Can American whiskey really match up to its venerable Scot counterparts? Should you put aside your dram of Single Malt and give Bourbon a sip? Is there more to whiskey than the cachet of its age? Yes, yes and yes.
It is revelations like these that Shatbhi Basu had in store for us at a recent introductory session to American Whiskey, organised by the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS). Shatbhi is a veteran mixologist, bar consultant and the American whiskey ambassador to India, which, by her own admittance, is a very cool job.
Her session began with a brief history of spirit in America: the journey of whiskey in the United States, we quickly realised, ran parallel to the creation of the nation itself. It was introduced by Scottish and Irish migrants who quickly adapted their skills to the bounty of a new land – corn and rye.
Gradually, the whiskey began being matured in charred oak barrels and the ratio of grains was ratified, to become what we know as classic American Whiskey. Interestingly, the American constitution declares Bourbon Whiskey as a distinctive product of the United States and, said Shatbhi, “It is this constitutional cachet that drives distilleries to bottle a libation worth of American pride.”
Nirmal Kumar, Territory Manager for Brown Forman who own the Jack Daniel’s distilleries, said, “The market for American Whiskey is still very small in the city, where consumers remain loyal to brands of Scotch. Jack Daniel’s, for example, is more often than not consumed with Coca-Cola, an adolescent pairing.”For this reason, Shatbhi was resolute on convincing us that a dram of Bourbon is just as complex and nuanced as a 12-year-old Scotch, and deserves to be relished on its own merit. Her argument was compellingly scientific.
Having toured through the distilleries and whiskey-producing states of the United States like Kentucky and Tennessee, she talked about the hot summers and frigid winters of these regions. Are you wondering what climate has to do with whiskey? A lot, apparently. With the pedagogic charm of a favourite chemistry teacher, Shatbhi explained, “The real flavour and aroma in our drinks come from the wood it was matured in. Compounds in natural woods such as oak mimic flavours of vanilla, dark chocolate and a myriad of gourmand notes — notes that connoisseurs usually pay through the nose for. Therefore, it is the interaction of the whiskey with wood that is the key to its maturity.”
Swiftly moving from chemistry to physics, Shatbhi drove home her point. “The spirit expands into the wood during warm summers, and seeps back in when the temperature falls — after having imbibed all those things we love about it.”
Pointing to her presentation, she showed us a jagged line on the cut-out of a whiskey cask. “That line shows how deep the whiskey has penetrated into the wood. Compared to a cask of Scotch, this is at least three times further in.”
Her argument makes sense; in the chilly climes of Scotland, whiskey needs longer to mature. Shatbhi estimates that compared to Scotch, the age of an American whiskey ought to be multiplied by a factor of at least three. Therefore, technically, a four-year-old Bourbon can compare favourably with a 12-year-old Scotch.
She posed a finishing question: “Guess what happens to used Bourbon casks?” As it turns out, they are shipped to Scotland for maturing Single Malts. “Without bourbons, there would be no Single Malt!”
In the true spirit of a whiskey education session, the pours began and it was time for a little experiment. We responded enthusiastically as Shatbhi asked us to palm a drop of the Jim Beam White, rub it and take in the aroma – much like a cologne. My nose lit up as I smelled coffee, vanilla and liquorice. “All this from the humble four-year-old Jim Beam White, which you can buy for under Rs. 2,000.”
