Distilled Spirits

I. Chapter Objectives
After discussing this chapter, you should be able to:
 Learn the classification and types of distilled spirits;
 Identify ingredients used in making spirits; and
 Learn, appreciate and patronize the locally produced distilled spirits.

II. Definition

Distilled Spirits – types of alcoholic beverages made by distilling fermented beverages made from
fruits, grains and plants.
1. Spirits – generally refers to distilled beverages that are low in sugar and containing at least
35% alcohol by volume. Gin, vodka, rum, whisky, brandy, absinthe, tequila, and traditional
German schnapps are example of spirits.
2. Liqueurs – are distilled beverages with added flavorings and colorings that are high in sugar
such as Grand Marnier, Frangelico and Kahlua.
3. Liquor – the term means spirits; spirits and liqueurs; or all alcoholic beverages, including wine,
sake, beer.
Distillation – the process of heating the liquid to a point when liquid turns into gas and
evaporates and then turns again into liquid as it cools down.

III. Types of Distillation

1. Pot still distillation - still is heated directly by fire, thus having higher temperature. It is used
in producing low proof distilled spirits.
2. Column still/patent still distillation – still is heated by steam, thus having lower temperature.
It is used in producing high proof distilled spirits.
IV. Classification of Distilled Spirits
1. According to color and alcohol content
2. According to ingredients

According to alcohol content and color

a. Low proof spirits/brown spirits

 Whiskey / whisky
 Rum
 Tequila
 Brandy
 Liqueurs

b. High proof spirits/white spirits

 Gin
 Vodka
  Lambanog

According to ingredients used

1. Fruit based
2. Grain based
3. Plant based

V. Fruit Based
Brandy (short for brandywine, from a Dutch term brandewijn which means ‘burnt wine’) is a
general term for distilled wine, it usually 40 – 60% ethyl alcohol by volume.
Aside from wine, this kind of spirits can also be made from grape pomace or fermented skins
of the grapes or from other fermented fruit juices. Brandy is normally consumed as an after -
dinner drink.

Types of Brandy

A. Grape Brandy

 Cognac – is a type of French brandy that is produce from the Cognac region in France.
 Armagnac – is a type of French brandy that is produced from Armagnac region in Southwest of
France. Popular brands are Darroze, Baron de Sigognac, Larressingle, Delord, Laubade, Gelas and
Janneau

Cognac Grades

The unofficial grades used to market cognac include:

1. VS (Very Special) or ***(three stars), where the youngest brandy is stored at least two years in
cask.
2. VSOP (Very Special Old Pale), Reserve, where the youngest brandy is stored at least four years
in cask.
3. XO (Extra Old), Napoleon, Hors d’Age, where the youngest brandy is stored at least six years in
cask.

Characteristics of Cognac

1. Grande Champagne (13766 hectares total land area) Grande Champagne eaux de vie taste and
flavour stays longer in the mouth and powerful, dominated flora notes. The most prestigious of
the crus. “Champagne” means chalky soil, a characteristics shared with the area around Reims
where Champagne (sparkling wine) is also produced.
2. Petite Champagne (16171 hectare total land area) Petite Champagne eaux de vie have similar
characteristics to those from Grande Champagne, but are in general shorter on the palate or
the taste and flavour doesn’t stay longer in the mouth.
 Top Cognac Houses that Produces Premium to Super Premium – Level Brands of Cognacs

1. Extra by Camus is their premium cognac beyond XO containing their oldest cognacs from the
Borderies, Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne regions in a distinctive decanter style
bottle.
2. Louis XIII by Remy Martin is composed of more than 1,200 of the finest eaux-de-vie aged
between 40 years and a century in very old Limousin oak barrels.
3. Richard Hennessy – produced by Hennessy, ‘Richard’ is a blend of over 100 eaux-de-vie aged
up to 200 years. It is sold in a Baccarrat crystal blackman and is named after the founder of the
company.
4. L’Esprit de Courvoisier – Couvoisier’s leading cognac, presented in a hand – cut Lalique
decanter, blended from eaux-de-vie up to 200 years old, and individually numbered.
5. Moyet Antiques – Moyet’s Tres Vieille Fine Champagne and Tres Vieille Grand Champagne
cognacs blended from some barrels over 150 years old, individually numbered and signed by
the cellar master.

