea. That is why in the north of Scotland so many distilleries had their own piers and piers. Despite the fact that gradually there were indulgences (for example, an excise tax was introduced in 1644, and according to the law, already 8 large distilleries could produce whiskey), the highest quality whiskeys were produced clandestinely. In 1822, all distilleries were legalized, which led to an explosive growth in the popularity of the drink and an explosive increase in production volumes.

In the 17th century, whiskey began to be made in the New World, moreover, the first whiskey was made in the county, Kentucky. As a result, the county gave its name to a whole type of spirits. American whiskey was made from corn - the cheapest grain that could be obtained in the New World.

A complete list of whiskeys that are or will be featured on this site:

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Some varieties of alcoholic beverages are not only in demand among gourmets around the world, but are also considered elite. Wealthy people with a solid and high level of income can afford to buy such drinks. And to support ...

Certain varieties of spirits are popular among buyers not only for their quality, but also largely because of the manufacturer's creative approach to the packaging and packaging in which they are presented to gourmets. One ...

Crown Royal whiskey is a blended Canadian whiskey produced by Seargam's. Crown Royal whiskey is produced in several types, the strength of each type is 40 degrees. Crown Royal whiskey has received a large number of awards at the prestigious World Sp ...

Not every famous alcoholic drink became the progenitor of the whole city, but as for the Canadian Club whiskey, there are interesting facts related to its production in its history. Walkerville is home to the Canadian Club whiskey and ...

Against the background of a huge amount of alcoholic beverages, whiskey is one of the leaders in production and sales. There are also many varieties of this drink, and some of them are considered elite and famous, and also have a high cost. Not...

Writers Tears whiskey is a little-known Irish whiskey. Writer Tears whiskey is sold only in the USA, Russia and a couple of other European countries. Whiskey is a blend of single malt whiskey and pure whiskey from the alembic itself (whiskey ...

Wild Turkey is a renowned brand that produces high quality bourbon in Kentucky. Based on the American classification, this alcohol can be attributed to the Straight Whiskey category (the minimum content of corn distillate is ...

Tomintoul is an aged Scotch whiskey made in Speyside since 1965. The strength of the drink reaches 46%. Exposure ranges from 10-36 years. The product is produced by the distillery "Tomintoul Distillery", which is considered the largest in Scotland ...

Tomatin is an aged Scotch whiskey produced in Highland since 1867. The Tomatin company produces alcohol, the strength of which exceeds 40% (in some cases it reaches 53.9%). The crystal clear whiskey water comes from a source called ...

Tobermory Whiskey - Single malt Scotch Scotch, well known throughout the world. Produced at the Tobermory Whiskey Distillery, located on the Hebride Island in Malle, Scotland, in the eponymous village of Tobermory. The distillery, formerly known as Ledaig, ...

Antiquary whiskey is a blended Scotch whiskey produced by Sanderson. The whiskey got its name from the novel of the same name by Walter Scott. At the moment, Antiquary whiskey is the most popular whiskey on the market ...

Teeling whiskey is a relatively young brand of Irish whiskey. Teeling was founded only in 2012 by Jack Teeling, the former director of Cooley, just after Cooley was acquired by Beam inc. Jack Teeling is sure ...

Teacher's whiskey is a blended Scotch whiskey that is quite popular in Russia. It is believed that the hallmark of Teacher's whiskey is the high content of single malt spirits, and the relatively low amount of grain alcohols. The main taste is created ...

Tamdhu Whiskey is a medium-bodied malt whiskey from Scotland. Produced in Speyside, it has light peaty notes, as well as a very delicate sweetness, soft and simple aftertaste. Tamdhu whiskey is characterized by oak, vanilla and almond aromas. Taste...

Talisker is a Scotch single malt whiskey with a full-bodied flavor and a successful combination of peaty and fruity flavors. Talisker whiskey has won various competitions many times. In particular, all Talisker whiskeys received awards in ...

