Whisky: the amber soul of Scotland
The Royal Spanish Academy admits the distiller, the oldest inscription güisqui’ was found, but I admit that I find it difficult to use it. These are years of associating the letters W, H, K and Y with one of the most popular drinks in the world : that amber, aromatic and evocative liquid that when we were young we drank mixed with coca-cola and that over the years we learned to appreciate alone, or at most with two ice stones. A drink loaded with nuances that invites calm and chat , to enjoy the good things in life.
The word comes from the Gaelic language, in which it is said 'uisge beatha' and means 'water of life'. Its use is linked to health and magic and, thanks to it, the Scots were able to withstand the long and harsh winters of the north. The history of whiskey is nebulous, like the sunrises of the landscapes where it is made . The first documents date back to the 16th century, but its production and consumption is much earlier. On the island of Islay, with a long tradition that refers to the word 'whiskey'. This spirit drink, which comes from the distillation of cereals, it is produced in many parts of the world, but Scotland is the center of its universe.
A territory of capricious geography and extreme climate that brings together the fundamental elements for the production of the best spirits: crystal clear spring water, good cereal harvests and mighty rivers that accumulate in their bottoms the appreciated peat –the fossilized carbon of plant residues– that gives certain whiskeys their smoky tones.
SCOTTISH WHISKEY GEOGRAPHY
Although the distilleries are scattered throughout the territory, there are two particularly relevant areas, the Hebrides Islands and the Highlands . There, in these harsh and inhospitable lands of the north, the whiskeys are powerful, smoky with hints of heather, and very complex. More than half of the great Scottish single malts are produced in Speyside, a small area known as 'the golden triangle', and bounded by the Findhorn, Livet and Deverton rivers.
In just 40 square kilometers there are more than 60 distilleries . In this privileged valley, barley grows irrigated by the glacial waters of the River Spey, which determines the personality of the whiskeys in the area. The Craigellachie Hotel it's perfect for setting up base camp and heading down the aromatic and alcoholic paths of whiskey. They have a sommelier whiskey and more than 750 references of single malts that guests can try. They organize personalized tastings and in the restaurant they offer specialties made with this drink.
In order not to miss a single one of the distilleries, you should follow the Malt Whiskey Trail, a route for mythomaniacs through the valley of the River Spey through historic places linked to this drink, including castles, cooperages or famous distilleries, such as Cardhu, the only one created by a woman, Glenlivet, the first in the Highlands to be licensed, or Strathisla , with its beautiful roofs and chimneys. The latter is the oldest in the country, it has been in operation since 1786, and it is where the famous Chivas Regal is distilled. All of them are open to the public and offer tastings of their products.
The Hebrides Islands are an archipelago that extends parallel to the Scottish coast. Islay is the southernmost. The sea and the strong winds penetrate the old warehouses where the distillates are kept to give them character. They are robust, with intense smoky aromas and a wild palate. The Isle of Skye currently has only one distillery, Talisker. Its appreciated spirits are characterized by a strong, smoky and brackish profile, with hints of the sea.
A WHISKEY FOR EVERY MOMENT
One of the main attractions of the world of whiskey is its diversity, which is given by the origin, the raw materials, the method of distillation and aging, the memory of the barrels and, finally, the composition of the spirit that is bottled. Three different types are made in Scotland. The famous single malt whiskey is made exclusively from malted barley and is distilled using the batch still method in a single distillery. The denomination of single malt responds to those characteristics that determine a single origin.
This is key to understanding the world of malt whiskey, because in Scotland each house is supplied from its own spring, which undoubtedly has a decisive influence on the personality of the drink. Another significant element is the alembic, which can take various forms and which takes part in the history of the brand. Among the most popular in this category are names like Cardhu, Lagavulin, Talisker, Glenrothes , etc.
There is also grain whiskey, made from unmalted barley, rye, corn or other grain. and in continuous distillation alembic. And the blended or 'mestizo' whiskeys, which combine malts and grain distillates of different origins, always at the discretion of the master blender. Some of the most famous whiskeys in the world belong to this category, such as the emblematic Chivas, J&B, or Johnnie Walker.
BETWEEN STILLS AND BARRELS
As described above, malt whiskey is produced using a batch distillation system with several phases and in which various ingredients participate. Its production principle is based on converting the cereal into malt, mixing it with water, making it ferment until obtaining a liquid similar to beer and distilling it twice in special pot stills made of copper. Its shape is a hallmark of each brand and contributes significantly to the final result.
The distillation process, which is often double, or even triple in the Lowlands, begins with heating the fermented liquid until the alcohol it contains turns to steam. The first distillation takes place in the largest still and the resulting composition is called low wines, or phlegm. Then this liquid is transferred to another alembic, where it is distilled a second time. The initial fraction of this second process (foreshots) does not usually reach the necessary quality and degree, so it needs a new distillation.
The know-how and experience of the teacher play a vitally important role at this point. The still tastes the already distilled liquid and adds water to it, measuring its weight and tasting its flavor and aroma. Only when the liquid becomes clear −if it is impure, like foreshots, it never becomes clear in contact with water− do the spouts of the container open so that the spirit passes to the last receptacle, where the final distillate is housed. It is a complex and delicate moment, in which the sensitivity of the still is decisive in giving each whiskey its own character. In the past, malt whiskey was marketed after distillation had been completed, but today it undergoes an aging process. The law establishes that any whiskey must spend at least three years in the barrel. s, although most single malts are aged for more than a decade.