The Great Drams ‘how to read a whisky label’ guide (2024)

FAQs

How do you read whiskies label details? ›

The batch numbers just show that A'bunadh is released in different batches, at different dates. Since this is a NAS whisky it contains whiskies from various ages that are all vatted together.

This is denoted by the alcohol by volume (ABV) percentage or by the term 'Proof' for American whiskeys. The latter is just twice the ABV; which means 80-proof denoted 40 % ABV. Bourbons are distilled at not more than 160 proof and then stored at less than 125 proof and corn whiskey is stored at 160 proof.

On the bottom of many glass bottles, you will find a two-digit embossed number which corresponds to the ending two digits in the four digit year 99 would be 1999, 01 would be 2001. This number is often located in the lower right region of the base of the bottle.

In order of least to most expensive, these are Johnnie Walker Red, Black, Double Black, Gold, Green, Platinum, and Blue. Which Johnnie Walker label is the best? In terms of quality, the best Johnnie Walker label is Blue. Johnnie Walker Blue is the most coveted of the brand's line of blended whiskies.

Whisky or whiskey is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Various grains (which may be malted) are used for different varieties, including barley, corn, rye, and wheat. Whisky is typically aged in wooden casks, which are typically made of charred white oak.

A batch code is a series of numbers and letters that associates a batch with specific information about where and when it was made. Batch codes can be anywhere from three to 11 digits long and located on the bottom of the product, near the barcode, or near the company information listed on the product label.

Jack Daniel's is a Tennessee whiskey and was named No. 7 by "Mr Jack" himself in 1887 – no one knows why. Some say Jack was honouring his seven girlfriends, others that it was the 7th recipe but one of the most plausible explanations to the Old No. 7 brand is the story of the missing seven barrels.

Batch numbers are also important to the manufacturing plant when relating product problems back to the manufacturing plant. Product Batch Numbers are found on either a small white gummed label on the can lid and sometimes on the box or it is printed on the can itself.

What are the 3 types of whisky? ›

There are five basic whiskey types: Single malt, blended malt, blended whiskey, barrel proof, or single cask. Most countries produce some or all of these whiskeys, though some are more common in certain areas than others.

Most bottle manufacturers molded the year into the glass at the bottom of the bottle in 2-digit format. You'll often find it in the lower right portion when looking at the bottom (some dates are much easier to distinguish than others). This will usually tell you–within a year or two–when the whiskey was bottled.

You'll find a series of symbols, letters and numbers. Those numbers, letters and symbols – also called a bottle code — are the clues about where that glass container was made.

Urine samples routinely are split into two bottles, the “A” bottle and the “B” bottle. If the “A” bottle generates a positive result, the “B” bottle is tested.

Johnnie Walker & Sons Diamond Jubilee is a rare and valuable whisky, with prices ranging up to $227,700 per bottle. Johnnie Walker 1805 The Celebration Blue Label is a whisky worth celebrating with its 45 to 70 years of age and 46.3% ABV.

Best Overall: Uncle Nearest 1856 Tennessee Whiskey

Tennessee whiskey, like bourbon, is made primarily from corn and aged in new charred oak but sees an extra step: charcoal filtration before aging, giving it a softer overall expression.

To make a long explanation short, whiskey (with an 'e') refers to grain spirits distilled in Ireland and the United States. Whisky (with no 'e') refers to Scottish, Canadian, or Japanese grain spirits.

Do the Fake Shake. Give the bottle a shake and look closely at the 'beading,' the ring of frothy bubbles that form. The bubbles will disappear rapidly in a whisky bottled at 40% alcohol by volume (ABV), but persist for 20-30 seconds in a whisky bottled with an ABV higher than 50%.

Whiskey Liqueur is broadly defined as a member of the liqueur family where whiskey is the base spirit and an influential flavor in the beverage. The most main difference between whiskey and a whiskey liqueur is that the latter is sweet.

The batch code consists of 6 digits and utilizes the Julian Date, the last digit of the year of manufacture, the production line, and the production shift. Example: 036521 036 = The thirty sixth day of the year, in this case February 5th.

What does my batch code mean? ›

Also referred to as a lot number, lot code, or code number, a product batch code is a combination of numbers and/or letters that are used to identify a set of identical mass-produced products. These shared characteristics may include: Date/time of production. Location of production (Plant Code, Line Number)

A simple way to create batch numbers for manufacturing is using the date of production as a base of the batch number. You can then add a number code to the product packaging for any additional information. For example, if you make a batch of cupcakes twice a day, you can add that to the batch number.

9 whiskey. This whiskey is 90 proof and carries no age statement but is understood to be from stock ranging in age between 3 and 4 years old and is comprised of a blend of 60% straight bourbon (74% corn,14% malted rye, 12% malted barley), and 40% rye (51% rye, 34% malted barley, 15% corn and malted barley).

People started saying a fifth of liquor because that was the standard bottle size. Liquor was measured in gallons, and one-fifth of a gallon simply became a fifth. In the late 19th century, some stores in the US sold bottles that were called quarts but actually contained less than that.