Strathisla whiskey is a classic Scotch whiskey, powerful, bright, full-bodied, with aromas of fruits, nuts and sherry. Strathisla whiskey differs in that it has a very beautiful, almost luxurious dark golden color. Strathisla whiskey extract is not ...

Springbank is a classic single malt whiskey. The product is produced by the Scottish manufacturer Springbank Distillery and is one of the ten best whiskeys in the world. This type of drink is obtained by distillation method 2.5 times. Part of the alcoholic composition ...

For many connoisseurs and connoisseurs of high-quality alcohol, the products of Scottish manufacturers are its benchmark. In this country, a record number of different varieties of whiskey are produced, which satisfy a huge army of ...

Speyburn whiskey is a fairly popular brand of Scotch whiskey, which is one of the ten most famous and popular single malt whiskeys in the United States. The medium and powerful taste of Speyburn whiskey has a peaty aftertaste with an unobtrusive, slightly watery aroma ...

Whiskey Sir Edwards, which is produced by the Scottish company Bardinet, differs from other "brethren" in taste characteristics. The peculiarity of this alcohol is that it keeps the spirit of a real Scottish drink. Sir Edwards has a very ...

Scottish Leader whiskey is a standard blended scotch, a blend of Burn Srewart. Whiskey was born at the end of the 19th century; for quite a long time it was an independent brand. At the heart of the Scottish Leader whiskey blend is Deans single malt whiskey ...

Scottish Collie whiskey is a Scotch blended whiskey based on Glenfiddich and Balvenie malt alcohols, the grain part is distilled at the Girven distillery. The owner of the company is William Grants & Son, she also owns all the whiskokas ...

Scapa whiskey is a classic Scotch whiskey available only from merchants. Scapa whiskey has a heathery taste that harmonizes well with the malt sweetness. Scapa whiskey is an exceptional example of malt scotch. It is considered the most iconic and traditional ...

Royal Brackla whiskey is a classic single malt Scotch whiskey. Has a fresh herbaceous flavor with well-defined malt and fruit notes. Whiskey Royal Brackla is considered a fairly rare variety, since the vast majority of spirits of the same name whiskoku ...

Robert Burns is a brand of Scotch whiskey, produced since 2001 on the Isle of Arran by the Isle of Arran distillery. The drink is named after Robert Burns, a poet who lived in 19th century Scotland, a patriot of his country and a great connoisseur of whiskey. Available in two types ...

Whiskey Redbreast - one of the most famous brands of Irish whiskey, produced by Irish Distillers. Originally produced by Gilbey's, which originally purchased whiskey spirits from Jameson Bow Street Distillery. In 1980 the company was bought ...

Powers whiskey is one of the most famous blended Irish whiskeys. Manufactured by the Midleton plant located in southern Ireland, County Cork. Initially, the whiskey was produced at the distillery of the same name, named after the founder John Power ...

Passport Scotch whiskey is a famous Scotch blended whiskey, which was born in the second half of the XX century. Whiskey is one of the twenty best-selling whiskeys in the world. In Brazil, Passport Scotch whiskey is the second most popular whiskey. TO...

Against the background of foreign alcoholic brands represented on the world market by well-known manufacturers, Russian products are also not inferior in quality and cost corresponding to it. One of the drinks, which, although not the product of Russian winemakers ...

Old Pulteney is a brand of high quality single malt Scotch whiskey with an alcoholic strength of 40 to 46 degrees. The distillery where the whiskey is produced is located on the shores of the North Sea, which is reflected in the branded labels with ships, waves and seagulls, ...

Ouban is a single malt whiskey, 43% ABV. It is cooked in the Scottish province of the same name, on the shores of the Ardantree Bay. First, the barley is oven dried to make the flavor "smoky". After that the drink is kept in oak barrels from under the sherry brand "M ...

Nord Port Whiskey is a classic single malt Scotch whiskey that has been discontinued. Whiskey was produced by one of the oldest distilleries in the city of Brechin (only the Glencadam distillery is older than this distillery), at the moment Nord Port whiskey is ...

