whisky

views updated

whisky (Irish or US whiskey) Alcoholic spirit made by distilling fermented cereal grains. Scotch whisky and Irish whiskey are both distilled from barley that has been allowed to sprout. It is then roasted, ‘mashed’, and distilled. In the USA, maize and rye are used to produce bourbon whiskey (corn) and rye whiskey. After distillation, refined whisky spirit is 70–85% alcohol by volume; all whiskies are therefore heavily diluted. Most whiskies are blended.

More From encyclopedia.com