Other grape brandies:

1. Spanish brandies – some of the Spanish brandies are made using the solera system of aging the
brandy.
2. Portugal – here brandy is called aguardente (burning) liquid.
3. Mexico
4. Germany
5. South Africa – South Africa grape brandies as mandated by the law, made almost exactly as in
Cognac,

 The European Union legally enforces Cognac as the exclusive name for brandy produced and
distilled in the Cognac area of France, and Armagnac from the Gascony area of France, using
traditional Techniques.
B. Pomace Brandies – Pomace brandy is produced from fermented grape pulp, seeds, and stems that
remain after the grapes are pressed or crushed. Italian grappa and the French marc are example of
this type of brandy.
C. Fruit Brandies – are distilled from fruits other than grapes. Apple, plum, peach, cherry, raspberry,
blackberry, and apricot are the most commonly used fruit. Fruit brandy is usually clear with 80 to
90 proof, and usually drunk chilled or on the rocks.

Types of Fruit Brandies

1. Calvados – is an apple brandy from the French region of Lower Normandy

2. Cherry Brandy – is a fruit brandy made from cherries. Example: Kirschwasser is a fruit brandy
made from cherries.
3. Palinka – is afruit brandy traditional to Hungary.
4. Slivovitz – is a fruit brandy made from plums, traditional to Serbia.
5. Slivovice is a strong 70% vol. fruit brand made from plums, in Slovakia
6. Tuica (tzuika) is the clear Romanian brandy, made mainly from plums, apples, pears, apricots,
mulberries, Peaches, quinces or mixes of them.
 Aging
 No aging: Many pomace and fruit brandies are not aged after distillation.
The resulting product is typically a clear liquid.
1. Single barrel aging: Brandies that have a golden or brown color have been aged in oak casks.
2. Solera Process: some brandies are aged using the solar system. Brandies from Spain are
typical of this variation.
 Brandy Labels
Brandy has a rating system to describe its quality and condition, these indicators can usually
be found near the brand name on the label.
1. A.C.: aged in cask 2 years in wood.
2. V.S.: “Very Special” or 3-Star, aged at least 3 years in wood.
3. V.S.O.P.: “Very Superior Old Pale” or 5 – Star, aged at least 5 years in wood.
4. X.O.: “Extra Old”, Napoleon or Vieille Reserve, aged at least 6 years, Napoleon at least 4
years.
5. Vintage: Stored in the cask until the time it is bottled with the label showing the vintage
date.
6. Hors D’age: These kind of brandies are too old to determine the age although 10 years
plus is typical, and they are usually of great qualiy.
VI. Lambanog
“Lambanog” is a locally produced distilled spirit made by distilling palm wine locally known as
“tuba”.
1. Sources of tuba/lambanog:
 Coconut
 Nipa/sasa – a family of palm tree commonly found a long river banks or swamps.
 Sugar palm or locally known as “kaong”
2. Types:
 Plain
 Flavored
VII. Grain Based: Vodka
1. Vodka – is typically a colorless, odourless tasteless distilled spirits made from fermented
beverages that are made from grains, vegetables and other ingredients. The word share a
root with the word for “water” in various Slavic languages (voda, woda).
 Vodka usually has an alcohol content ranging from 35% to 50% by volume. The traditional
Russian and Polish vodka is 40% equivalent to 80 USA proof. This can be attributed to the
Russian standards for vodka production introduces in 1894 by Alexander III from research
undertaken by the Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev. According to the Vodka Museum in
Moscow, Mendeleev found the perfect percentage to be 38. At strengths less than this,
vodka drunk neat can taste “watery”: above his strength, vodka can have a “burn” taste.
Some governments set a minimum alcohol content for a spirit to be called “vodka”. For
example, the European Union sets a minimum of 37.5% alcohol by volume.
 Types:
1. Plain/traditional vodka
 2. Flavored vodka
 Strawberry
 Black currant
 Apple
 Lemon
 Banan
 Mandarin
 Vanilla
 Citron
 Orange