Nikka whiskey is a Japanese whiskey, the most popular alcoholic beverage in the world, due to its high quality. The whiskey is originally produced using Scottish technology, although all Nikka production companies are headquartered in Japan. Products of this brand have been repeatedly ...

Mortlach whiskey is a classic single malt Scotch whiskey with a mild malt aroma with fruity and peaty notes. Mortlach whiskey is drunk both neat and with coffee or a cigar. The drink is very pleasant; recommended for tasting themes ...

Monkey Shoulder Whiskey is a famous blended Scotch whiskey made from Dufftown's finest spirits: Balvenie, Glenfiddich and Kininvie: the latter never produces spirits under its own brand. Kininvie was founded in ...

Longrow whiskey is a classic Scotch whiskey produced by Springbank distillery. When creating whiskey, the classic double distillation of whiskey is used, followed by drying with peat. Longrow whiskey is one of the most "smoked" whiskeys in Scotland. Forward ...

Longmorn Whiskey is a classic Speyside malt whiskey. Longmorn whiskey is a full-bodied scotch with a clean, intense aroma, as well as a slightly sweet aftertaste, in which the aromas of nuts are easily guessed. Longmorn is one of the most exclusive ...

Long John whiskey is a medium-sized Scotch blended whiskey with a fairly light and very pleasant peaty shade. Produced in the distillery of the same name, owned by Allied Distillers. In Russia, Long John whiskey is not very popular, mainly known in France ...

Loch Lomond is one of the oldest Scotch whiskey producers. The name of the brand comes from the name of the lake located near the distillery in the city of Alexandria. The main goal of the company is independence. It produces about 70 million bottles of whiskey a year. ...

Linkwood whiskey is a great Scotch single malt scotch. Linkwood whiskey is considered to be one of Speyside's finest malt whiskeys. Producers manage to combine fruity sweetness and peaty smoky tone in the drink. Whiskey you stand ...

Ledaig whiskey is a young, but already well-known Scottish scotch made in the Tobermory distillery. Ledaig whiskey is a full-bodied whiskey with an intense characteristic peaty flavor as well as a smoky aroma. Ledaig whiskey is sold with an aging of 7 years. 12 and 1 ...

Laphroaig Whiskey is a single malt Scottish scotch produced on the Isle of Islay, two kilometers from Port Ellen. Manufactured by Allied Distillers. Laphroaig whiskey is the flagship drink of the company, as well as an integral part of ...

Lagavulin whiskey is a single malt Scotch whiskey produced in the distillery of the same name on the shores of the bay of the same name. The whiskey has a rather powerful peaty taste, a well-discernible smell of iodine and seaweed, as well as a juicy sweetness. Mo ...

Knockando whiskey is a traditional single malt scotch from Scotland, from the Speyside area. It has a light heady aroma with a strongly pronounced malt flavor, accompanied by nuts in the aftertaste. A special feature of Knockando whiskey is that ...

Kilbeggan Whiskey is an Irish blended whiskey that dates back to 1775. The Kilbeggan whiskey brand is owned by Cooley. Some sites state that Kilbeggan is a family business and not owned by anyone ...

Johnnie Walker is the most famous brand of blended Scotch whiskey. The brand's owner, Diageo, sells over 226.6 million bottles of this Scotch whiskey annually (2015 data). Johnnie Walker whiskey was Wee's favorite brand of whiskey ...

Some varieties of alcoholic beverages are not only original and elite, but also bear the names of famous people, most often those who are directly related to their appearance and production. It is to such drinks that John Barr whiskey belongs to ...

Jim Beam whiskey is the most common and best-selling American whiskey (bourbon). World classics: 51% corn, aged in oak barrels for at least 2 years. The strength of the drink varies from 40 to 43 degrees above the horizon. One of the sa ...

