| Aquavit | | | | brands being far more potent. Flavored vodkas |
| Aquavit, genever, gin, and whiskey (or whisky as | | | | have become popular and the range is constantly |
| the Canadians and Scots spell it), as well as vodka | | | | expanding. |
| and the unflavored German schnapps called korn, | | | | Widely available flavors include lemon, lime, pepper, |
| are all part of the extended family of grain-based | | | | and other fruits. In the United States, vodka is |
| spirits. Except for whiskey and korn, whose | | | | perhaps best known as the main alcoholic |
| compositions are strictly controlled by legislation, | | | | ingredient in Blood Marys and Screwdrivers, but in |
| these potent drinks can also contain so-called | | | | many countries it is drunk neat as a straight shot. |
| agricultural alcohol made from molasses, potatoes, | | | | When you serve neat vodka, make sure it is as |
| and other ingredients. | | | | near ice cold as possible. If you store your bottle |
| The name of this strong Scandinavian spirit is | | | | in the freezer, the high alcohol content prevents |
| derived from the Latin vitae (water of life), and | | | | the liquid turning to ice and it will always be ready |
| was once the designation for all liquor. The basis | | | | to enjoy. |
| of the pale or golden-yellow aquavit is very pure, | | | | Whiskey |
| almost nil-less alcohol distilled from grain or | | | | "Whiskey" may be the generic term for the most |
| potatoes with 96 percent alcohol by volume, or | | | | widely drunk liquor in the world, but you will find |
| almost 200 proof. | | | | great variety, not least of all determined by |
| It is distilled with water and a variety of | | | | where it is produced. Canada, Ireland, Scotland, |
| flavorings, such as caraway (the most traditional), | | | | and the United States are the great whiskey |
| cinnamon, cloves, coriander, dill, fennel, lemon peel, | | | | producers. |
| and star anise, along with a number of "secret" | | | | Each country produces different product, and |
| ingredients. The heart of the distillate is then | | | | within each country there is great diversity. Even |
| mixed with neutral alcohol and softened water | | | | the spelling of the word is not the same: the |
| and left to mature in the producer's cellars or | | | | americans and the Irish spell it "whiskey"; the |
| warehouse. The alcohol content of danish aquavit | | | | Scots and the canadians spell it "whisky."Scotish |
| is 80 to 84 proof; German aquavit is 76 to 80 | | | | whisky, or scotch as it is commonly known, is |
| proof. | | | | produced from malted barley or a mixture of |
| Serve aquavit very cold in a short glass, similar to | | | | grains, which can include malted and unmalted |
| a shot glass; this is how its full, round, and | | | | barley and the whole grains of cereals, such as |
| distinctive taste develops. It acts as a stimulant | | | | corn or wheat, It is aged for at least three years |
| on the stomach wall and is very easily digestible, | | | | in oak casks (traditionally second hand sherry |
| so it is ideal to offer guests after a meal as a | | | | casks) before bottling. |
| digestive. | | | | You will also see on the label the scotch is blended |
| Genever | | | | or a single malt. Blended scotch, as the term |
| Genever is the Dutch national drink, and what is | | | | implies, contains scotch from several distilleries and |
| considered to be first gin. The word genever | | | | will contain malt and grain whiskies married |
| developed from the French word genievre | | | | together. Single malts, on the other hand, are |
| (juniper), which is not surprising because genever, | | | | produced from only malted barley. If the label on |
| like some vatieties of gin, has a juniper aroma. | | | | a blened whiskey also contains an age, that is |
| First-class genever is matured for several years in | | | | how long the youngest whiskey in the blend was |
| oak casks and is golden yellow. The alcohol | | | | aged in the cask. |
| content is 76 to 86 proof. The Dutch drink their | | | | One other characteristic of some scotch, |
| genever neat and very cold in small, tulip-shaped | | | | especially some single malts is a smoky aroma. |
| glasses as an aperitif. Fruit-flavored genevers are | | | | This occurs if the barley malt grains aredried over |
| also available. | | | | burning peat taken from the moorlands. Irish |
| Gin | | | | whiskey, produced from barley, wheat, rye, or |
| Clear spirit is one of the drinks without which a | | | | oats, is blended, with only one significant single |
