Whisky Assessment
1.What is the original meaning of the word “whisky” in Classical Gaelic?
a)Alcohol
b)Water
c)Wine
2.Whiskey is typically aged in wooden casks made of which type of wood?
a)White oak
b)Redwood
c)Maple
3.Which part of the population in Europe created the earliest types of whisky?
a)Soldiers
b)Farmers
c)Monks
4.In the early stages of production, whisky is basically similar to which type of alcoholic drink?
a)Beer
b)Vodka
c)Wine
5.What is the benefit of blended Scotch whisky over single-malt Scotch whisky?
a)Higher alcohol content
b)Well-rounded flavour
c)More bitterness
6.What is the minimum alcohol content in most whiskies?
a)Around 30%
b)Around 40%
c)Around 50%
7.Scotch whisky is often distilled in a container constructed from which material?
a)Copper
b)Lead
c)Iron
8.What does a whisky neat mean?
a)Straight whisky without any mixer
b)Whisky with an ice cube
c)Whisky with several drops of water
9.What was the most popular kind of whisky in the US before the Prohibition?
a)Bourbon whisky
b)Rye whisky
c)Irish whisky
10.Which ingredient accounts for up to 51% of Bourbon whisky?
a)Corn
b)Wheat
c)Barley
11.What does an angle’s share mean?
a)The amount of whisky left after the maturation process
b)The amount of alcohol for the Gods
c)The amount of alcohol evaporated while ageing
12.Bourbon whisky is originated from which country?
a)The United States
b)Ireland
c)Germany
13.What do we call ground malt barley?
a)Wort
b)Wheesht
c)Grist
14.What occurs during the malting process?
a)Damp barley is spread on the ground for germination
b)Barley is roasted before brewing
c)Barley is soaked in sugar
15.When whisky leaves the cask right after ageing, how strong is it?
a)From 15% to 20%
b)From 60% to 65%
c)From 80% to 85%
16.To distil whisky, you first need to make which kind of alcoholic drink?
a)Mead
b)Beer
c)Pulque
17.Whisky is believed to have been distilled first in which country?
a)Scotland
b)England
c)Ireland
18.Which grain is the main ingredient in malt Scotch whisky?
a)Corn
b)Wheat
c)Barley
19.What does “barrel strength” or “cask strength” mean on the label a whiskey bottle?
a)The whisky was aged with oak
b)The producer did not dilute whisky with water
c)The whisky is more than 30 years old
20.Which of the following brands is an Irish whisky?
a)Johnnie Walker
b)Jameson
c)Jim Beam
21.From the perspective of experts, what is the best way to drink whisky?
a)With Coke
b)With added flavours
c)Without anything
22.What is the minimum permitted period of maturity for Scotch whisky in oak casks?
a)3 years
b)4 years
c)5 years
23.Which step during the process of whisky distillation produces the Wort, also known as sugar solution?
a)Malting
b)Mashing
c)Fermentation
24.In which country is the oldest licensed distillery of whisky?
a)The United States
b)Ireland
c)Russia
25.In which countries the term “whiskey” is used in replacement of “whisky”?
a)England and Scotland
b)The United States and Ireland
c)Canada and New Zealand
26.What is the minimum ageing time of most Bourbon whiskey?
a)1 year
b)2 year
c)No ageing time
27.Which of the following is a well-known variety of whiskey from the USA?
a)Californian whiskey
b)Washington whiskey
c)Tennessee whiskey
28.Which was the first distillery to be established in Dufftown?
a)Glenfiddich
b)Dufftown
c)Convalmore
d)Pittyvaich
e)Mortlach
29.Which region is famed for its typical style of peaty, smoky whiskies?
a)The Highlands
b)The Lowlands
c)Islay
d)Speyside
30.The term "whisky" is actually the anglicised shortening of the gaelic "Uisge beatha". What did uisge beatha mean?
a)Water from heaven
b)Heaven's dew
c)Water of life
d)Barley spirit
e)Moonshine
f)Golden medicine
31.Notwithstanding any limited editions or special releases, which of the Johnnie Walker range regularly carries a 12 year old age statement?
a)Black Label
b)Gold Label Reserve
c)Red Label
d)Blue Label
e)Green Label
32.What's an angel's share?
a)The amount of alcohol kept aside for tasting.
b)Amount of alcohol lost to evaporation while ageing.
c)The amount of alcohol offered up to the Gods.
d)The leftovers after the alcohol is bottled.
33.Does whiskey have a real colour?
a)It's originally a golden brown from all the sugar fermentation.
b)Yes, it's liquid gold.
c)It's really colourless and only gets its colour from the barrel it's aged in.
d)It's different shades of golden.
34.What is 'malting'?
a)The process of converting grain into sugar to make alcohol.
b)Bottling a malt whiskey.
c)It's a fermentation process.
d)The act of drinking a neat malt whiskey.