If a bottle of Scotch whisky shows an age statement, e.g. "12 Years Old" means that the youngest whisky in the bottle is at least 12 years old. Scotch is bottled at a variety of ages, from 3 years to 50 years. Grain whisky is most often used between 3 and 5 years old in blended whisky brands.

A serial number is a unique identifier given to a specific individual item or product. A batch number identifies a group of items or components created from a particular production run. Therefore, all items in a specific production run will have the same batch number.

The batch number is a 6-digit code that is associated with the product's manufacture date and is typically located on the bottom of the container. Example: A product with the batch code #806141 was manufactured on June 14th, 2018. Was this article helpful?

Batch numbers should be printed directly on the product's primary packaging or on the labels at the end of the manufacturing process.

Single Malt – Single malt whiskey is made exclusively with malted barley, water, and yeast. Grain – The main ingredient in grain whiskey is corn, wheat or both. Blended – As the name indicates, blended whiskey is a combination of single malt and grain whiskies.

Maker's Mark chooses the Scottish way to spell whisky, even though it's an all-American bourbon through and through. This can get confusing for some people (especially those loyal to the notion that countries with an “e” spell whiskey with an “e”), but the rationale comes down to one thing: distiller heritage.

What is pure whiskey called? ›

A pure malt, or blended malt, is a whisky made from a blend of single malts distilled in traditional pot stills and aged for at least three years in oak casks from at least two different distilleries.

Several different types of whiskey are permitted to be labeled as straight whiskey, including Bourbon, Rye, Wheat Whiskey, Malt Whiskey, and Rye Malt Whiskey. Aging Requirements.

“Whisky” or “whiskey” is distilled spirits that is an alcoholic distillate from a fermented mash of any grain distilled at less than 95 percent alcohol by volume (190° proof) having the taste, aroma, and characteristics generally attributed to whisky, stored in oak barrels (except that corn whisky need not be so stored ...

For example, "bourbon and branch" refers to bourbon whiskey with water.

Whiskey is the spelling in the United States and Ireland. Whisky is the spelling in Canada, Japan, and Scotland. What sets Scotch whisky apart from other whiskies is that Scotch whisky is entirely produced and bottled in Scotland.

There are many types of whiskey, and bourbon is just one of them (in other words, all bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon). While all whiskeys are made from a fermented mash of grains, bourbon is predominantly made from corn (more on that later).

“Legs” describe the droplets that form inside the glass after you swirl it. The number of droplets and how quickly they fall down the glass will tell you how high the alcohol content is in the whiskey. If the droplets are heavy, thick and move slowly down the glass, the whiskey has a higher Alcohol by Volume (ABV).

If I have a bottle of Cask 46.72 Jungle Slippers, the number is the single malt distillery and cask number, while the name is an indicator of the flavours within. In this example, it's a single malt whisky from distillery 46, and it's the 72th single cask approved by panel from that distillery in our history.

If a bottle of Scotch whisky shows an age statement, e.g. "12 Years Old" means that the youngest whisky in the bottle is at least 12 years old. Scotch is bottled at a variety of ages, from 3 years to 50 years. Grain whisky is most often used between 3 and 5 years old in blended whisky brands.

The term “Two Fingers of Whiskey” means that the width of two fingers when you hold it next to the glass is the volume of the whiskey. The terminology two fingers of whiskey is a rough way of measuring how much whiskey goes in your glass.

Do legs matter in whiskey? ›

Legs tell you a few things: alcohol is more viscous than water so heavier, slower-moving legs indicate higher ABV. Heavier legs also indicate an older whiskey. Swirling also promotes evaporation.

The four primary steps to make whiskey are mashing, fermenting, distilling, and aging. Each distiller uses grain combinations chosen by that distillers to produce a specific type of whiskey. Tennessee Whiskey, for example must be at least 51% corn. Other common grains in Tennessee Whiskey are barley, rye, and/or wheat.

Whiskey is meant to be enjoyed over time, but once you open a bottle, the clock starts ticking. Most scientists believe that if your bottle is at least half full, it can last one to two years, but if it's almost empty, with a quarter or less whiskey left, it'll expire in about six months.

Jack Daniel's is a Tennessee whiskey, so it absolutely is whiskey as well. It's even in the name. Whiskey is just the broadest term for distilled grain that's aged in oak barrels, regardless of factors such as the grains used (e.g., corn, rye, wheat, barley, rice), where it's made, the barrels used, and more.

50-year-old whisky is almost the holy grail in spirits terms. Very few casks of whisky will reach 50 years old and still be drinkable, representing a tiny, tiny fraction of a percent.

An unopened bottle of whiskey will last indefinitely if stored in proper condition. After opening a bottle of whiskey, you have as long as two years or as few as six months or less to drink it before it goes bad.

Only an infinitesimal number of special barrels have gone the distance of 50 years, and their rarity and longevity always command top dollar. Current offerings of 50 year old scotch, like Dalmore, can cost as much as $60,000 a bottle, making others, like Benromach, look like a veritable bargain at $14,500.

Whether a three-year-old expression spends a year or 30 years on a shelf without being opened, it is still a three-year-old whisky. This is because the taste profile of a whisky shouldn't change if it remains unopened. A whisky draws its flavour from the wood that it matures in.