Talisker Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Scotch Whisky or simply Scotch is one of the most famous traditional whisky, the other being Irish Whiskey, Canadian Whisky, American Bourbon and Tennessee Whiskey, Japanese Whisky and Australian Whisky.

Just like in Ireland ( Uisce Beatha ), the Scottish word for Whisky is a derivative of the Scottish Gaelic word Uisge Beatha, meaning the Water of Life.

Scotch Whiskey is a Geographically Identified Product and there are regulations that has to be met for a Whisky to be labeled a Scotch Whisky.

Traditionally Scotch Whisky is made from malted barley, but there had been deviation and variations too. A distinctive characteristic of a Scotch Whisky is drying of the malted barley over a peat fire, that attributes a smoky aroma to the Whisky. post distillation, maturation or aging is done in oak barrels previously used for bourbon whiskey, Sherry, Wine, Fortified Wine, Rum and other Spirits. This Aging process that spans years is the largest contributing factor that impact the flavour of the Whisky.

To be labeled a Scotch, a Whisky has to be pass several guidelines and production standards designed by the Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009.

• 1. Comprises a minimum alcoholic strength by volume of 40% (80 US proof)
• 2. Contains no added substances, other than water and plain (E150A) caramel colouring
• 3. Is produced at a distillery in Scotland from water and malted barley (to which only whole grains of other cereals may be added) all of which have been:
  • 3.1 Converted at that distillery to a fermentable substrate only by endogenous enzyme systems
  • 3.2 Distilled at an alcoholic strength by volume of less than 94.8% (190 US proof)
  • 3.3 Fermented at that distillery only by adding yeast
  • 3.4 Processed at that distillery into a mash
• 4. Is wholly matured in an excise warehouse in Scotland in oak casks of a capacity not exceeding 700 litres (185 US gal; 154 imp gal) for at least three years
• 5. Retains the colour, aroma, and taste of the raw materials used in, and the method of, its production and maturation

Port

Vinho de Porto as it is called in Portuguese, or simply Port is a Portuguese fortified wine produced in Douro Valley of Northern Portugal. It is sweet, thick red wine, headier than heavier than regular wine, and is usually higher in alcohol content than unfortified wines.

The production process of a Port is responsible for this higher alcohol content and sweeter and thicker texture. In the production of a Port, fermentation is halted before all the sugar is converted to alcohol and then distilled grape spirits are added to it to fortify it.

Port wine is now produced in many different regions and countries including Argentina, Australia, Canada, France, India, South Africa, Spain, and the United States, but under the European Union Protected Designation of Origin guidelines, only wines from Portugal are allowed to be labelled a PORT.

Port comes in several styles, which can be divided in two broad categories, wines matured in glass bottles and wines matured in wooden barrels.
Port matured in sealed glass bottles, due to lack of exposure to air, goes through reductive ageing, the wine loses colour very slowly and the resulting wine is smooth and bright red, while wood barrel matured port, has some exposure to oxygen due to the permeability of wood and goes through oxidative ageing, and they lose colour faster and lose some volume through evaporation too, resulting in a slightly viscous wine.

Ruby port is the product of a reductive ageing, and the process retains its bright red colour and full bodied taste, while Tawny Ports are ports made from red grapes that are aged in wooden barrels which end up giving then a tawny-brown or golden-brown colour. The flavour too is nutty instead of the fruity flavour of a Ruby.