Some Odd Whiskey Grains Exist In The World

Oat Whiskey

In the United States, oat is more common where a number of distilleries add it in the mash. Adds range from 15%, giving an ‘Irish style’ to The Emerald whiskey from Oregon’s Ransom distillery, to 100% oat of Stone Barn and Koval whiskeys. Intermediate amounts of oat are widely used as well in Tennessee-based microdistillery Corsair’s blend of coffee malt & oats Oatrage and with Signature Craft Harvest Collection from Jim Beam.

Taste is fantastic with creaminess added to notes of caramel and a creamy finish. Oat whiskey ages mainly in American oak for at least three years. Some brands got an organic label, like the 100 % oat Koval 80 proof single barrel while High West Distillery distills an unaged new make oat whiskey (85% oats and 15% barley malt) with a very unique and incredibly smooth taste.

 Buckwheat spirits

Only a few varieties are available, although a recent development in Europe and Canada allowing a complete dispersal around the globe of this plant was achieved in 2006. Currently in development, new varieties in the US will relay the relative low availability of certified seeds. This plant is not sensitive to common plant pests.

It outperforms most small grain plants thanks to its adaptability to low-fertility soils like in Brittany (French blé noir or sarrasin). There, people uses buckwheat grains for long times instead of conventional wheat used in other French regions. Gluten free, the flour comes with a high nutritional value containing omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, minerals, vitamins, polyphenols and aromatic compounds in high amounts, making this grain unique for its contribution to the aromatic profile of final products.

Hence, for a distiller, buckwheat offers the perspective to produce distilled spirits with odd aromas, with the drawback being of a low yield – about two-fold less than with barley.

Marketed whiskies made from buckwheat grains are available in Europe (France – Brittany). La Distillerie des Menhirs has been producing whisky since 1999. Whisky Eddu Silver, released in 2002, is the first ever-worldwide 100 % buckwheat whisky. This distillery uses local ground water and 2 Cognacais stills of 25 hl. It ages in 100% French wood casks (350 L), either in used Cognac casks or in new casks made with wood of oaks from the Breton Brocéliande forest.

This 100 % buckwheat whisky gives a nose of complex fruity notes of citrus, grilled hazelnut, combined with floral rose and heather notes. Additional fruity notes reminiscent of apple, orange peels, stewed apricot add complexity with spicy notes of cinnamon and nutmeg.

Another French distillery, la Roche-aux-Fées, distills an organic new make from rye, wheat, barley and buckwheat Ki Gwenn. Finally, a third distillery, Naguelann, produces a blend (Mesk in Breton language). Mesk Tantad is a whisky blend of spirits from three different distilleries.  (1) 50% malted barley whisky from the Naguelann distillery aged 18 months, (2) 25% malted barley whisky of a 3 to 5 years old from the Warenghem distillery and (3) 25% of a 3 to 5 years old whisky 100 % Buckwheat from la Distillerie des Menhirs.