| bar would be lost. The alcohol is based on barley | | | | malt produced. |
| and rye, to which a mixture of herbs and spices, | | | | (The Irish use the term -vatting not "blending.") |
| called botanicals, is added, such as i, aniseed, | | | | After distillation, clear water is added to give the |
| cardamom, coriander, juniper, and lemon and | | | | whiskey its final alcoholic content of about 80 |
| orange zests. After distillation, the gin is diluted to | | | | proof'. Irish whiskey is matured in wooden casks |
| the customary strength of 76 to 90 proof. "Dry | | | | (for at least three years that previously stored |
| gin," for example, is 80 proof. | | | | sherry, rum, or bourbon. As a general rule irish |
| Gins, produced in England, Holland, and the United | | | | whiskey has a mellower flavor than scotch, and |
| States, have different taste qualities. The most | | | | you will never find any with the smoky, peaty |
| requested gins are those as "dry gin" and "London | | | | aroma of some scotches because the grains are |
| dry gin." The dry designations developed to | | | | not dried over peat-fueled fires. In the United lush |
| discriminate the contents from that which was | | | | whiskey is best known as a component in Irish |
| labeled Old Tom gin" and "Plymouth Gin," both of | | | | coffee or after-dinner drinks. |
| which used to be sweeter than they are today. | | | | Bourbon |
| Sloe gin is, in fact, a liqueur, not made by | | | | Good bourbon is aged for four to six years, but |
| macerating crushed sloes in gin. | | | | some is left much longer in the cask. Like scotch, |
| Klarer This colorless, weak, and often flavorless | | | | bourbon is also available either blended or straight, |
| spirit is made from potatoes, corn, and millet. The | | | | the latter meaning that it has been distilled from a |
| minimum alcohol content is 32 percent | | | | single grain and all the whiskey comes from a |
| Korn schnapps | | | | single distiller. |
| When a German orders a "schnapps," the chances | | | | Rye whiskey, also popular with Americans and |
| are that it is this clear, grain-based spirit that is | | | | often simply referred to as rye, is distilled from a |
| required, not the flavored, often creamy drinks | | | | mash with at least 51 percent rye and matured |
| called "schnapps" in the United States. Korn is the | | | | for about four years. The taste is generally spicier |
| most popular drink in Germany, where it is | | | | than that of bourbon, and it also comes in blended |
| traditionally drunk neat or as a chaser to beer. | | | | and straight varieties. |
| Produced from wheat, rye, barley, oats, or | | | | Tennessee whiskey, which must be produced in |
| buckwheat, it has an alcoholic content of between | | | | the state to be labeled as such, is filtered through |
| 32 and 38 percent by volume, or 64 to 76 proof. | | | | wood charcoal and is therefore very mild. Some |
| If the designation Alt or Alter is on the label, the | | | | of the best-known brands also have a distinct |
| product has been matured for at least six | | | | flavor, easily recognizable as different from |
| months. Pure korn just tastes of grain, nothing | | | | bourbon because they are produced from a sour |
| else. If it is distilled from wheat, it is very mild; but | | | | mash containing some previously fermented |
| if it is based on rye, it is powerful and spicy. | | | | yeast (similar to the starter used to make |
| Some varieties, called Kornbrand, contain a minimal | | | | sourdough bread; fresh yeast produces a sweet |
| addition of flavorings such as aniseed, cinnamon, | | | | mash). This is the whiskey someone wants if |
| cloves, or coriander. Apel Korn has been made | | | | they ask for a "sour mash whiskey." |
| with apples. | | | | American blended whiskey is a mixture of |
| Vodka | | | | bourbon, rye whiskey, and corn whiskeys. |
| In Russian, the meaning of the word vodka is | | | | Canadian whisky is blended from straight grain |
| "little stream." Vodka is a colorless, clear, smooth, | | | | whiskies and practically flavorless neutral alcohol, |
| and pure spirit with a neutral taste. It is distilled | | | | resulting in drink that is paler and lighter in flavor |
| from mixtures of grains or potatoes. The top | | | | than most American whiskeys. This is why |
| brands, however, consist only of grain (primarily | | | | Canadian whisky is often used in drinks with |
| barley and wheat, and occasionally rye). Its | | | | soft-drink mixers, such as ginger ale. |
| strength is usually at least 80 proof, with some | | | | |