Production

1. Vodka may be distilled from any starch or sugar – rich plant. Most vodka today is produced
from:
2. Grains such as:
 Sorghum
 Corn
 Rye
 Wheat
3. Among such grains, vodka made from rye and wheat is generally considered superior.
4. Some vodka is made from:
 Potatoes
 Molasses
 Soybeans
 Grapes
 Sugar beets
 Sometimes even by products of oil refining or wood pulp processing
 In some Central European countries like Poland some vodka is produced by just
fermenting a solution of crystal sugar and yeast.
5. The European Union talks about the standardization of vodka. The Vodka Belt countries
insist that only spirits produces from grains and potato must be allowed to be branded as
“vodka”, following the traditional methods of production.

Popular Brands of Vodka

Value Brands Premium Brands Super Premium Brands

Olifant – 80 proof, Holland Absolut – 80 proof, Sweden Belvedere – 80 proof, Poland
Smirnoff – 80 proof, United States ClearHeart – 80 proof, Bong Vodka – 80 proof,
United States Holland
Lukosawa – 80 proof, Poland Finlandia – 80 proof, Charbay – 80 proof, United
(potato) Finland States
Skyy – 80 proof, United States Cristall – 80 proof Russia Chopin – 80 proof, Poland
(potato)
 Stolichanya – 80 proof, Russia Grey Goose – 80 proof,
France
Tanquray Sterling – 80 proof, Han Asian Vodka – 80
England proof, Asia (rice &barley)
Mor – 80 proof, Estonia
(potato)
Trump – 80 proof, Holland

VIII. Grain Based: Gin

Gin is a spirit with flavorings primarily juniper berries and aromatics.

History
Gin originated in the Netherlands in 17 th century.
1. Its invention is often credited to the physician named Franciscus Sylvius.
2. Dutch gin, also known as jenever or geneer, is a distinctly different drink from English-
style gin; it is distilled with barley and sometimes aged in wood making it more similar
to whisky.
3. Schiedam, in South Holland, is famous for its jenever (Dutch gin). Jenever is produced
in a pot still and is typically lower in alcohol and more strongly flavoured than London
gin.
4. Beer maintained a healthy reputation as it was often safer to drink than unclean plain
water.
5. Gin on the other hand was blamed for various social and medical problems, and it may
have been factor in the high death rate that caused London’s previously increasing
population to remain stable.
6. The reputation of the two drinks was illustrated by William Hogarth in his engravings
Beer Street and Gin Lane (1751).
7. This negative reputation of gin survives today in the English language in terms like “gin-
mills” to describe disreputable bars or “gin-soaked” to refer to drunkards, and in the
phrase “Mother’s Ruin”, a common British term for Gin.
8. In London, The Gin Act of 1736 imposed high taxes on retailers but led to riots in the
streets. The prohibitive duty was gradually reduced and finally abolished in 1742.
9. The Gin act of 1751, was more successful, however. It forced distillers to sell only to
licensed retailers and brought gin-shops under the justification of local magistrates.
10. Gin in the 18th century was produced in pot stills, and was somewhat sweeter that the
London gin known today.
11. In London in the early eighteenth century, gin sold on the black market was prepared in
illicit stills and was often adulterated with turpentine and sulphuric acid.
12. In 1812 column sill was invented and the “London dry” style was developed later in the
19th century.
13. In tropical English Colonies, gin was used to mask the bitter flavour of quinine, a
protection against malaria, which was dissolved in carbonated water to form tonic
water. This was the origin of today’s popular gin and tonic cocktail (a shot of gin over
ice and top up with tonic water and a slice of lemon or lime).
 Type of Gin

