How many of the world's seven major distilled spirits do you know?

What is distilled spirits? It is a variety of alcoholic beverages with a higher ethanol concentration than the original fermentation product.

The production process is basically brewing first, then distilling, and finally cooling to obtain a high-alcohol solution drink. There are seven main types of distilled spirits in the world depending on the place of origin, raw material, process and scope of distribution of the product, and Chinese baijiu is one of them.

Here we briefly understand these distilled wine varieties from the five latitudes of brewing raw materials, production technology, flavor characteristics, main producing countries, and representative brands, helping us to purchase wine and enriching our wine knowledge.

1. Chinese Baijiu

Main raw materials: sorghum, rice, glutinous rice, corn, wheat and other grains

Production process: Chinese liquor in the standard sense is a series of unique methods such as solid-state saccharification and fermentation (there are also semi-solid and liquid methods), open production, natural microbial inoculation, koji making, distillation in barrels, storage and aging in pottery altars or wine seas, etc. Craft and equipment brewed.

Flavor characteristics: The complex brewing process endows Chinese liquor with unique flavor characteristics, and its aroma components are extremely complex (sauce aroma, strong aroma, light aroma, rich aroma, etc.) which can be called the crown of distilled liquor in the world.

Main producing country: China

Representative brand: Jiannanchun

2. Whiskey

Main raw materials: grains, grains (wheat, corn, barley)

Production process: It is made by fermentation, distillation, aging, blending and other procedures. The germinated wheat is sent to the kiln, the wort is baked with peat, distilled after cooling, and aged in oak barrels.

Flavor characteristics: traditional malt and peat roast aroma

Main producing countries: Scotland, Ireland, the United States, Canada, Japan

Representative brands: Chivas Regal, Glenfiddich, Glenlivet, Dalmore, Macallan, Yamazaki, etc.

3. Brandy

Main raw materials: fruits, mainly grapes.

Production process: Juicing, fermentation, distillation, and aging in oak barrels.

Flavor characteristics: fruity, oak barrel aroma

Main producing countries: France (Cognac, Armagnac), Spain, Italy, Germany, etc.

Representative brands: Hennessy, Martell, Remy Martin, Napoleon, Lombard, etc.

4. Vodka

Main raw materials: potato, corn, wheat, barley, barley, etc.

Production process: fermentation, distillation, filtration, (with birch charcoal layer) filtration and adsorption treatment of purified wine quality.

Flavor characteristics: pure taste, birch aroma

Main producing countries: Russia, Poland, the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Netherlands

Representative brands: Soviet Red Card, Russian Standard, Smirnoff, Snow Tree, etc.

5. Rum

Main raw materials: sugar cane, honey

Production process: sugar juice or honey juice pressed from sugarcane, fermented and distilled.

Flavor characteristics: single taste, round taste, strong stimulation, but very suitable for bartending.

Main producing countries: Cuba, Haiti, Hawaii, Jamaica

Representative brands: Bacardi, Zacapa, Lamoni, Appleton, etc.

6. Gin

Main raw materials: grains (corn, barley, barley, etc.), spices (juniper berries, vanilla)

Production process: The raw materials are crushed, saccharified, fermented, distilled and blended, which is a traditional method. After selecting high-quality alcohol for treatment, adding treated water to dilute to the required degree, and then adding gin and spices to prepare it, it is called synthetic method.

Flavor characteristics: calm and natural, with the aroma of juniper berries, it is the best partner for mixing cocktails

Main producing countries: the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, the United States

Representative brands: Gordon, Bombay Sapphire, Tangli, Beefeater, etc.

7. Tequila

Main raw material: Agave bulbs (blue dragonseed bulbs account for more than half)

Production process: The bulbs are steamed in a furnace to obtain concentrated sweet juice and convert starch into sugar. The boiled bulbs are squeezed into juice and fermented. When the juice is fermented to 80% alcohol, the wine is distilled. Tequila is distilled twice in a copper single distillation.

Flavor characteristics: Tequila's aroma and fierce taste are perfect for cocktails.

Main producing countries: Mexico, South Africa

Representative brands: Don Julio, Omega, Pain, Curado, etc.

The above is some basic knowledge about the seven major distilled wines summarized by the author. Of course, it is just some superficial knowledge, because each kind of wine can be used for a long article.