Your Guide to the Main Types of Spirits: Whisky, Vodka, Gin, Rum and More
Whisky
Whisky is a distilled spirit made from grain. Depending on the style, that grain may be barley, corn, rye, wheat or a mix. The spirit is aged in oak casks, which gives it colour and flavour. Scotch whisky usually offers notes of malt, dried fruit, vanilla and sometimes smoke or peat. Irish whiskey is typically lighter and smoother. American styles such as bourbon and rye are often sweeter and oak driven, with caramel, vanilla and baking spice notes.
Whisky is usually bottled between 40 percent and 46 percent ABV, though some cask strength bottles are higher. It is a sipped spirit that works neat, with a splash of water, on ice or in classic cocktails such as the Old Fashioned and whisky sour.
Vodka
Vodka is traditionally a neutral spirit distilled from grain or potatoes and filtered to remove most congeners and flavours. Modern vodkas such as Glen's are often made from wheat or corn and bottled at around 37.5 percent to 40 percent ABV. Good quality vodka is smooth, clean and almost flavourless, which makes it ideal for mixing into long drinks and cocktails such as the vodka martini, cosmopolitan and Bloody Mary.
Flavoured vodkas add fruit, spice or sweet flavours, which can be fun in simple mixed drinks but are less about appreciating the base spirit itself.
Gin
Gin starts life as a neutral spirit, but it is redistilled or infused with botanicals. Juniper must be the dominant flavour, supported by ingredients such as coriander seed, citrus peel, angelica and many others. London Dry is the best known style, but there are also contemporary gins that push juniper into the background and emphasise citrus, floral or herbal notes.
Gin typically sits at 37.5 percent to 47 percent ABV. It is a versatile spirit used in gin and tonic, martinis, negronis and many other cocktails.
Rum
Rum is distilled from sugar cane juice, syrup or molasses. Light rums are usually aged briefly and filtered to keep the colour pale. They work well in long mixed drinks and classic cocktails such as the mojito or daiquiri. Dark and spiced rums are aged longer or flavoured with spices and caramel, giving notes of toffee, vanilla, baking spice and tropical fruit.
Quality rum can be as complex as whisky and is worth exploring neat as well as in cocktails.
Tequila and mezcal
Tequila is a Mexican spirit made primarily from blue agave. Blanco tequila is unaged or lightly rested and has bright, herbal agave notes. Reposado and anejo tequilas are aged in oak, adding vanilla and spice. Mezcal is a broader category made from various agave species and often has a pronounced smoky character.
These spirits are great in cocktails such as the margarita, paloma and mezcal negroni, and better quality examples are increasingly enjoyed neat.
Brandy and cognac
Brandy is distilled from wine or other fermented fruit juice. Cognac is a protected style of French brandy from a specific region. These spirits are usually aged in oak and offer flavours of dried fruit, vanilla, nuts and spice. They are classic after dinner sippers and also feature in cocktails such as the sidecar and brandy alexander.