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Spirits

Spirits (Distilled Alcoholic Beverages) Classification

1. Whiskey/Whisky

  • Scotch Whisky:
    • Single Malt – Made from malted barley at a single distillery
    • Blended Scotch – Mixture of malt and grain whiskies
    • Single Grain – Made from grains other than malted barley
  • Bourbon:
    • Must be made in the USA from at least 51% corn
    • Kentucky Bourbon – Made specifically in Kentucky
    • Tennessee Whiskey – Similar to bourbon but charcoal filtered
  • Irish Whiskey:
    • Single Pot Still – Made from malted and unmalted barley
    • Single Malt – Similar to Scotch single malt
    • Blended Irish Whiskey
  • Other Types:
    • Canadian Whisky – Often called “Rye Whisky”
    • Japanese Whisky – Modeled after Scotch tradition
    • Rye Whiskey – Made from at least 51% rye

2. Vodka

  • By Base Material:
    • Grain vodka (wheat, rye, corn)
    • Potato vodka
    • Grape vodka
    • Sugar beet vodka
  • By Production Style:
    • Traditional (unflavored)
    • Flavored vodka
    • Premium/luxury vodka

3. Gin

  • Styles:
    • London Dry Gin
    • Plymouth Gin
    • Old Tom Gin
    • Genever (Dutch-style gin)
    • Contemporary/New Western Gin

4. Rum

  • By Color:
    • White/Silver Rum
    • Golden/Amber Rum
    • Dark/Black Rum
  • By Style:
    • Spanish-style (Ron)
    • English-style
    • French-style (Rhum Agricole)
    • Spiced Rum

5. Tequila

  • Categories:
    • Blanco/Silver (unaged)
    • Reposado (aged 2-12 months)
    • Añejo (aged 1-3 years)
    • Extra Añejo (aged over 3 years)

6. Brandy

  • Types:
    • Cognac (from Cognac, France)
    • Armagnac (from Armagnac, France)
    • Spanish Brandy
    • American Brandy
    • Fruit Brandies (Eau de vie)

7. Other Spirits

  • Mezcal:
    • Traditional Mexican spirit made from agave
    • Various types based on agave species used
  • Baijiu:
    • Chinese grain spirit
    • Different aroma categories
  • Soju/Shochu:
    • Korean Soju
    • Japanese Shochu
  • Liqueurs:
    • Herbal liqueurs
    • Cream liqueurs
    • Fruit liqueurs
    • Coffee liqueurs

Note: Most spirits typically contain 35-50% alcohol by volume (ABV), though this can vary significantly depending on the specific product and category.