1. London dry gin. London dry because this type of gin originated in London and it has dry
or less or no sweetness. It is made by taking a neutral grain spirit and redistilling after
the botanicals are added.
2. Sloe gin. Is a common ready-sweetened form of gin that is traditionally made by
infusing sloes in gin.
3. Plymouth Gin. Is clear, slightly fruity, full-bodied gin that is very aromatic.
4. Dutch gin/Jenever – Jenever is a juniper flavoured and a strong in alcohol traditional
liquor of the Netherlands and Belgium, where gin evolved and developed.

There are two types of Jenever:

1. “Oude” (Old)- Oude jenever must contain at least 15% malt liquor but not more than
20 grams of sugar per liter. In modern times jenever distilled from grain and malt only
is labelled Graanjenever.
2. “Jonge” (Young)- the new style, which contains more grain instead of malt and can
even contain plain sugar – based alcohol. It contains no more than 15% malt wine and
10 grams of sugar per liter.
 Dutch – based Lucas Bols produces and sells oude genever, known as ginebra in
Spanish.
 American gin- similar to Dutch but it is twice distilled and flavoured with juniper
berries.

Popular Brand of Gin

Value Brands: Premium Brands: Super - premium Brands:

Aristocrats - United States - 80 Broker's London Dry - England - Bafferts - England - 80 proof
proof 94 proof
Barton London Extra Dry - Boodies London Dry - England - Junipero - United States - 97
United States - 80 proof 90.4 proof proof
Taaka Dry - United States - 80 Beefeater - England - 80 proof Bulldog - England - 80 proof
proof
Booth's London Dry - England - Bombay Dry - London - 80 proof Tanqueray No. Ten - England -
90 proof 94.6 proof
Glenmore London Dry - United Tanquery London Dry - England Martin Miller's London Dry -
States - 80 proof - 94.6 proof England - 80 proof
McCormick Dry - United States - Tanquery Rangpur - England - Cascade Mountain - United
80 proof 8.6 proof States - 95 proof
Fleischmann Extra Dry - United Beefeater wet - England - 70 Mercury London Dry - England -
States proof 94 proof
Gordon's United Dry - United Tower of London - England - 80 Van Gogh - Holland - 89 proof
States - 80 proof proof
Seagram' Extra Dry - United Bombay Sapphire - England - 94 Zuidam - Holland - 89 proof
States - 80 proof proof
Burnett's London Dry - United Hedrick's - Scotland - 88 proof Kensington London Dry -
States - 80 proof Scotland - 94.4 proof
Cascade Mountain - United
 States - 95 proof
Old Raj - England - 110 proof

IX. Grain Based: Whisky/Whiskey

 Whisky or Whiskey. It refers to broad category of alcoholic beverages that are distilled
from fermented grain mash and aged in oak barrels or casks. Different grains are use for
different varities or type of whisky/whiskey, including barley, malted barley, wheat and maize
(or corn).
 Whisky originated from Scotland and Whiskey from Ireland. It came from Scottish and
Irish term Uisegebaugh and Uisegebeatha which was cut into Uisge and later on into Whisky or
Whiskey. Today, aside from Scotch whisky and Irish whiskey other countries also produces
similar products. America produces whiskey and whisky from Canada.

Scotch Wiskies - are generally distilled twice and matured for at least three years in oak casks.

 Type of Scotch whisky:

1. Malt Whisky is a whisky made entirely from malted barley and distilled in an onion –
shaped pot still.
2. Single Malt whisky is from a single distillery, but will usually contain whisky from many
casks.
3. Grain Whisky is made from unmalted barley (and even other grains), usually in a
continuous “patent” or column still.
4. Blended Whiskies are the cheaper whiskies made from a mixture of Malt and Grain
whiskies.

