Very few make it to blue - Makro

around the world
influence of peat. It is then mashed
to extract a sweet, sugary wort,
which is fermented by the addition
of yeast to an alcohol strength of
about 8% and then distilled first in
a wash still and secondly in a low
wines or spirit still. The middle cut,
taken at approximately 67-71%
alcohol strength, is the heart of the
distillation and is laid down to age
in oak casks for three years where
after it can then be called whisky.
The oak casks in Scotland are second
hand, having generally had bourbon
or sherry in them before being used
for aging in Scotland. Scotland’s cool
climate tends to allow the wood to
gently impact on the whisky over
time.
It’s quite a contrast when we go
to the USA, where in bourbon making
at least 51% of the mashbill has to
be corn. Generally about 70% of the
mashbill is made up of corn, with
Rye and malted barley making up the
balance. The fermentations take a
good while longer and most distilleries
use their own propagated yeast
strains which they have been using
for years. The mash is transferred
unfiltered to the column stills where
distillation takes place until about
30% of the mash is left over. This is
called sour mash and it is transferred
back to the fermentation tanks where
it forms part of the next mash, hence
the term sour mash whiskey on
many bourbon or Tennessee whiskey
bottles. The Americans use only new
oak wood for the aging process which
means that the influence of the wood
November 2011 WHISKY EDITION
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