If whiskey is...

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Dmntd

NewBee
Registered Member
Apr 18, 2005
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beer which has been distilled then oak aged.

Why wouldn't oaking Rye or Barley vodka make whiskey?

Dmntd
 
regulations. FDA probably has some regulation about what can and cannot distilled, oaked, and labeled "whiskey". In theory, though, I suppose the two would be more or less indiscernable except to the very well trained palate.
It may also have something to do with the actual distillation process. This part I'm not too sure about, but I know that different liquors are distilled differently, taking out select portions of the run. Eau de Vie and grappa, for example, take a very long portion of the body to get out a lot of flavor. Some liquors specifically include fusels to some exent for flavor. I'm no vodka/whiskey expert, but it's possible they could be distilled differently.
 
I think bourbon-whiskey is made with different ingredients (mixed corns, rye, and malted barley) and then fermented. Once the fermentation is done they have what is called "distiller's beer" and then they run it into the distiller.

The first run is called "low-wine" and is run again and yields "high-wine" or "white-dog" or "green-whiskey"

The yield from that run is water clear. The color and much of the flavor comes from the aging time in charred oak barrels. The longer it sits in the barrels, the more flavor is leeched from the wood, yadda yadda. Under the law, to be labeled and sold as "straight bourbon" it has be aged in new, charred oak barrels for at least two years.

That's about what I know of bourbon-whiskey. The process and definitions are different for Tennessee whiskey, Canadian Whiskey, Rye Whiskey, Blended Whiskey, etc.

cheers,

Oskaar