What is a Good Whiskey

Asked very often, this question can never be answered 100%. As in art, it is also with the taste - one can argue about it excellently. Those who want to get to know the legendary drink better can grapple with this question. But it is not always easy to respond competently to this question. When in doubt, the following always applies: what tastes good is good. And what that is in the individual case depends on the preferences of the connoisseur and other factors such as previous consumption of sweet or sour dishes. Enjoying a cigar or a fine piece of chocolate can also significantly change the (personally perceived) taste.

Nevertheless, the question "What is good whiskey?" It can at least be narrowed down using a few criteria.

If you are looking for a good whiskey, you should not necessarily pay attention to the label's presentation. Of course, it is also a visual pleasure to look at a beautifully designed bottle, possibly still in elegant packaging. True whiskey connoisseurs are not lured out of reserve by this. It is also difficult to identify a good whiskey by its price. This is because the range is extensive and starts at a few euros. Depending on the drink's exclusivity, it goes up to a few hundred or - in individual cases - even several thousand euros. The external presentation and the price structure are therefore not mandatory clues for the question of what characterizes a good whiskey.

Origin of the whisk(e)y

An initial assessment of the quality can be the origin. As a rule, it is interesting areas that make a good whiskey. In Scotland, for example, it is the steep sea coasts, on the slopes of which there are some small distilleries. Barrels stored there retain the aroma of the rough sea air. Salty notes can then be found in the whiskey. Ireland's peaty areas are just as high-quality, giving the golden-yellow juice a smoky, sometimes slightly musty character. It is, therefore, the region with its special climate that characterizes a good whiskey. Whiskey (with "e") comes from Ireland, America or the rest of the world and doesn't necessarily taste worse, but different. This is because it goes through a different distillation method, consists of different basic ingredients, and sometimes matures in a completely different climate. The missing "e" in the name is by no means an indication of a Scottish or even better whiskey.

Name of the distillery

Scotland and Ireland have the greatest tradition in whiskey production - professionals argue in actual chronological order. The experience of the distilleries and thus also the quality of the products is correspondingly great. A single malt Scotch whiskey comes from a single distillery. The few exceptions to this rule are for advanced users. Well-known brand names such as Ballantine's, Johnnie Walker and Co. are either a blend (blend with cheaper grain whiskey) or, at most, a vatted or pure malt (blend of several single malts). Unfortunately, caution is also advisable here: since many distilleries have similar names (just search for "Glen"), unknown distilleries advertise with very similar-sounding fantasy names.