What is a tax strip and why is it on the cap of my whiskey? Tax strips are the bit of paper that were affixed over the cap/cork to indicate […]
Barrel Sizes
I thought I’d follow up yesterday’s post with a list of barrel sizes for reference. The English Tun (259 gallons) twice the size of a butt and 6 brewery barrels […]
What Defines What Barrel is Used?
What defines the type of barrel that whiskey is aged or finished in? Different styles of barrel aged liquors use different style oak casks. Sherry, for instance is aged in […]
Irish Whiskey Boom!
Did you know that Irish whiskey is booming right now? Most Irish whiskey that is exported to America is Jameson’s Irish whiskey. About 60-70% of the Irish whiskey sales in […]
Why Do Copper Pot Stills Look So Different?
Why do copper pot stills always look so different? Every still produces a different whiskey. Alembic stills (the ones that look like copper cauldrons with elephant trunks…) have been around […]
What is “Mountain Dew”?
Did you know that “Mountain Dew” soda was invented by two brothers in Tennessee to be a chaser for whiskey? Here’s a great story for you.. http://vinepair.com/win…/mountain-dew-extreme-whiskey-mixer/
Whiskey Stereotypes Debunked
Whiskey is not more “dangerous” than wine or beer. I know that may sound silly to say, but this has been an American cultural claim that I feel needs addressing. […]
Pakistan has a Distillery…
Did you know that there is a distillery in Pakistan? Alcohol consumption is illegal, but that wasn’t made law until 1979 by the Hudood Ordinance. The Murree Brewery is the […]
What is Corn Whiskey?
What is corn whiskey? With bourbon booming in America, I wanted to discuss the difference. Bourbon needs to be made from at least 51% corn, but can, of course, have […]
There Were No “Old” American Whiskeys Before 1958…
Picture the whiskey industry after WWII. The few distilleries that remained after prohibition had been successful with pulling themselves out of a whiskey drought by producing massive amounts of young […]