Jameson whiskey is the most famous Irish whiskey. Produced in Dublin, Ireland, at the Sadr Ogri distillery. More than 56.4 million bottles are sold every year (about 110 bottles of Jameson whiskey are sold every minute in the world). In Russia, this brand is ...

Isle of Skye whiskey is a blended De Luxe class Scotch whiskey. Isle of Skye whiskey is made in the Ian Macleod Distillers family distillery. Isle of Skye whiskey is a quality peat blend with a long aftertaste ...

Isle Of Jura whiskey is a single malt Scotch whiskey with lightness and purity of aroma and flavor characteristic of the highlands. Great as an aperitif. Produced in the distillery of the same name on the island of Jura. Isle Of Jura Whiskey ...

Islay Mist whiskey is produced by the distillery of the same name, which is owned by McDuff International - one of the few independent companies in Scotland. Islay Mist was honored at the 2008 World Wiskies Awards for its amber color. Whiskey...

Irishman Whiskey is an Irish whiskey brand produced by Hot Irishman in Waterford. The brand is quite young, the manufacturer was born only in 1999. Despite the fact that the drink is quite young, it has collected a large number of awards, including ...

Highland Park whiskey is a famous single malt Scotch whiskey produced at the distillery of the same name in Kirkwall, Orkney. Highland Park whiskey has a heather and peaty aroma, which is perfectly balanced by the sweetness of the aftertaste. Feature pr ...

Hankey Bannister is a blended Scotch whiskey produced by Inver House Distillers. Hankey Bannister is 30% malt whiskey and 70% grain whiskey. From malt - spirits Balblair, Balmenach, K ...

Haig whiskeys are produced by the distillery of the same name, which is one of the oldest distilleries in Scotland. Now on the market you can find Hiag Club whiskey (whose face is David Beckham), The Haig Gold Label Rang - the flagship of the distillery, as well as Haig D ...

Whiskey Grant "s - Scotch blended scotch, the third most popular whiskey in the world. Today Grant" s whiskey is sold in more than two hundred countries around the world. A characteristic feature of the Grant "s whiskey is the bottle in which it is ...

Grand Macnish is a classic Scotch blended whiskey. Today it is one of the oldest brands of Scotch tape. It has a light mild taste, the aftertaste is perfectly heard with the sweetness that is typical of Highland whiskey, and also ...

Glenrothes Whiskey is a single malt Scotch whiskey produced at the distillery of the same name since 1878. Glenrothes whiskey is used as one of the main ingredients to create the Cutty Sark whiskey. The whiskey has a strength of 43%, is aged in oak bourbon casks with various ...

Glenmorangie whiskey is a soft to medium-bodied Scotch whiskey with a delicate and sweet aroma. Glenmorangie whiskey is the most popular single malt whiskey in Scotland itself. The aroma of Glenmorangie single malt whiskey is extremely diverse: once about ...

Glenkinchie whiskey, also known as "Edinburgh Malt" whiskey, is a classic single malt scotch from Lowland. Its name "Edinburgh Malt" whiskey got due to the proximity of the distillery to the capital of Scotland. Whiskey has a bright golden color, sweet ...

Glengoyne whiskey is a classic Scotch single malt whiskey with a light and pleasant, sweet taste and an intense rounded aroma. The whiskey is produced with aging at 10, 17 and 21 years, the strength of the whiskey is 43%. This drink is produced by the Glengoyne distillery ...

Glenfiddich Whiskey is an excellent single malt Scotch whiskey produced in Fidik Valley, near Dufftown (Speyside). Glenfiddich whiskey has a fresh fruity aroma with a taste of heather and peat, ideal as an aperitif. Today ...

Glenfarclas is a Speyside single malt Scotch whiskey produced by the independent distillery of the same name. The distillery is owned by the Grant family, but this is not the famous family that produces Grant's whiskey and owns Glenfiddich. Glenfarclas whiskey is ...

