Whisky vegan, kosher, gluten-free?

First of all: yes, Whisky is vegan. But the question is not quite that easy to answer. For many, veganism is not just a diet, but also a way of life that rejects the use of animals and animal products. In addition to foods such as meat and dairy products, this also applies to clothing made from leather or wool, for example, as well as cosmetics and medicines containing animal products. We now know that Whisky consists of just three ingredients: grain, water and yeast. If a whisky is coloured, the caramel used for this is also obtained from starch, i.e. grain. The question of whether yeast is vegan divides vegan opinions: fungi, to which yeasts belong, have a very complex protein structure that is more similar to that of animals than that of plants. For those who do not reject these fungi, single malt whisky remains vegan. A brief history excursion shows that this was not always the case: in the past, small amounts of curd soap were often added to the spirit during distillation to prevent the liquid in the still from boiling over. As curd soap is made from baking soda and lower quality animal fats, animal products were actually found in whisky back then! Today, this is no longer the case as there are stricter regulations for ingredients in whisky.

Like the interpretation of yeast as vegan or non-vegan, it is up to each individual to decide whether products that are treated with pesticides or pesticides during cultivation are considered vegan or not. Every vegan decides this for themselves. The deeper you delve into the matter, the more questions arise. In view of our global food problem, we should definitely ask ourselves: "Is it even okay to drink whisky?". In addition to organic whiskies made from organic grain (from Benromach or Bruichladdich, for example), there are also organic whiskies that are produced sustainably and whose production has as little impact on the environment as possible. There are clearly many aspects to consider when it comes to sustainability in whisky. The only question is whether this is worthwhile. The market for vegan whisky is not particularly large, but you only have to look at the intersection between vegans and whisky connoisseurs. You soon realise that you are in a niche segment. However, the original question of whether whisky is vegan can be answered with 'yes' from today's perspective (if you ignore the luxury and ethical aspects).

First of all: Whisky is probably gluten-free! Our customers ask this question at regular intervals. This is because coeliac disease, or gluten intolerance, is widespread in this country. The disease is an inflammation of the mucous membrane of the small intestine, which can be so severe that food can no longer be digested. As you can imagine, this can have serious consequences, ranging from loss of appetite to vomiting and weight loss. Unfortunately, coeliac disease is not yet treatable. Sufferers must avoid foods containing gluten in order to avoid symptoms. Basically, gluten is a protein complex, commonly known as gluten, which gives flour its doughy texture when mixed with water. Wheat, spelt, rye and durum wheat naturally contain a lot of gluten (around 15%, and up to 30-35% when moist). Oats and barley, on the other hand, naturally contain less gluten, which means that single malt whisky made from barley malt also contains less gluten. There are also naturally gluten-free grains, including millet, maize and rice. Whiskey lovers may immediately think of bourbon, but this contains at least 51% corn, mostly wheat and barley, i.e. gluten-containing grains. Blended whisky consists of industrial alcohol (mostly from wheat) and malt whisky.

Single malt whisky is probably the most suitable for people with gluten intolerance. Some gluten is presumably lost during the production process. The malted barley is soaked in the mash tun and sugar is washed out. The portion that is further processed contains less protein. The remaining protein-containing 'draff' often goes to agriculture as animal feed. Nevertheless, the so-called 'wort' is still slightly cloudy, i.e. still contains grain residues. During distillation, these solid particles tend to stick to the inside of the still. The grain residues therefore do not end up in the condensers with the raw spirit, but are disposed of afterwards with the distillation residues. We can only speculate whether and how much gluten is contained in the final whisky product. Based on the above description, we assume that it cannot be much. The nutritional information on whisky bottles usually even states '0' for protein. Ultimately, it probably depends on the severity of the gluten intolerance. If it is severe, you should look for whisky that does not contain gluten. If it is not too severe, any residual gluten in the whisky left over from the distillation process should be acceptable. It is highly likely that single malt whisky made from barley malt does not contain gluten. However, only a chemical analysis can provide certainty here, and it is essential to pay attention to information such as 'May contain traces of...'!

First of all: Whisky is a kosher spirit by nature! However, this can change depending on the barrels in which it is matured. This is because wine, or sherry, is only considered kosher under very specific conditions. Examples of kosher whisky include Glenrothes Alba Reserve and M&H Elements Sherry Cask. No sherry casks were chosen for the Glenrothes, only ex-bourbon casks, and the M&H was even specially matured in kosher sherry casks from Israel. Why isn't sherry kosher? Kosher means as much as harmless or pure; in relation to the Jewish dietary laws not only in the hygienic but also in the spiritual sense. To make a kosher wine, you have to observe a few things: For example, you are not allowed to harvest from the vines before the fourth year, just as you are not allowed to harvest in the seventh year due to the Sabbath commandment; You are not allowed to fertilise organically a few months before the harvest, as this would bring bacteria into contact with the grapes. There is also a social aspect: one per cent of the wine must be given free of charge to the needy. So there is a lot to keep in mind for kosher wine! Is kosher whisky a big issue in the world? 0.4% of the world's population is Jewish, which equates to around 28 million people. It is not known how many of these people actually value a kosher lifestyle, and single malt whisky is only of interest to 0.3% of the world's population. If we now calculate an intersection of the two 'groups', we arrive at a statistical figure of 28,000 Jewish whisky lovers. So there is a market, but it is very small.