Irish whiskeys – are generally distilled three times and must be aged in wooden casks for a
period of not less than three years.

 Types
1. Single malt whiskey made from 100% malted barley distilled in a pot still.
2. Grain whiskey made from grains distilled in a column still. Grain whiskey is much lighter
and more neutral in flavour than single malt and is almost never bottled as a single grain. It
is instead used to blend with the single malt to produce a lighter blended whiskey.
3. Pure pot still whiskey (100% barley, both malted and unmalted, distilled in a pot still).
The “green” unmalted barley gives the pure pot still whiskey a spicy, uniquely Irish quality.
Like single malt, pure pot still is sold or blended with grain whiskey.

Canadian whiskies - Canadian whiskies have the regulatory requirement of being aged for at
least three years in a cask or barrel.

American whiskey – includes both straights and blends types.

Types of American whiskey

Bourbon, which must be at least 51% corn (maize);

Rye, which must be at least 51% rye, and

 Corn, which must be at least 80% corn.

Popular Brands of Whiskey

Irish Whiskey:

Powers – 80 proof Tullamore Dew 12 year – 80 proof

Bushmulls – 80 proof Black Bush – 80 proof

Kilbeggan – 80 proof Jameson 18 year – 80 proof

Jamesin – 80 proof Bushmilles 1608 – 92 proof

Tullamore Dew – 80 proof Midleton Very Rare – 80 proof

Clontarf Single Malt – 80 proof

Single – Malt Scotch:

Bowmore Legend – 80 proof Ardberg 10 years – 92 years

Deanston 12 year – 86 proof Glendronach 12 year – 80 proof

Aberlour 10 year – 86 proof Bruuchladdich 15 year – 92 proof

Highland Park 12 year – 86 proof Glenfarclas 25 year – 86 proof

Glenlivet 12 year – 80 proof Macallan 25 year – 86 proof

Macallan 12 year – 86 proof

Blended Scotch:

Cutty Sark – 80 proof Famous Grouse – 80 proof

Grant’s 8 year – 80 proof Chivas 18 year – 80 proof

Dewars White Label – 80 proof J & B Ultima – 86 proof

J & B – 80 proof Johnnie Walker Blue Label – 80 proof

Chivas 12 year – 80 proof Ballantine’s 30 year – 80 proof

Johnnie Walker Black Label – 80 proof

Bourbon: Knob Creek Small Batch – 100 proof

Benchmark – 80 proof

Ancient Age – 80 proof Maker’s Mark – 90 proof

Jim Beam – 80 proof Woodford Reserve – 90.4 proof

Wild Turkey – 101 proof Blanton’s Single Barrel – 93 proof

Jim Beam Black Label – 86 proof Old Rip Van Winkle 15year – 107 proof
Booker’s Small Batch – 125.3 proof

AH Hirsch 16year – 91.6 proof

Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 20 years -

90.4 proof

Tennessee Whiskey:

Gentleman Jack – 80 proof

George Dickel #12 – 90 proof

Jack Daniels Old No.7 Black Label – 80 proof

George Dickel Special Barrel – 86 proof

Jack Daniel Single Barrel – 94 proof

Rye Whiskey:

Old Overholt – 80 proof

Jim Beam Rye – 80 proof

Wild Turkey Rye – 101 proof

Anchor Old Potrero 18th Century Style – 125.1

proof

AH Hirsch 21 year – 93 proof

Canadian Whiskey:

Canadian Mist – 80 proof

Black Velvet – 80 proof

Canadian Club Classic 12 year – 80 proof

Seagram’s VO – 80 proof

Forty Creek Three Grain – 80 proof

Crown Royal – 80 proof

Tangle Ridge Double Cask – 80 proof

Wiser Deluxe 18 year – 80 proof

Crown Royal Special Reserve – 80 proof