What’s the difference?
This question can only be answered comprehensively. Whiskey and cognac are made from different raw materials, aged in barrels of different types of wood, have different strengths, and have different geographical requirements.
Shake it apart point by point, so that there are no questions left:
Used raw materials
Whiskey is made from grains such as barley, rye, corn, wheat and even buckwheat with rice.
Cognac – made from grapes allowed for this white varieties, such as Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche and Colombard.
Barrel aging
For whiskey, there are no clear requirements for aging. Used old, new barrels, barrels from different types of wood. This and the aging period are determined by the traditions of a particular country.
Cognac is aged in French oak barrels, while there are requirements for the age of the oak and the duration of exposure, which is at least 2 years.
Fortress
The strength of whiskey varies widely – from 35% vol. up to 60% vol. There are samples even stronger.
The strength of cognac should be no more and no less than 40% by volume, exceeding this level is allowed only with the permission of the “National Interprofessional Bureau of Cognac”, each case is considered individually.
Map
Whiskey is not subject to the law of any country. It is produced in many territories, while disputes still do not subside about who invented it – the Scots or the Irish.
Cognac is a protected denomination of origin. This means that only the drink that is produced in France, in the Cognac region, can be called cognac, subject to certain requirements. Any similar drink made in another region or country is called brandy.
Scotch Whiskey
It is a tradition in Scotland to smoke malt with peat smoke, which gives the whiskey strong notes of iodine and the sea.
Production Technologies
Whiskey can be distilled in apparatuses of various types and designs, including distillation columns. There are no requirements for the number of cycles – it can be one distillation (for example, in the USA), and two (for example, Scotland), and three (for example, Ireland).
Cognac is distilled exactly twice in the Charente still. In case of deviation from this rule, the drink is classified as brandy.
The nuances of aging in barrels
The variety of styles of whiskey is primarily due to the fact that barrels made of various types of wood are allowed for aging, as well as barrels in which other drinks were previously aged.
For example, it could be a new American white oak cask, which will give the whiskey a distinctive aroma of exotic fruits, freshly cut grass and vanilla.
Or an oak barrel of sherry – will add the taste of wilted berries, dried fruits and spices.
In addition, manufacturers often use such a technique as “finish exposure”. In this case, after a long exposure in the main barrel, the whiskey is poured for a relatively short time into another type of barrel, for example, from Oloroso or Sauternes. This adds even more flavor and aroma nuances to the profile of the drink.
In the case of cognac, the story is different. Only certain barrels, described above, are allowed to age, and it is extremely rare for manufacturers, more often for the sake of experiment, to carry out finishing exposure. Because of this, the range of styles in this drink is much narrower. However, due to a large number of strict requirements, cognac is always a quality product, the characteristics of which are most often predictable and unchanged from year to year.
Which is better?
This question cannot be answered due to too many differences between drinks.
Whiskey is a versatile drink that will be appropriate on many occasions.
Cognac is a more conservative and noble drink, which is preferable to drink in an appropriate setting.
The content of harmful impurities in whiskey and cognac is about the same, but the former has more fusel oil, which can aggravate a hangover if consumed excessively. There is no need to talk about the well-known beneficial properties of cognac, since the high alcohol content nullifies them.
Choose a drink to your liking and remember – there are no rules. Drink the way you like it.
Relevance: 23.06.2021
Metki: Whiskey and bourbon