Indian Economy: Growth -2

[Naresh]

<!--QuoteBegin-rraajjeevv+Aug 19 2006, 11:12 PM-->QUOTE(rraajjeevv @ Aug 19 2006, 11:12 PM)<!--QuoteEBegin-->Indian brewer looking over Tchenguiz's Whyte & Mackay

The association has argued his "whiskies" are distilled from molasses <b>rather than malt</b> and are not whiskies at all.
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<b>rraajjeevv Ji :</b>

The above statement is not entirely correct.

<b>Scotch Whisky :</b>

1. Malt Whisky : 100% Barley Malt : Distilled to about 80% Alcohol Content. I believe now the Alcohol Content of the Ditillate is being reduce – some Malt Whiskies are being distilled at around 60-70% but I have no confirmation.

2. Grain Whisky : about 75-80% Grain + 20-25% BarleyMalt : Distilled to about 96% Alcohol content.

3. Blended : It is a Blend of Malt & Grain Whiskies. The more the Malt Whisky content of the Blend the Higher its Preium Level i.e. JW Black Label contains more Malt Whisky Content than JW Red Label and JW Blue Label contains more Malt Whisky Content than JW Black Label

<b>Indian Whisky :</b>

Until a few years ago Indian Distilleries distilled Malt Whisky only for the Blended Trade except Solan No. 1 Malt. I don’t know if it is still being marketed. Lately two Indian Malt Whiskies have made a “Mark” i.e. Amrut and McDowell Single Malt. Thus the Indian Blended Whiskies are a Blend of Cane Alcohol + Malt Whisky.

The Indian Whisky distilleries take the Sugar Cane Alcohol and rectify it to 100% Alcohol content. At this stage the Whisky loses all the properties of Cane Alcohol i.e. it loses its Cane Aroma and Taste.

This 100% Rectified Indian Cane Spirit is then “Watered Down” and Blended with Indian Malt Whisky.

A decade or may be two ago the Scotch Distilleries realised that the Indian Whiskies – in their blended form – would wipe out the Scotch Whisky Trade. As such they had a “WTO or similar” Patent stating that Whisky would only be termed as such if it was Distilled from Grain. Malt is also Grain as it is the Barley Malt with Grain which is used both for the Grain Whiskies as well as 100% Barley Malt for the Malt Whiskies.

Now the Indian distilleries have started Distilling Grain Whiskies as well as Amrut and McDowell Single Malt are giving the Scotch Malt Whiskies a Run for their Money – The Scotch Malt Houses are fortunate that McDowell and Amrut are small operations but in a Decade or so there will a different tale to tell.

Note :

1. Whether Alcohol is of Cane Origin or Grain (Mainly Corn – Maize) Origin does not matter if the Distilling is done around 96% – 100%(Rectifying) as it has no Aroma or Taste attributable to its Origin.

The Colour or Taste of Scotch Blended Whisky (also Indian) is achieved by the addition of “Burnt Caramel which is made form Burnt Sugar” to the Whisky from the Cask as the Original Distillate is Colourless

2. American Whiskies – Bourbon, Corn, Tennessee or Rye whether Straight or Blended – are basically Grain Whiskies.

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