Glendronach Whiskey is a classic single malt Scotch whiskey produced at the distillery of the same name in Highland Highland, on the banks of the Dronon River, Aberdeenshire. Glendronach whiskey can range from rich golden to mahogany (in the factory ...

Glencadam whiskey is a nice creamy scotch from Scotland. Glencadam whiskey is bottled at the distillery of the same name in Brechin, Angus. It has an excellent rounded taste of fruit salad and caramel pudding. Is one of the main ingredients of blended ...

Glen Moray Whiskey - Scotch malt whiskey with golden color, mild aroma and fresh taste. Produced at the distillery of the same name in Elgin, Morey. Bourbon casks imported from North America are used to age the whiskey. Have ...

Glen Grant Whiskey - Single malt Scotch whiskey made from Speyside, usually five years old. Glen Grant whiskey is light enough and moderately dry, often used as an aperitif. Part of the portfolio of the Campari Group. The product line ...

Glen Garioch whiskey is a single malt scotch whiskey. Glen Garioch whiskey has a medium-bodied taste with lavender, oak and syrup sweetness. Ideal as a digestif. Whiskey Glen Garioch has a fortress of 4 ...

Glen Deveron whiskey is produced at the Macduff distillery in Banffshire, on the banks of the Deveron River. Glen Deveron whiskey is a rare occasion when the drink got its name from the river from which water is taken to cool the vapors. Glen Deveron whiskey - key with ...

Famous Grouse whiskey is a blended Scotch whiskey, the most popular blend in Scotland itself, one of the most popular and famous blends in the world. The whiskey is based on spirits from The Macallan and Highland Park distilleries. The constant line of Fa ...

Whiskey Edradour is a famous Scottish single malt scotch. Produced in Highland, in a small distillery of the same name. Edradour whiskey is now produced in several lines: Edradour Classic Range (single malt whiskey, aged in barrels from ...

Acquaintance with real American whiskey can hardly leave any connoisseur of high-quality alcohol indifferent. Some varieties in this category are distinguished by special properties and characteristics, which makes them in demand and popular not only among ...

Dubliner whiskey is one of the most famous brands of Irish blended whiskey. The brand belongs to Quintessential Brands, which also includes G&J Greennall, Alize, Essential Drinks. Manufactured by First Ireland Sp ...

Dewar "s whiskey is one of the most famous Scotch whiskey, the most popular whiskey in the United States, ranked sixth in the ranking of the most popular whiskey in the world. Dewar" s whiskey is a blended whiskey produced by John Dewar & Son, which is before .. ...

Deanston Whiskey is a classic Scotch whiskey, scotch produced at Deanston Distillery, Doon, Stirlingshire. The strength of the drink is 40-43 degrees, Deanston whiskey has a medium-bodied, very mild malt taste with a distinct fruity sweet aftertaste ...

The production of elite and presentable drinks today is carried out at the highest level, thanks to which gourmets and connoisseurs of the characteristics of high-quality alcohol can enjoy the taste and feel the whole bouquet of aromas of natural alcohol. IN...

Dalwhinnie whiskey is a classic Scottish single malt scotch, which for a long time was not sold as a pure malt, and was used exclusively for blends. Dalwhinnie whiskey is an excellent aperitif or digestif, has a light aroma with a mild aftertaste, in ...

Among the elite and expensive alcoholic beverages that are known and in demand all over the world, Dalmore single malt whiskey is one of the most expensive drinks. The mere fact that in 2012 a bottle of Dalmore 60 years old sold for 10 ...

Cutty Sark whiskey is a fairly popular Scotch blended whiskey. The drink is produced by the old London company Berry Brothers & Rudd, which has been working in the field of alcohol since the 17th century. Cutty Sark whiskey is the most popular ...

Craigellachie whiskey is a Scotch whiskey from Speyside with a smoky aroma and flavor. This medium-bodied Craigellachie whiskey is ideal as a digestif. Typical Speyside tape with a light straw color. Even an inexperienced taster is easy to find ...

