Whiskey, Cognac & Cigars: Guidance in Mixology, Pairing & Enjoying Life's Finer Things

Whiskey, Cognac & Cigars

Guidance in Mixology, Pairing & Enjoying Life’s Finer Things

By Carlos Batista

Copyright 2014 © Carlos Batista

Smashwords Edition

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Table of Contents

Whiskey- Old & New World

Whiskey’s Origins

Whiskey Production

Whisky/Whiskey Types

Whiskey Flavor & Aroma Characteristics

Whiskey Definitions

Brandy, Cognac & more…

Brandy’s Origins

Brandy Production

Brandy Types

Brandy Flavor & Aroma Characteristics

Brandy Definitions

Cigars

Cigar Production

Cigar Sizes, Colors & Classifications

Cigar Regions, Flavors & Aromas

Cutting, Lighting & Smoking

Cigar Service

Cigar Definitions

Whiskey, Brandy & Food Pairings

Cigar & Alcohol Pairing

Conclusion

About the Author

Preface

Some could argue that Bartenders make drinks, while Mixologists have a fuller understanding of the history of spirits, flavor profiles and how to best serve them. Mixologists create innovation in cocktails and culture, while remembering the past. Regardless of what you call yourself, there is a need for greater understanding. This is not a recipe book or bartender how to. However, this is a guide to the world of Whisky and Whiskey. Ever wondered which spelling is correct…? Both! This book is for those who claim that Bourbon is only from Kentucky. Wrong! Or for those who want to know how a cigar is made, sizes, flavors and how to cut them. What’s the difference between Cognac & Armagnac? Now you’ll know. Can I pair food with Scotch? Now you’ll know. Which Spirit goes with my cigar? Now you’ll know.

This book gives the legal standards of Scotch, Irish, American, and Canadian Whiskies, Brandy [Cognac] & Cigars, accompanied by their history, production methods, variances of the product, definitions, flavor profiles and how to pair them with various foods or other spirits. Mixologists & Bartenders are not born, they’re made. This book tells you how. A strong understanding of each product is needed to be well-rounded in the hospitality industry, no matter what you call yourself. Here we explain, clearly & concisely, all that’s needed to fully understand these types of Spirits & Cigars; and how to serve them properly.

For those not in the bar or restaurant field, we’ll give you a solid understanding to make the best selection for personal preference or learn how to pair a Whiskey or Brandy with food or cigars. We’ll help you make better choices and be able to differentiate options, without having to personally try everything out there. Now you’ll know what you’re doing in that cigar shop or bar!

There’s a reason the wealthy have been known to gravitate to Whiskey, Cognac & Cigars.

These are indeed the finer things in life… all should enjoy!

The use of the term Whiskey will be used throughout the book. This term will be used interchangeably with Whisky. We will explain the difference between the two further in the publication.

Once differentiated, we will spell the different versions of the product appropriately where applicable.

Chapter I

Whiskey- Old & New World

Whiskey is an all-encompassing term that includes various types of Scotch, Bourbon, Tennessee, Rye, Blended Scotch, Irish, Australian and Canadian Whiskeys. It is a distilled brown spirit made from grain. Whiskey is unique in the sense that it has very complex aroma properties, nearly 80 of them, which greatly enhance the enjoyment for the drinker when he has a shot of it. It is such a versatile spirit that it can be paired with other spirits and most foods. A knowledgeable bartender or server, gifted with the sense to work with all the different aromas in a Scotch or Bourbon, can create incredible whiskey-based cocktails and recommend the perfect accompanying cuisine.

Various types of grains can be used in fermentation for making different varieties of whiskey. These include barley, malted barley, wheat, rye, malted rye, and corn. But whatever the variety, the commonalities of all types are the same: fermentation of grains, distillation, and aging in wooden barrels. Of all available whiskey varieties, the single malt whiskey is perhaps the most popular spirit in the world and people of all nationalities enjoy drinking it. Usually the term 'single malt' is used for the whiskey that is distilled at one distillery and then matured before being bottled.

The alternative to single malt is the blended whiskey, made from several whiskeys, produced in different distilleries with different periods of aging. Incidentally, there is no such thing as a 'double malt' whiskey. In producing single malt whiskeys, barley is first converted into malt, a process where germination is initiated for turning starch present in barley into natural sugars. These sugars get converted to alcohol during fermentation. Many regions of the world produce single malt whiskeys but the best known locations are Scotland, Ireland and Japan. A single malt whiskey can be called Scotch only if it has been produced in Scotland.

How do you spell it? 

For many years, the right terminology has been a subject of arguments between scholars and connoisseurs. In Scotland they call it whisky but the Irish write it as whiskey. The extra 'e' in the spelling probably comes from the translations of the word from the Scottish and Irish Gaelic forms. Since the Irish immigrants took the spirit to the United States, American whiskies are also spelt with the extra ‘e’. The word whisky is also used in Canada, Japan, Scotland, and Wales where it’s plural is whiskies. In Ireland and the USA, whiskey is used instead, with the plural being spelled as whiskeys. This usage is not consistent however since many prominent American brands, like George Dickel, Maker's Mark, and Old Forester, all of which are produced in different distilleries, use the spelling 'whisky' on their labels. The U.S. legal Standards of Identity for Distilled Spirits document also allows the use of the 'whisky' spelling.

