In The World Of Spirits, Can Anything Match American Whiskey?

American whiskey history started right at the very beginning with immigrants bringing not only hope but their skills. For those with the skill of distilling they found in abundance rye and corn to use as raw material to convert them to whiskies. The history of American Whiskey can be traced to the beginning of the colonial period.  George Washington, the first President of the United States, was a distiller himself. He began producing American Rye Whiskey in 1797 and his recipe is still used today to distill whiskey at the original site in Virginia.

Bourbon and rye can be made anywhere in the United States but a large concentration of distilleries are in Kentucky. This is because at some point in the 17th century in the midst of a thriving whiskey industry a tax was levied on production which did not apply in Kentucky and Tennessee.  Whiskies equation with tariffs and taxes is nothing new. Eventually this tax was removed because of what is known as the Whiskey Rebellion. This really set the stage for new heights until once again Prohibition was passed in 1920. This too was eventually overturned, not without its damage, and the American spirits industry has been thriving ever since.

The whiskies from America are unique, you would be left wondering with no answer in sight to come up with a country or region that makes a whiskey like Bourbon for example.  For centuries, American distillers have experimented with a range of grains such as corn, wheat, barley and rye to create uniquely American Whiskeys that are cherished around the globe. Today, a global resurgence of cocktail culture, American whiskies like Bourbon and Rye that are so versatile and gaining tremendous popularity globally. In fact, the higher end whiskies are perfect for sipping as well.

Many American Whiskeys use multiple types of grains which gives rise to the term “mash bill” -the whiskey's recipe.  American Whiskey can have 100% of one type of grain, or a combination of other grains. Corn provides creamy sweetness. Rye a spicy/peppery flavor, while wheat gives a soft mellowness. 

Barrels provide the vibrant color and some of the flavor of American Whiskey. The barrels are first toasted, allowing the heat to pull the wood sugars to the surface which are charred. This transforms the surface sugars into dark caramel. Different degrees of charring may be done based on what the distiller wants. American Whiskeys are typically aged fewer years in barrel storage facilities known as rickhouses than Scotch and Irish Whiskies because the greater fluctuation of temperatures in the United States (hotter summers and colder winters) increases the interaction between the whiskey and the wood thus enhancing the ageing process.

Bourbon can be made anywhere in the United States and must be at least 51% in the mash bill. The remaining 49% can consist of malted barley, rye or wheat.  Bourbons with a higher wheat content or “wheated Bourbons” tend to have softer and sweeter profiles. Bourbon that has been aged for at least two years may be further designated as "Straight Bourbon”

American Rye Whiskey, as with bourbon, must be aged for some time in new, charred oak barrels with no added coloring, flavoring or other spirits. American Rye Whiskey that has been aged for at least two years may be further designated as "straight,"' as in "Straight American Rye Whiskey.

Like Bourbon, Rye whiskey can be made anywhere and in the “mash bill” it must contain a minimum of 51% rye. Rye is known as Ragi in India by the way.

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Tennessee Whiskey is characterized by charcoal filtering called the "Lincoln County Process." Like Bourbon, it is recognized as a "distinctive product" of the United States. However, unlike Bourbon, Tennessee whiskey can only be made in Tennessee. Tennessee whiskey is similar to bourbon except that it comes only from Tennessee and it must be charcoal filtered before its aged. 

In the "Lincoln County Process," the whiskey is filtered through a column of sugar maple charcoal. Like Bourbon, Tennessee Whiskey must be aged for some time in new, charred oak barrels and cannot include colouring, flavouring, or other spirits. Each distillery has its own technique in producing and filtering whiskey through sugar maple charcoal giving them similarities whilst being different.

America does its fair share of Single Malt whiskies too and over the last decade, the popularity of American Single Malt Whiskey has grown. 

Glimpse of American distilleries available in India:

• Wild Turkey

• Templeton Distillery

• Maker's Mark

• Varchas

• Michters

• Jim Beam

• Evan Williams

• Elijah Craig

• Jack Daniels

• Woodford Reserve

• Buffalo Trace

• Sazerac Rye

Slow Burn from Olive & kitchen, Bandra

Elijah Craig, spiced muscovado syrup, smoke and bitters

Quick recipe:

• Fill a mixing glass with ice. Add 50 ml of Elijah Craig bourbon, 10 ml of spiced muscovado syrup and a dash of bitters

• Stir until the mixture is thoroughly chilled, then strain into a glass jar and gently smoke the jar using a smoking gun

• Serve the cocktail over a block ice and garnish with a twist of orange and your drink is ready!

(Nikhil Agarwal, Campaign Ambassador, Cheers! Spirits from the USA Campaign by the Distilled Spirits Council Of America)