Maturation in the cask is certainly the decisive factor for the flavour of a whisky. Which cask was used and how long was the distillate left in it? The grain used and the shape of the stills also play a role.
How do we taste? Taste with all your senses!
The taste experience is the result of an interplay between our sensory organs. Our sense of sight tells us that something might taste good even before we try it. The sense of smell picks up flavours even before we have the food or whisky on our tongue and provides crucial information. Everyone knows the feeling of tasting less with a blocked nose when you have a cold - in fact, up to 80 % of the taste experience is due to the sense of smell. The sense of touch in the mouth checks every bite and every sip for consistency and texture. The sense of hearing also plays a role, for example when we perceive the crackling or crunching of food. Pain receptors are also important, especially when we feel spiciness.
The tongue plays a very important role as a flavour transmitter.
It used to be assumed that certain flavours were only perceived on specific areas of the tongue. This so-called "tongue map" divided the tongue into zones: sweet on the tip of the tongue, salty and sour on the sides, bitter at the back and umami in the centre of the tongue. This idea is now outdated. Modern research has shown that taste buds are distributed over the entire tongue and even in parts of the throat and palate. Each of these taste buds can perceive all the basic flavours: sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami.
Taste buds contain specialised sensory cells that detect certain chemical stimuli and transmit this information to the brain. How intensely we perceive a flavour depends not only on the tongue, but also on our other senses.
What factors influence the flavour of Whisky?
The raw whisky - New Make - is colourless and clear. Its flavour also has little to do with what we know as whisky. After distillation, the final maturation process begins, which takes the longest time compared to production. In the UK and the rest of Europe, the legally prescribed minimum maturation period is three years. But these three years are of course just the beginning for a single malt whisky. Top whiskies only reach their peak after 15 to 25 years. During the slow maturation over many years, the spicy flavours of the whisky become milder, but also more complex.
Here are the five important factors that influence the flavour:
Cask - Ageing time - Peat - Still - Grain
Cask
During maturation, chemical reactions take place between the alcohol, the flavourings and the wood. These reactions increase the proportion of esters and aldehydes in the whisky. In addition to the sherry or bourbon residues in the cask wall, the alcohol also extracts tannins, vanillin and caramel from the wood. Contact between the whisky and the wood of the cask wall is therefore essential. The smaller the cask, the greater the influence on the flavour!
We have described the diversity of casks and cask maturation in detail here.
Storage time
Depending on the legislation in the various whisky-producing countries, bourbon in the USA, for example, must be matured in casks for at least two years and single malt in Scotland, Ireland and the countries that produce according to the Scottish model for at least three years. In most cases, cask maturation is significantly longer and is labelled on the bottle.
You can find a wide range of information on the duration of whisky cask ageing here.
Still
The shape of the still has an influence on the flavour of the whisky. In addition, the method of distillation and the number of distillation processes affect the character of the whisky. Different distillation methods can lead to different aromas and flavour profiles. The pot still is the centrepiece of every distillery. Find out everything about the construction, shape, heating and service life here.
Grain
Depending on the type of Whisky, different grains are used as raw materials. Barley, maize, rye and wheat are common varieties. However, oats, buckwheat, millet etc. are also used in Whisky production.
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