On the subject of different spellings, some people tend to believe that despite the arguments on the two spellings, the difference is merely a matter of local language convention and background or personal preference of the writer. But in spite of all debates on its spelling, there is a general agreement that once a name has been printed on the label, the spelling should not be altered. Globally, Scotch is the recognized term for Scotch whisky, though in Scotland itself, the spirit is called simply as whisky.

Many connoisseurs of fine whiskey would be wary of diluting or contaminating their drinks with water but they tend to overlook the fact that water is used in the process of distilling whisky. Moreover, the words whisky and water share a common Indo-European root which appears in several guises, as wed, wod or ud. While water is a native English word from prehistoric common Germanic water to the Indo-European suffixed form wodor, whiskey is a shortened form of usquebaugh, which the English borrowed from Irish Gaelic word uisce beatha and Scottish Gaelic uisge beatha. This compound descends from Old Irish uisce, water, and bethad, of life, and the literal meaning is water of life. In another drink aquavit, the meaning is again literally the same in Latin from two words; aqua meaning water and vitae meaning life. Another Latin term used in medieval times for distilled alcohol was aqua fortis which means strong water.

Chapter II

Whiskey’s Origins

Alcohol has had a great influence in the development of human civilization. Just as wine was able to make deep inroads in many religions and world customs from ancient times, whisky became synonymous with Scottish history. In modern times, whisky has gained prominence as one of the most popular alcoholic beverages in many modern societies and cultures. Though it is the national drink of the Scots it achieved worldwide popularity after the 15th century. Many scholars believe that the distillation used in whiskey production might have been practiced by Babylonians in Mesopotamia (now Iraq) in the 2nd millennium B.C. for originally extracting perfumes and aromatics.

The Babylonians might also have distilled alcohol but such belief has not been substantiated with any irrefutable evidence. The scholars are more certain about the chemical distillations carried out by the Greeks in Alexandria in the 3rd century A.D. but as in Babylon the distillations do not appear to have been used for the purpose of making alcohol. Arabs in medieval times are believed to have adopted the distillation techniques of Alexandrian Greeks, as per the 9th century written Arabic records. But they also used the technique for making aromatic and perfumed substances and not for alcohol.

The technology of distillation was passed from medieval Arabs according to Latin records found in the beginning of 12th century. Similar records on distillation of alcohol were also found in 13th century Italy, when wine production began to flourish. The use of alcohol spread in medieval monasteries, mostly for medicinal purposes, such as the treatment of colic, palsy, and smallpox. It is typical of all alcoholic drinks that most of them were created behind the closed walls of European Christian monasteries. The stability of religious orders and the need to produce a variety of alcoholic spirits for church ceremonies preserved the processes of fermentation and distillation during the largely unrecorded of Dark and Middle Ages.

Some scholars think that difficulties in obtaining grapes were one of the main deciding factors in the popularization of beer and whiskey in northern Europe. Enterprising Scottish distillers kept perfecting the process of distillation through decades and they quickly became world leaders in production of quality whiskey. When the first documented evidence about whiskey appeared in 1494, its production and consumption in Scotland had already acquired the mass appeal. In these first written records of making whiskey, Friar John Cor is credited with receiving eight bolls of malt to make copious quantities of whiskey for his Majesty, James IV (1488-1513).

King James IV was so fond of Scotch whiskey that in 1506, he reportedly purchased a huge quantity of whiskey in Dundee from the Guild of Surgeon Barbers, who had a whiskey monopoly. In Ireland at this time, the distillation process was spread by monks as well, but the technique was slowly undergoing changes. Since whiskey was not allowed to age, it had a harsh taste in comparison to that of modern whiskeys. The Renaissance-era whiskey was extremely potent and not diluted. As time passed, many innovations were made in the processing techniques and aging. This made whiskey a much smoother drink.

The popularity of whiskey continued to spread during the early 16th century. But in 1541 the English King Henry VIII dismantled the monasteries in Scotland. This resulted in the private production of whiskey by unemployed monks and they spread the technique of distillation across entire Scotland. The production of whiskey by monks also continued in Ireland.

At the dawn of 18th century, Scotland's penchant for whiskey was put to test again when the English monarchy merged with the Scotland. The new rulers levied heavy taxes on unlicensed distilleries which negatively affected whiskey production. To dodge the taxation regime, Scottish distillers began producing the spirit illegally. Thousands of secret distilleries started making whiskey in northern England, mostly working only under the cover of darkness. They had to contend with poor visibility while hiding smoke fumes from their fires. During this period, whiskey received its famous nickname, Moonshine. In the face of the Royal dictate, smuggling of whiskey became a standard practice.

For over 150 years, whiskey smugglers fought with Scottish and English government officials. These