ABSTRACT
Whiskey (Gaelic, uisge beatha = water of life) is classi…ed as a spirit made from cereal starch, the manufacture of which involves hydrolytic breakdown of the starch into fermentable sugars, followed by fermentation, distillation, and maturation. Whiskies themselves may be classi…ed on the basis of the cereal used (wheat, barley, corn, rye), on the degree of blending, and on the country of origin; almost all whiskey is produced in Scotland, Ireland, Canada, and the United States. Malt (scotch) whiskey (from barley) is made in the Scottish highlands and the West Coast, and grain whiskey (from cereals other than barley) is manufactured in the Scottish lowlands and Ireland. Rye (rye-based) and Bourbon (cornbased) whiskies originate in the North American continent. In the raw cereals, the essential component for whiskey production is the starch content, which is approximately 70% on a dry weight basis (see the following references for discussions throughout the chapter: Barnard 2008; Bryce et al. 2009; Herstein 2007; Lee et al. 2003; Nettleton 2009; Russell et al. 2003).
