A LESSON IN: WHISKEY

FFROM WINE TO WHISKEY, THERE IS A SOMMELIER

FOR THAT. WHO KNEW THAT WHISKEY HAS SO MUCH MORE TO IT THAN THE AVERAGE TASTER THOUGHT? ARIANNE PRINA KING, THE WHISKEY SOMMELIER AT HIGH WEST DISTILLERY FOR THE PAST EIGHT YEARS, FOR ONE.

WITH A BACKGROUND IN WINE, KING REALIZED WHEN SHE MOVED TO PARK CITY THAT SHE WAS CLOSER TO A DISTILLERY THAN TO A WINERY, SO SHE SHIFTED GEARS. SHE HAS BEEN LEARNING EVERY NUANCE OF THE SPIRIT EVER SINCE, AND SHARES SOME FACTS, FAVORITES AND HOW TO TASTE IT.

DECODING WHISKEY

Generally speaking, whiskey is the catch-all name used to describe a spirit that is made from a distilled grain and matured in oak barrels. “I always get asked the difference between whiskey, bourbon and Scotch,” says King. “The main distinction is the primary ingredient. For bourbon, that means corn. Rye is built on rye, and most single malts are made from barley.”

Scotch is whiskey that is produced in Scotland, similarly to Irish whiskey and Canadian rye, which come from the countries designated.

The United States primarily looks at what is in the bottle, King explains, while in Scotland, Canada, Ireland and Japan, it is more about the region it’s from rather than the grain it’s made with.

ALL ABOUT THE GRAINS

Corn usually makes a sweeter liquor, while rye tends to be spicier and barley lighter, says King. To be designated a bourbon, the spirit must be 51% corn, versus rye, which needs to derive from 51% rye. Both need at least two years in a barrel but often mature for up to 10.

FUN FACT In Canada, it’s not whiskey until it has spent three years in a barrel.

One barrel (no matter the size of the barrel) designates a “small batch” name. You can typically get 250 750-milliliter bottles out of one 53-gallon American oak barrel.

FUN FACT

FUN FACT Whiskey (in the United States and Ireland) is spelled “whisky” in Japan and Scotland.

HOW TO TASTE

> With a higher alcohol content than wine, which can be easily sipped, whiskey needs to be approached more carefully. King walks us through the best way to do it.

> First, here is a don’t: swill. Instead, curl the glass slowly and coat the inside of it with the whiskey so that when you get closer, it doesn’t kick up the alcohol into your face.

> Wave the glass back and forth below your chin to get the scent without having it hit you too hard.

> Open your mouth, but breathe through your nose when you take a sip.

> Remember: It is really just food in a glass. Whiskey still holds a lot of the flavor characteristics of what it is made from.

> If your palate is getting tired and you can’t smell or taste the difference while doing a whiskey tasting, smell your clothes and then go back to it.

> First, taste the drink, and if you need it to mellow a bit, use a pipette to add a couple drops of water to smooth it out . FUN FACT The evaporation of alcohol from a whiskey barrel during maturation is referred to as the “angel’s share.” While most production loses 2–3%, the dry weather in Park City causes 8–10% to evaporate from the barrels of whiskey aged here.

HIGH WEST’S SISTERÉ

• 1 1/2 ounces High West Rendezvous Rye • 1/2 ounce Lustau Amontillado Sherry • 1/2 ounce Aperol • 1/2 ounce Samos Muscat • 3 dashes orange bitters • lemon peel

Mix the first 5 ingredients together. Express 30 DISHINGJH.COM the lemon over the glass to release the oils in the skin, and rub the peel around the rim.

Pour ingredients into a chilled glass and stir. The drink is not served with ice.

ABOUT HIGH WEST

In 2006, High West became Park City’s first legal distillery since 1870. They now blend several ages and grains, including favorites like the American Prairie bourbon, Double Rye!, and even bottled barrel-finished cocktails.

In addition to the distillery, located just outside of Park City in Wanship, which offers tours, a restaurant and tastings, and the popular saloon in town, the Nelson Cottage is a great way to experience all that High West offers. A prix fixe menu and whiskey pairings are overseen by one of the saloon’s whiskey sommeliers.

“People aren’t as familiar with pairing whiskey with food,” says King. “Whiskey’s alcohol content is high, but it is really crisp, like an acidic wine or biting a lemon. It acts as a palate cleanser and gets you ready for your next bite of food.”

PAIRING WHISKEY

King suggests whiskey is best served with fattier foods, such as cheese and barbecue. It will become more tart when paired with something sweet. Things that have a very pungent flavor on their own, such as truffles, can be more difficult to pair.

“With rye, anything can be paired,” she says. “If I have something that has a char or is grilled, I gravitate toward bourbon.” She suggests playing around with the flavors in order to find what your tongue likes. “I like Scotch with sushi. It brings out some awesome characteristics.”

FUN FACT Whiskey derives from a Gaelic word that translates to “water of life.”

“Your efforts were exemplary and I’m thankful for your efforts coupled to the commitment to meet our goals as well!” — JOHN