What makes rye whiskey

Our apologies, Ireland. Gomen'nasai, Japan. When it comes to whiskey, we're as American as apple pie. Bourbon or Tennessee, blended or wheated, moonshine or rye—we love it all. But there's one type of whiskey gaining a serious following, and it might just be the next big thing: rye. According to a Reuters report , demand for rye whiskey grew a whopping 33 percent between and , leading U.

That acreage, the largest since , represents a 12 percent increase over the previous year. And it's all thanks to whiskey. For a spirit to call itself American rye whiskey , it has to conform to a strict set of legal regulations. First, the mash aka the starchy soup, or wort, that provides the sugars for fermentation has to be made up of at least 51 percent actual rye grain.

The bill's remaining 49 percent usually winds up being a blend of corn, wheat or malted barley. Second rule: Certified rye whiskey's initial booze content can't be any higher than proof roughly 80 percent alcohol. After all that sweet, sweet liquor has been extracted from the fermented wort, it gets diluted down to no more than proof, or Then the liquid gets piped into charred meaning burnt to a crisp inside , new meaning never before used ever oak barrels and left untouched to age.

Photo: Courtesy of WhistlePig. For straight rye whiskey, you're looking at a minimum of two years maturation time, though many distilleries choose to let it sit around a little longer for a richer, more complex product. It's also important to note that straight rye cannot be blended with any other spirits during this process.

Pure is pure. Oh—and up in rye-loving Canada , none of these rules apply, including spelling that's why they call it whisky. Rye is known for its peppery bite, a spicy splash of flavor that washes over the palate with every sip. Some are more aggressive than others, of course, but with rye grain making up the majority of its malt bill, you're bound to pick up at least a touch of that signature sting.

Japanese whisky is a treat. You may notice that it follows suit with the Scottish and Canadians with the omittance of the letter "e. The biggest Japanese whisky producers are Suntory and Nikka, the former of which has had some seriously cool commercials in the past. You can't really pin Japanese whisky down to a specific style, but it's generally Scotchy. Japanese whisky tastes like: Scotch, sort of, but it really depends on the brand. One thing is for sure, they all taste like relaxing times.

Brands you should know: Suntory , Nikka. Jeremy Glass is Thrillist's prize staff writer who also sometimes works at Red Lobster. Skip to main content Drink. What is whiskey? What makes whiskey, bourbon? Is Tennessee whiskey just bourbon with a different name? What is Scotch? What's Canadian whisky? Let's talk about Irish whiskey. What is white whiskey? Is it just moonshine? What is moonshine? How about Japanese whisky? Make Fun. Thrillist Serves.

Enter your email address Subscribe. Social Media Links. American Whiskey The broad category of American whiskey is a big tent, with few specific requirements for production under this general term. By design, the regulations are not overly prescriptive. American whiskeys are commonly made using column stills , although pot stills are also sometimes used.

These requirements apply to all whiskey, American or otherwise. To be labeled a straight whiskey, the whiskey must be aged at least two years and contain no additives. It must go into the barrel at no more than Rye Whiskey Aside from its mashbill , the requirements for rye whiskey are identical to bourbon. Tennessee Whiskey Tennessee law requires that Tennessee whisky be produced in Tennessee; otherwise, it follows the same rules as bourbon , with one notable additional requirement.

Tennessee whiskey must be filtered through maple charcoal before aging, a step known as the Lincoln County Process. Corn whiskey may be unaged or matured in used or uncharred oak containers, with a maximum entry ABV of Wheat whiskey, malt whiskey, and rye malt whiskey have the same distillation requirements as bourbon and rye. The rest can be whiskey not straight , neutral spirits, or both.