Whiskey Class Notes

WHISKEY CLASS NOTES 5/25/16

• Whiskey is a big umbrella, with several subcategories that fall underneath it.

1. Irish – sweet and easy to drink (ex: Tullamore Dew)

2. Rye – made from rye

3. Scotch – most complicated

   1. 1. 1. Single Molt – aged and handmade, more expensive

(ex: Balvenie – Caribbean Cask)

1. 1. 1. Blended – much less money (ex: Johnny Walker)

2. Kentucky (Bourbon) – Made in US, predominately corn (ex: Wellers Reserve)

3. Canadian – smooth and gentle (ex: Crown Royal, Seagram’s Seven, and Pendelton)

• Made of Rye, Wheat, Barley, and/or Corn

  • Single Molt – 100% Barley

  • Tullamore Dew (Irish Whiskey) – Mixed

  • Canadian – Mixed

  • Rye – is Rye if 51% or more made with Rye

  • Bourbon – 51 % or more Corn

  • Wellers Reserve (Bourbon) – wheat, super smooth

• Most (majority of) whiskeys are aged in OAK barrels

  • Bourbon: aged in oak barrel that has been charred on the inside

    • Can only use the barrel once!

    • What do they do with the extra barrels?

      • Take them apart and send them to Scotland / Ireland

      • Some whiskeys there are aged in barrels using used American barrels

        • Creates different flavors such as vanilla that are pulled from the previous aged whiskey

• ***Whiskey is made to be drunk with water (ice) in it!!

  • Needs some drops of water in it to taste the true flavors

  • Servers – for customers who are there to “get the good stuff” and try out various whiskeys, etc. put a glass bottle of water at their table!

    • Looks nice and gives them the water that they should be having with their drinks

    • Glass bottles of chilled tap water are located in craft fridge behind the bar

  • If a customer asks for their whiskey drinks to be neat, ask them if it is okay to put a few drops of water in the drink.

    • It makes the whiskey more enjoyable

      • Smell the whiskey before and after you add a few drops of water – you will see what they are talking about!! There really is a difference 

    • It also makes customers aware that we know what we are talking about! (We are a whiskey bar so we should know the tricks of the trade!)

• People come here to drink our “non-average” whiskeys. They want to try out something that they wouldn’t get while they are at home.

  • GIVE THEM RECOMMENDATIONS! That’s what we are there for right? (tis why we’ve gotta know what we are talking about )

  • Good recommendations = better tips. You want to sound knowledgeable about what we have to give customers a true and full experience of coming to a whiskey bar

  • Recommending higher shelf whiskeys also means better quality and more money! (Which again, leads to higher tips)

  • For “non-whiskey drinkers….” Recommend smoother whiskeys

    • (example: “vodka drinkers)  recommend bourbons and Canadian whiskeys

• Drinks to Recommend:

  • Rye

    • Beginner: Templeton Rye

    • Middle: Mitcher Straight Rye / Small Batch

      • Candy taste, sweet, and a bit smokey

    • Expert: Whistle Pig (10 Year)

      • Single molt, 100 Proof, honey smell, sweet

  • Bourbon

    • Beginner: Tin Cup, Basil Hayden, or Wellers Reserve (super smooth)

    • Middle: High West American Prairie or Calumet Farms

    • Expert: 1792 Ridgemont Reserve

  • Scotch

    • Beginner: Monkey Shoulder

    • Middle: Glennfiddich (14 year)

      • BECOMING VERY POPULAR

      • “Gateway drink” from bourbon to scotch (has a high bourbon taste)

    • Expert: Balvenie (Caribbean Cask, is a single molt)

  • Irish  Tullamore Dew

  • Canadian  Pendelton (low shelf)

    • Sugary and smooth – great for first timers, and is cheap