Tired of going to the pubs on St. Patrick’s Day and drinking the same beer? You could try some whiskey instead. After all, the Irish basically invented the stuff, so what better way to celebrate? Most of the bars along Mamaroneck Avenue stock good selections, so there’s plenty of opportunity to give them a try.

Of course Irish Whiskey may seem warranted, but Scotch or even Bourbon can be a great call. “What’s the difference?” you ask. Well, it’s quite complicated but here’s the basic lowdown on where whiskey comes from and how the styles differ.

Whiskey derives from the Celtic traditions of Ireland and later Scotland when distillers began to ferment the local cereal grains into alcohol. The process was perfected and specific styles localized to the regions began to emerge.

Here are the three most popular types of whiskey:

Irish Whiskey
Traditionally made from barley, producers used both malted–a process that forces the grains to germinate–and unmalted grains. Water is added to the grains to create a mash that is distilled at least three times in copper pot stills. The mixture is then aged in barrels for three or more years. Today there are only three distillers of whiskey left in Ireland (they produce all the brands available) and they use different styles for the products they make. The most famous brand is Jameson’s which offers a range of whiskeys. Some others to try include Tullamore Dew, Knappogue Castle, and Red Breast 12Yr.

Scotch Whisky
Scotch is similar to Irish Whiskey except that most often only malted barley is used; hence the term “single malt.” Blended whiskeys, such as Dewar’s or Johnnie Walker, use both malted and unmalted grain. Another difference is the use of peat to dry the grains, which adds a smokey flavor. The barley is mixed with water into a mash and triple distilled, similar to Irish Whiskey. The whiskey is then aged for at least 3 years in oak barrels. Better producers bottle only after 10-12 years of aging. More expensive bottlings of 18, 21 or 30+ year old Scotches are popular as well. Try a reliable 12Yr old Highland Scotch if you are a newcomer. Macallan and Balvenie are well regarded and easily available. Once you have a taste for Scotch experiment with a smokey Bowmore or Laphroag produced on the island of Islay off the western coast of Scotland or some of the lowland brands like Auchentoshan which use little Peat.

Bourbon and American Whiskey
American producers don’t typically use Barley as a main ingredient in whiskey. Instead, corn or wheat is the norm. Among American products there is what is considered the best known and highest quality product called Bourbon. Contrary to popular belief Bourbon does not have to come from Kentucky. Rather, how the whiskey is made determines what it is called. To be considered Bourbon, a Whiskey must consist of at least 51 percent corn and it must be aged in new, charred barrels. If these and other requirements are not met the product cannot be called Bourbon and instead uses the generic term whiskey. Jack Daniels is the most famous of these “Sour Mash” whiskies. For a true Bourbon try some great smaller production brands like Jefferson’s Reserve, Basil Hayden’s or Noah’s Mill.

Another grain used in American whiskey is rye. The production process is basically the same as with corn or wheat, but rye gives it’s own distinctiveness to the whiskey, which is often just called rye on the label.

Even New York is making whiskey. Tuthilltown Spirits has a great line of whiskeys including a four grain Bourbon (made with corn, rye, wheat, and malted barley) and their Manhattan Rye.

One last bit of trivia. If you are wondering why Scotch Whisky is spelled without the “e” it’s because back in the late 1800’s Scotland began flooding the market with cheap product. The Irish and American Producers (who previously always spelled it as whisky) wanted to distinguish themselves and decided to start spelling their product with the extra letter. Today both spellings are used worldwide, but Irish and American products tend to use whiskey and Scotland, Canada and other countries use whisky.

So there you have I; the basic differences between whiskies. Now go out and enjoy a nice glass--  no ice and with just a small amount of spring water please

If you have a comment, drink topic or question you would like covered in future articles, please email me at wine@wptimes.com. I’d love to hear from you.

Stuart Levine is the proprietor of VINO 100 in White Plains.