[Sca-cooks] Scotch vs. Irish whiskey

[pandoraf at verizon.net]

as they're both made out of barley, the difference in taste depends on one or more of the following:
--blends or single malt...the typical Jameson's is a blend, compare with Dewar's or Famous Grouse. Scotch is better known for the quality of the single malts, and although I have had an excellent Jameson single malt, I think Irish whisky is more commonly made as a blend.
--where the whisk(e)y was made...the character of the water used makes a difference, for example (in some areas, the water is peatier, in some it may be flavored by other things like what flora grows nearby). consider the different tastes of Speyside Scotch single malts to Lowland to Highland to Islay, etc.
--what flame source was used...peat for Scotch is the obvious one.
--cask wood (sherry, port, madeira casks have been discussed)
--length of aging
--for blends, what the combination is and how it's achieved

obviously, all of these things would be applicable for comparing one Scotch to another. what a fun tasting it would be to compare both single malts and blends from Scotland and Ireland!

what gets me is that American or Canadian "whiskey" isn't typically made with barley, so if one isn't careful what one says to an North American bartender, you could end up with one of those sweet, cloying things made of rye or corn.

> 
> From: Stefan li Rous <StefanliRous at austin.rr.com>
> Date: 2004/07/07 Wed PM 10:36:19 PDT
> To: SCA-Cooks maillist SCA-Cooks <SCA-Cooks at ansteorra.org>
> Subject: [Sca-cooks] Scotch vs. Irish whiskey
> 
> > cailte
> > who loves scotch but not irish whiskey.... go figger
> Huh? Okay, how do they differ in taste? Or is this a political 
> statement?
> 
> Stefan
> --------
> THLord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
>     Mark S. Harris           Austin, Texas          
> StefanliRous at austin.rr.com
> **** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****
> 
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Crinoc Triall
Barony of Aquaterra

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Pandora Fitzpatrick
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