Whisky
Can it be spelled with either an “e” or without it? The reality is, “whisky” and “whiskey” are both correct, and it’s pretty easy to remember which spelling is correct. All American and Irish whiskey is spelled with an “e”. All other whisky, especially Scotch (from Scotland) is spelled without an “e”. So, when you are browsing a whisky online store, make sure to check to check if you are buying whiskey or whisky. (Both are delicious, so don’t worry about that!)
All whisky is made using grain as a base. The 4 most commonly used grains are: Barley, Rye, Corn and Wheat. (But there are some whiskies made with more unique grains such as quinoa, brown rice, millet and oats!) The chosen grain(s) are mixed with water and yeast, heated and stirred. This mixture is called the whisky mash, and is naturally fermented to produce a natural alcohol called ethanol.
Next is distillation, which takes the alcohol, heats it up to boiling point – and turns it into a vapour. The vapour is cooled and collected – the resulting liquid is much purer than the original alcohol and had many impurities removed by the process. It is also much now much more alcoholic J
Once whisky makers have this pure alcohol liquid or “not-yet-whisky” or “moonshine”, the magic happens in the whisky store. But first the liquid is put in a barrel (or cask) to age. Sometimes these barrels are new or “first fill”, and sometimes they have had other liquid in them previously, such as sherry or wine. Another element that is considered is the type of wood. Traditionally Oak is the most commonly used, but with the expansion of new whisky producers around the world, materials such as Mizunara from Japan have become very popular.
The whisky store is now critical. Will the barrel be stored in a cold damp vast shed in the Scottish Highlands or a warm and cosy barn on the open plains of Tennessee? A whisky store can change the flavour of resulting whisky dramatically, with the liquid taking on the characteristics of the environment. Aside from the raw ingredients, wood and method – the whisky store has a big impact on the final flavour of any whisky.
The whisky can rest in the whisky store for anywhere from 2 years to 60 years and more. Different governing bodies (for example the Scottish Whisky Association in Scotland) have different requirements if a whisky wants to be classified under a certain banner. For example, Single Malt Scotch whisky must be aged in a whisky store for a minimum of 3 years, be made from malted barley, distilled using a pot still and be aged in oak casks.
Which whisky in Hong Kong to buy is down to your personal taste and your personal requirements. It’s true not all whiskies are made equal, but just because your friend loves a strong, peaty (smoky) whisky from Islay, doesn’t mean you will. When browsing a whisky online store, check to see if the menu allows you to select different categories of whisky. By far the largest categories you’ll find will be Scottish or American. If you are looking for something more traditional for your whisky delivery, especially for a gift for someone of an older generation, it is safer to go with a Scottish Single Malt whisky. But if your whisky delivery is going to be a gift for a younger, trendier individual, they might prefer an American whisky.
There are many ways to invest in whisky these days. You might simply use a whisky online store and do your own research to determine which fits your budget and requirements. If you are looking for whisky delivery, this may be the best option. However, if you want to authenticate the bottle before you buy it, you might try to find a physical whisky store. Other options for whisky investment are either casks or investment funds. The whisky Hong Kong market is very mature for both of these types but be careful – whisky cask investment can be misleading and you may not see the returns you expect. Investing in physical whisky bottles is a much safer bet for an investment whisky Hong Kong strategy.
Whether you are buying whisky for investment, personal consumption or as a gift, one thing you can be assured of, is that it will never expire if it is unopened – so long as you store it carefully. If you don’t have a suitable place at home, you can use a whisky store in Hong Kong. The key is to keep the bottle upright, at room temperature or lower, in a dark place and avoid any changes in temperature or humidity. Whisky Hong Kong storage is not difficult so long as you take these necessary precautions.
If you have opened your whisky in Hong Kong it will begin to oxidise and can expire in as short a time as 6 months, though this is rare. Generally speaking, the more liquid in the bottle (i.e. the less air), the slower the whisky will oxidise, and therefore the slower it will degrade. Remember, most whisky Hong Kong sales are for products over 40% Alcohol by Volume, which is strong enough to prevent any mould, bacteria or viruses proliferating in the liquid.
All whisky is Gluten Free! Many people think that because whisky is made using grains such as wheat, barley and rye – that it must contain gluten. But the fact is that during distillation all traces of gluten are removed. If you have coeliac disease or are gluten intolerant, you can order whisky online in Hong Kong, safe in the knowledge that there is no gluten hiding in the bottle.
What is the carbon footprint of your whisky delivery in Hong Kong? It is calculated by measuring how much CO2 is emitted via the transportation used to get your whisky delivery to you. If you live close to your whisky store in Hong Kong, the whisky delivery may be able to be carried out on foot, which would emit zero CO2. However, most whisky store Hong Kong operators will use a third-party courier or their own vehicle. These two methods will both emit CO2 (unless electric vehicles are used). If CO2 emission for whisky delivery in Hong Kong cannot be avoided, the solution is for the whisky store to offset the emissions by an accredited company who can calculate the amount of CO2 the whiskey delivery will emit and invest in environmental projects that will remove the same amount of CO2 from the atmosphere. In this way the amount of Carbon put into the atmosphere because of your whisky delivery in Hong Kong is net zero…or Carbon Neutral.
Whisky sours are perhaps the most famous cocktail, and it’s not hard to understand why, once you nail a good recipe. If you look for whisky online in Hong Kong to create your drink, we recommend you search for American Bourbon. This cocktail traditionally contains 4 ingredients: Bourbon, Lemon Juice, Egg white and Sugar Syrup. If your whisky delivery contains Single Malt or Rye whiskey, don’t panic, you can still use this to make your cocktail, but it may not pick up the citrus notes as it was originally intended. Similarly, even though it is not listed in the core 4 ingredients, if you find Angostura Bitters in the whisky store, this is a great addition as a final flourish on top of the cocktail foam.
Whilst there are many whisky online stores, and more and more gin distilleries each year, the number of distilleries for whisky in Hong Kong is sadly still zero. If you are looking for a whisky online store that sells HK made whisky, the closest you can get at the moment is some whiskey Hong Kong Independent Bottlers such as Hong Kong Whisky, this whisky store Hong Kong is based here, but sources casks from Scotland to bottle under their own label.
The main problem for a whisky store in Hong Kong is the climate. It’s not suitable for aging whisky, so you would need to set up a climate-controlled environment. Actually, a lot of whisky delivery companies have climate control set up already for their whisky online store. Surely it is only a matter of time before a whisky Hong Kong brand is launched
Whisky delivery is quite straightforward, and usually whisky online Hong Kong stores will deliver to you within 24 hours. If your whisky delivery is late, we suggest you get in touch with your whisky online Hong Kong store via the confirmation email you received and ask them if there has been any delay.
Ultimately if you shop for whisky online in Hong Kong, be sure to use a store that you trust. Check any reviews you can find and talk to the store directly if you have any questions. If you do this, your whisky delivery in Hong Kong should go smoothly.