35.True or False: Whiskey can last forever.
a)Unfortunately, this is a misconception. If aged & unopened for too long, the alcohol ferments further and turns poisonous.
b)Yes, it can last forever but continues to matures with each year it remains bottled and unopened.
c)Yes, it can. Unlike wine, once bottled whiskey doesn't mature. So, my 12-yr-old whiskey can remain 12 even if opened after 100 years.
d)I just want my damn whiskey.
36.What is maturation?
a)Putting spirits into casks over a duration of time to blend with the wood compounds to give it a characteristic flavour.
b)The process of maturing.
c)When the sugar starts turning into alcohol.
d)Putting the alcohol into the copper vessels for distilling.
37.How should you store an unopened bottle of whiskey?
a)In the fridge, to be taken out only when ready to open.
b)In a cool and dry place, away from sunlight.
c)In normal temperature, based on weather conditions.
d)In a sunlit room, but with cool temperatures.
38.What is peated whiskey?
a)Whiskey with a smoky aroma, owing to it being dried over peat fire.
b)Whiskey that is slightly burned over wood while being matured.
c)Whiskey that is matured in barrels in Scotland.
d)Whiskey with a bit of charred wood added for flavour.
39.What's the minimum aging time for bourbon?
a)There isn't one.
b)18 months
c)9 months
40.Wheat whiskeys are one of the most common whiskeys in North America.
a)true
b)false
41.What's the minimum aging process for straight bourbon?
a)1 year
b)2 years
c)3 years
42.Put the following distilleries in order of their traditional use of peat, from lightest to heaviest: (1) Highland Park (2) Talisker (3) Laphroaig (4) Glenmorangie.
a)1, 3, 4, 2
b)4, 2, 1, 3
c)3, 2, 4, 1
d)2, 4, 3, 1
43.In the ageing of Scotch, which of the following is NOT an intended consequence?
a)Introduction of sulphur
b)Evaporation
c)Coloration
d)Imparting of flavour
44.Which of the following is NOT a stage in the malting process?
a)Kilning
b)Germinating
c)Tunning
d)Steeping
45.Which of these terms refers to the 40-gallon container traditionally used for whisky?
a)Barrel
b)Puncheon
c)Hogshead
d)Octave
46.Which of these accurately describes the relationship between first and second distillation?
a)Some leading distilleries omit the second distillation for their main bottling.
b)The second distillation begins when the alcohol from the first distillation is at 5% or more.
c)The second stage further concentrates and purifies the spirit.
d)Only the second distillation uses worm tubs.
47.If a distiller chooses to have a short fermentation, their final spirit will have a pronounced __________ character.
a)fruity
b)floral
c)spicy
d)malty
48.The terms "new make,""white dog" and "clearic" all refer to:
a)Bottled but unlabeled whisk(e)y
b)Newly distilled spirit
c)Matured but not yet bottled whisk(e)y
d)A disappointing spirit
49.In the 1930s, which distillery started the use of triple-distillation in Irish whiskey:
a)Midleton
b)Tullamore
c)Cooley
d)Bushmills
50.Which is the previous step of whisky distillation
a)produces the Wort, also known as sugar solution.
b)Malting
c)Mashing
d)Fermentation
51.Which chemical compounds contribute to the roasted character of whiskey?
a)Carbonyl
b)Sulfur
c)Fatty acids
52.Whisky distillation in Scotland can trace its roots back to the early Celts, although it's unlikely we would recognise or enjoy the fiery spirit they produced. This early spirit was known by what Gaelic name?
a)aqua vitae.
b)Té Bheag
c)Poit Dhubh
d)uisge beatha
53.Whisky distilling soon proved popular in Scotland and became part of the social life. However, in the 17th Century, whisky production was driven underground - why?
a)Whisky was banned in Scotland
b)Beer became very popular
c)Taxes on malt and whisky were introduced.
d)The English started producing whisky
54.Whisky production had so far only been of malt whisky and in small amounts. However, in 1831 the Patent Still was invented which allowed a continuous distillation process and thus enabled the introduction of grain whisky. Who invented the new still?
a)James Naysmith
b)David Dunbar Buick
c)John Loudon McAdam
d)Aeneas Coffey
55.The whisky distillation process comprises 5 steps. Which step produces the sugar solution known as the Wort?
a)Distillation
b)Malting
c)Mashing
d)Fermentation
56.What type of previously used oak casks are most preferred for the maturation process?
a)Sherry
b)Beer
c)Port
d)Cognac
57.Which is the oldest of these single malt whisky distilleries?
a)Glenlivet
b)Glenmorangie
c)Bowmore
d)Glenfiddich
58.Many whisky distilleries have distinctive names that even Scots find difficult to pronounce. How would you pronounce the name of this Islay single malt - Laphroaig?
a)La froyg
b)La fraig
c)La proyg
d)Laf proyg