Discover the Secrets of the Barrel: Top 12 Fun and Surprising Facts About Whiskey You Never Knew

1. Distillation Domination

Whiskey makers around the world play a high-stakes game of "Distillation Domination," battling it out to see who can create the smoothest, most sip-worthy spirit: In the United States and Scotland, they believe two distillations strike the perfect balance for their whiskey, while the Irish go for the triple-threat and distill theirs three times. Not to be left out, Canadian and Japanese whiskies also keep it classy with a double-distillation process.
Source => oakandeden.com

2. Japan's Scotch with a Twist

Whisk(e)y business: when Japan jacked Scotland's coal-cooking style to make a toasty Scotch with a Rising Sun twist! The Yoichi Distillery embraced direct coal-fired distillation – a nearly lost Scottish art – while founder Masataka Taketsuru imported some good ol' Coffey stills for a bold finish at the Miyagikyo Distillery.
Source => nationalgeographic.co.uk

Did you know that Kentucky's official state drink isn't bourbon, but a ginger-citrus soda called Ale-8-One? Discover the surprising "original soft drink" of the Bluegrass State!

=> Fun Facts about Bourbon

3. Picky Angel Drinkers

The angels are picky drinkers up in Heaven, so they imbibe on a fine liquid diet whilst the mortals sleep, swooping into distilleries and sipping away at our whiskey like ethereal frat boys: In hot and humid climates, like Kentucky where bourbon is made, the Angel's Share, or the whiskey lost to evaporation, can be as much as 5% of the total barrel volume per year. This results in less liquid in each barrel and contributes to the higher cost and shorter aging time of bourbon compared to Scotch.
Source => oakandeden.com

4. Heavenly Water of Life

Before whiskey became the liquid courage we rely on today, it had a rather holy beginning, deemed the celestial equivalent of H2O: the "water of life"! This heavenly title, known as "uisge beatha" in Scottish Gaelic and "uisce beatha" in Irish, eventually shortened to "whiskey" – a name that continues to fortify spirits and inspire fluent philosophers around the globe.
Source => shop.edinburghwhiskyacademy.com

5. Whiskey's Flavorful Splash

Turns out, whiskey loves a little splash too: Adding a few drops of water to whiskey can enhance its flavor, as it makes the aromatic compounds more volatile and easier to sense, allowing you to appreciate the spirit's subtle nuances in a whole new way.
Source => tasteofhome.com

6. Whiskey Outshines Gold

Forget stocks and bonds, reach for a glass of golden indulgence: The top 10 performing whiskies achieved a 400% gain over four years, outperforming gold's 146% rise and diamonds' 10% appreciation, making whisky a potential alternative asset class in the near future.
Source => forbes.com

7. Glenfiddich's Elegant Stills

As the noble swan gracefully adorns the waters of Scottish lochs, so too does Glenfiddich's copper pot stills elevate their distillery to an elite echelon of elegance: Each swan-necked still is expertly hand-crafted and maintained by their dedicated team of skilled craftsmen and coppersmiths, making Glenfiddich a virtuoso in the world of whisk(e)y.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

8. Age Doesn't Define Whiskey

Age is just a number, even in the whiskey world: it's the quality of the barrel and environment, including factors such as the wood type, charring, aging duration, and climate conditions, that primarily determine a whiskey's flavor profile, debunking the myth of older whiskey always being superior.
Source => liquorloot.com

9. Bourbon Law Breakdown

Hold your horses, whiskey connoisseurs! Before you indulge in your favorite "liquid sunshine," let's shed some light on the intriguing world of Bourbon law: To be called "straight Bourbon," this golden delight must be aged for a minimum of two years in brand-new charred oak containers. But here's the twist, if it's a young one – aged less than four years – the bottle must come clean, wearing its age statement like a badge of honor. For the truly patriotic, choose a Bourbon bottled in bond, which means it's been aged and bottled according to federal standards – nothing but the best for Uncle Sam's favorite tipple!
Source => newriffdistilling.com

10. Coffey Still Heat

They say if you can't take the heat, stay out of the distillery: Before the invention of the continuous/column Coffey Still in 1830, Irish whiskey was actually lighter in flavor than scotch whiskey, making it more popular. But this contraption diluted the flavor of Irish whiskey, causing a decline in popularity, while scotch whiskey sales soared thanks to the very same invention.
Source => alcademics.com

11. Stills as Artful Sculptures

Talk about a "still" life with a twist: The unique flavor and characteristics of your favorite whiskey are greatly influenced by the shape of the still, the length of the neck, and the angle of the lyne arm used in the production process, making each distillery's choice akin to an artist sculpting their masterpiece.
Source => distillique.co.za

12. Washington's Whiskey Empire

Did you hear about the founding father who truly "distilled" the American spirit? He was a real "washingtonpolitan" when it came to crafting elixirs: George Washington owned one of the largest whiskey distilleries in the United States during his time, boasting five copper pot stills and producing 11,000 gallons of whiskey in 1799 alone, raking in a cool profit of $7,500 (equivalent to around $120,000 today).
Source => mountvernon.org