Cragganmore whiskey is a classic Scotch single malt whiskey. Has pronounced floral tones, vanilla and honey flavors. The fortress of whiskey reaches 43%. “Cragganmore is one of Speyside's finest strains. Austerity in it is combined with elegance, cat ...

Connemara Whiskey is an Irish single malt whiskey owned by Cooley Distillery. For the first time, Connemara whiskey was released in 1987, the founder of the company was John Tilling, who named the company in honor of the island on which it is located. Manufacturing ...

Whiskey is one of the most popular alcoholic beverages created by distilling grain-based products. Throughout the history of its existence, whiskey has closely integrated into the culture of many peoples of the world. The influence of whiskey is especially felt in Scotland. And although the history of distilled drinks goes back several thousand years, it was here 500 years ago that the whiskey that we know today began to slowly gain love among the people.

Today, aromatic and strong whiskey takes its well-deserved place among alcohol on a par with beer and wine.

(15 photos total)

1. The distillation process - a key aspect of whiskey making - was invented over 4,000 years ago. (Alan Jamieson / CC BY 2.0)

2. The first written mention of Scotch whiskey dates back to 1494. The letter instructed the purchase of raw materials needed to produce more than 1,500 bottles of whiskey. Apparently, whiskey was already popular then. (RayMorris1 / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

3. Whiskey should only be aged in wooden barrels. In glass bottles, the drink can be stored for hundreds of years, but its taste and aroma will not improve. (Markus Wichmann / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

4. 90% of all single malt whiskey is made in Scotland. (ScottSimPhotography / CC BY 2.0)

5. Drinking whiskey in small doses has a beneficial effect on human metabolism. This drink can prevent stroke, dementia, heart attack, and also prevent the formation of cancer cells. (Sven Cipido / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

6. Whiskey can withstand extremely low temperatures - polar explorers, aiming to reach the South Pole, took whiskey with them, and it remained liquid even at -30 ° C. (Roderick Eime / CC BY 2.0)

7. There are over 5,000 types of single malt whiskey. (Svenska Mässan / CC BY-ND 2.0)

8. Whiskey is the second most profitable industry in Scotland. (Alan Jamieson / CC BY 2.0)

9. The color of whiskey directly depends on the material and quality of the barrel. (ben matthews ::: / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

10. Whiskey in an open bottle does not lose its quality for five years. (Can Mustafa Ozdemir / CC BY 2.0)

11. Scotch whiskey is distilled twice, Irish whiskey is distilled three times. (Bali / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

12. The four most common "regional" types of whiskey are Scotch (Scotch), Irish (Irish), American (bourbon) and Canadian (often referred to as "rye"). (Bradley Wells / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

15. Whiskey gets its name from the Celtic expression "uisge beatha", which translates as "water of life". (Matt Gibson / CC BY-NC 2.0)

Few thought about how much he was willing to pay for alcohol. And to lay out millions for him, not everyone dares. Decorated with diamonds, designed by famous people, inlaid with crystals, aged for many years - these drinks deserve to be the most expensive in the world.

5. Bombay Sapphire - Revelation

The $ 200,000 crystal bottle was designed by Bombay Sapphire-inspired designer Kim Rashid in collaboration with Garrard and Baccart. The five designer bottles were hand-inlaid by Garrard in London and made in France by Baccart, which specializes in crystal pieces. The bottle is made in the form of a crystal with 10 edges, which symbolize the 10 ingredients of natural origin that were included in the drink. A unique drink with a unique composition and design of the bottle, decorated with sapphires and diamonds from Garrard. This luxurious blue bottle has won the Most Luxurious Glass Product in 20 Years Award. All the money for the sale went to charity to pay for surgery for children in poor countries.

