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Glossary
ABV (alcohol by volume) - This is the proportion of alcohol in a drink, expressed as a percentage. Whisky is most commonly at 40% or 43% ABV. Angels' share - The expression given for the amount of liquid that evaporates from the cask during the period of maturation. Barley - The principal raw material used in the whisky-making process in Scotland, Ireland and Japan. Barrel - Sometimes used as a generic term for a cask, but in the Scotch whisky industry a barrel is specifically a cask with an approximate capacity of 40 gallons (180 litres). Cask Strength - This is the strength at which the whisky comes out of the cask after maturation. This can be variable according to the age of the whisky. It is not defined by law but some companies use the term to describe whiskies which are stronger than 40 - 43% vol. Draff - The Scottish term for spent grains after it has been exhausted of all sugar like properties dureng fermentation. Used as nutritios food for livestock. Low wines - The product of the first distillation in the wash still. Mash Tun - The Scottish name of Mash Tub. It is a large circular tank, usually of wood, copper, cast-iron or stainless steel in which the grist is mashed with hot water. (It is similar to the way that tea is mashed with hot water.) in order to dissolve all fermentable sugar. The tun is operated by the "mashman". Peated Malt – Malted barley that tastes strongly of peat smoke. Pot still – A traditional type of still used for malt whisky and some American whiskeys. Made of copper and only capable of doing single batches at a time as opposed to a continuous still. Based on the Alembic still, created by Arabian alchemist Jabi ibn Hayyan in the eight century. Spirit Still – The second still, used to re-distil the low wines produced by the wash still. Called a spirit still because it distils spirit. Wash Still – The pot still used to distil the wash. Washback – The fermenter is which the wash is brewed. Wort – Fermentable solution containing maltose, made from steeping grist. |
DISCOVERY WHISKY: Glossary