Cheers to the Water of Life

Hanover, May, 2018. We like to be able to celebrate what we appreciate. That is why on May 19, International Whisky Day is celebrated around the world. Since Scot Blair Bowmann launched this day in 2012, whisky has been honored every third Saturday in May, encouraging responsible drinking of the high-proof spirit. It was described as the “water of life” by the Irish and Scottish monks who established the art of whisky distillation in their countries in the Middle Ages – albeit initially for medicinal purposes only. The former medicine has long since become a popular cult drink and an important economic factor. According to industry information, there are more than 3,000 whisky brands and almost 1,600 distilleries, blenders and bottlers across the world. The U.S.A. is the third biggest producer of whisky after Scotland and Ireland. Other countries, such as Japan, are also gaining in significance on this market and impressing with award-winning products.

Grain and water are the elementary ingredients of whisky – or whiskey as it is spelt in Ireland and the U.S.A. – and yet, every whiskey brand tastes different. Although the production steps from the grain to the low wine do have an effect on the character and flavor of the end product – such as adding peat in the kiln, which gives the whisky a smoky note – the aroma is largely determined by the years of storage in oak barrels. Most of the time, Scotch whisky is matured in old bourbon or sherry barrels but it is also increasingly stored in other oak barrels to create new aromas. In the United States, on the other hand, only freshly charred oak barrels, which may be used only once, are permitted for the storage of bourbon whiskey.