The bottle of the drink, which was engraved by Mexican artist Alejandro Gomez Oropeza, is released in only 33 pieces in the form of a shell. The drink broke the record for the most expensive. Tequila in these bottles aged from 5 to 10 years is made in the secret province of Mexico. One thing is for sure that it will never be tasted, as this will reduce the cost of the drink. A bottle of tequila, made from platinum and white gold, was sold by Tequils Ley.925 to a private collector in Mexico City in 2006 for $ 225,000. The drink is made from blue agave and aged for 6 years.

3. Whiskey from The Maccallan in Lalique, 64 years old - Cire Perdue

To celebrate the 150th anniversary of Rene Latique, founder of crystal processing, The Macallan and Lalique have combined creativity and craft, using the ancient way of waxing, to create a unique masterpiece. A 1.5 liter decanter of whiskey was sold at Sotheby's in November 2010 in New York for $ 460,000. It was the most expensive bottle of whiskey in the world. All the money went to charity to help people in developing countries improve their water supply.

Inside each bottle of this expensive vodka, refined with ice, birch charcoal, passed through the sand, there is an additional filter made of precious and semiprecious stones. After opening, a container in the form of a tube is taken out, which contains 48 diamonds and other stones. All bottles contain a filter with a different combination of precious stones to be a unique surprise for the wearer. In the future, if desired, they can be used for making jewelry or simply stored as a treasure. The bottle itself from the Hatton Garden company is decorated with zirconium, pink tourmaline, blue topaz. Vodka with a built-in diamond filter costs between $ 3,700 and $ 1,060,000.

The cognac was placed in a bottle of yellow 24-carat gold, platinum, encrusted with 6,500 diamonds, and named DNA cognac. The designer of the drink is Jose Davalos. The content of the bottle itself has a strength of 41% of the revolutions and dates back to 1776, that is, the aging of the drink is over 100 years. Price $ 2 million.

As the whiskey became popular all over the world, so did the number of counterfeits. Nowadays, counterfeit whiskey can be found in almost any store. Moreover, a high price is not always a guarantee of quality. Every lover of this alcohol should know how to distinguish real whiskey from fake. The current material is devoted to this issue.

In order not to buy fake whiskey, you need to pay attention to the following important points:

1. Point of sale and price. Real whiskey, especially if its label bears the words "Deluxe" or "Premium" (as elite varieties mean), should be bought only in specialized stores selling alcoholic products. I advise you to ask the seller to show you a quality certificate. The store is obliged to show this document at the first request of the buyer.

Another advantage of specialized alcohol shops is that you can use the services of consultants. They will select the whiskey that meets your requirements for quality and price.

If there are no separate shops selling alcoholic beverages in your city, then it would be correct to buy whiskey in large supermarkets, but not in kiosks. Experts advise you to choose one store, the quality of the products of which suits you, and always buy alcohol only there.

It will not be superfluous to pay attention to the cost of the drink. If in one store whiskey of the chosen brand costs several times cheaper than in others, then it is better to refuse such a purchase, since you risk buying a fake.

2. The appearance of the bottle. Usually, counterfeit manufacturers rely on the inexperience of the buyer and a low price, so they save on the bottle.
A sign of counterfeit whiskey is an improperly pasted or poor quality label. If you have decided on the brand of purchased whiskey, then even before buying on the manufacturer's website, you can see what the bottle looks like and what protection it has.

Immediately, the absence of an excise stamp should be alarming. This may indicate that the whiskey was imported into the country illegally or is simply a fake. In any case, you should not buy it, since no one guarantees the quality of the drink.

3. Color. High-quality whiskey should be transparent, this indicates the purity of the water from which the drink is made, and full compliance with the production technology. Whiskey color ranges from light yellow to brown, but in any case, the drink should not be cloudy and contain sediment.

4. Shaking. You can distinguish whiskey from fake using one simple method: shake the bottle well and look at the bubbles. They must hold on for a long time and be large. In high-quality whiskey, drops after shaking slowly flow down the glass of the bottle, in fake - very quickly.

5. Smell and taste. The whiskey should have a light oak or malt aroma and not be smelly alcohol. A quality drink leaves a long-lasting aftertaste.