SPIRITS

Distilled beverages

The Spirits

Brandy Ingredients: fruit wine (mostly Grape) The word comes from the Dutch "brandewijn"

meaning "burnt wine." Whiskey

Ingredients: barley, corn, rye (grain) The word comes from Scottish Gaelic, meanin

g "water of life“.

The Spirits Vodka

Ingredients: rye or wheat, sometimes potato or another grain (traditionally the cheapest starch available) (穀物 )

Rum Ingredients: molasses or sugar cane (甘蔗 )

Gin Ingredients: juniper berries, various grains (杜松子 )

Tequila Ingredients: juice of blue agave (agave tequilia

na) (龍舌蘭 )

Scotch Whisky

There many others: Bourbon whiskey, Irish whiskey, Canadian whisky, Tennessee whiskey, and etc.

This is the most popular one here in Taiwan.

Legal definition

Must be distilled at a Scottish distillery from water and malted barley, to which only other whole grains may be added, have been processed at that distillery into a mash, converted to a fermentable substrate only by endogenous enzyme systems, and fermented only by the addition of yeast,

Must have an alcoholic strength of less than 94.8% by volume so that it retains the flavour of the raw materials used in its production,

Must be matured in Scotland in oak casks for not less than three years, and

Must not contain any added substance other than water and caramel colour.

Types of Whisky

single malt whisky is a malt whisky from one distillery (Glenfiddich, Glenmorangie, The Macallan, Balvenie, Glenlivet, Highland Park, Lagavulin, Laphroaig, and etc.)

blended malt whisky is malt whisky from more than one distillery

blended Scotch whisky is a mixture of malt and grain whisky. (Johnnie Walker, Cutty Sark, Famous Grouse, Chivas Regal, and etc. )

The Process #1

MALTING which converts barley to MALT.

The Process #2

MASHING which produces WORT (sugar solution) from ground or crushed MALT.

The Process #3

FERMENTATION that produces WASH (a weak, crude, impure spirit) consequent upon the introduction of YEAST in the WORT.

The Process #4

DISTILLATION that strengthens and purifies the spirit contained in the WASH and also separates the solids contained in the spirituous liquor.

The Process #5

MATURATION that transforms the raw SPIRIT into WHISKY.

Prices in Taiwan

Blended Scotch whisky: NT600~NT1500 single malt whisky

12 years old: NT800~NT1200. 15 years old: NT1500~NT2000. 18 years old: around NT2500. 21 years old or above: don’t know.

I have tried.

Blended Scotch whisky: Johnnie Walker black label; Chivas Regal 12 y

ears old; Matisse 12 years old; VAT 69; Suntory; and etc.

Single Malt Whisky: Glenlivet 12 years old; Highland Park 12 years

old; Macallan 12 years old; Glenfiddich 12, 15, 18 years.

Pictures

Cognac

The most popular and finest brandy. Must be produced in the region surrounding t

he town of Cognac in France. The wine to be distilled must be made from at

least 90 percent Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche or Colombard grapes

The rest of the wine can consist of ten selected grapes.

It must be distilled twice in copper pot stills and aged at least 2 1/2 years in oak barrels in order to be called "cognac".

Six Growing Zones

Levels

VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale), Réserve, where the youngest brandy is stored at least four years in cask.

XO (Extra Old), Napoléon, Hors d'Age, where the youngest brandy is stored at least seven years in cask.

Each cognac house also produces its own premium-level cognac. These include: Louis XIII by Rémy Martin is composed of more than 1,

200 of the finest eaux-de-vie aged between 40 years and a century in very old Limousin oak barrels.

Richard Hennessy - produced by Hennessy, 'Richard' is a blend of over 100 eaux-de-vie aged up to 200 years. It is sold in a Baccarrat crystal blackman and is named after the founder of the company.

Prices

VSOP: NT1000~1500 XO: NT2000~NT4000 EXTRA: > NT6500 LOUIS XIII: > NT35000

Things I have tried

Remy Martin VSOP; Remy Martin XO; Hennessy VSOP; Hennessy XO; Gautier XO; Martell VSOP; Martell Cordon Bleu; Camus EXTRA

Next target: Louis XIII by Rémy Martin

Pictures

Conclusion

I like beer and stout.