There is an axiom, said to Peter Parker by his uncle Ben, that has reached the status of an aphorism. “With great power comes great responsibility.” The concept is easy to absorb, to the point that it seems strange that no one has condensed it before. In fact, versions of the quote are much older than our beloved Marvel hero. Which, in no way, takes away his, or Stan Lee’s merit for the mention.

For example, in 1817, the future prime minister of England, William Lamb, said in a speech to parliament that “the possession of great power necessarily implies great responsibility.” The new King James version of the Bible also has a passage that mentions something similar. “For everyone to whom much is given, much will be requested.” The concept was also approached by Chomsky, who, incidentally, is a contemporary and countryman of Lee. But, I digress.

With great power comes great responsibility. Which leads us to imagine that they also imply a huge ego, and an almost insurmountable inaccessibility. This is true for many folks. But not Chris Fletcher, Master Distiller at Jack Daniel’s. Fletcher is responsible for almost everything Jack. He takes care of standardization, creation of new expressions and production.

Fletcher is approachable and passionate about his work. He is especially enthusiastic when talking about technical matters at Jack Daniel’s, and about the legacy and authenticity of the brand. Values ​​that seem to permeate all of the distillery’s decisions. During our trip to Tennessee, our group spent an entire afternoon with Fletcher. Including a tasting and an exclusive interview, which you can see below.

 So your grandfather Fred Bobo was the master distiller right? Do you recall how Jack Daniel’s was when he worked? Did it change much? 

Yeah, very much! So he started in 1957. And the brand was sold mostly just in the Southeast United States, that’s it. We didn’t export any Jack Daniels at all in the 1980s, and so it was actually all allocated, just the classic Old Number 7 was allocated in the United States until it was 1980. So it changed so much, with the growth, obviously. But you know, my grandfather and whiskey makers back in that time – what they were trying to do is make as much whiskey as they could and more and more and more while  keeping the flavor the same one, so it’s amazing what they did. 

Thank you, and you had no plans of becoming a master a distiller at first?

Yeah, you’re right. That’s right. I had no plans until I went to college and I was studied chemistry and I just thought “well, Hey, why not make whiskey that would be it’s a pretty fun thing to do right?” And I had my grandfather. He was still around, he passed away in 2020. He was certainly a wealth of information!

How was your 1st day in the job of master distiller? Were you excited? Were you anxious? 

Um, no I wasn’t. I wasn’t anxious, it was interesting because it was in the middle of COVID! It was October 1^st, 2020. This was my 1st day and we had a three month old little boy at home – our son. And so we’ve experienced all of that within the pandemic. So it was a bit of a stressful time, but not because of the job. 

The job was actually the smallest problem. 

Exactly, exactly. 

On Jack Daniel’s Rye. Why 70% rye in the mashbill? Why not 90, or 51, as most big distilleries do?

Ultimately, the 70% is great for the balance of flavor and finish. But secondly, because we only rely on the malted barley for the conversion of starch to fermentable sugar. So, we couldn’t go above 90% you need at least 10% malted grain in the recipe to convert the starches to fermentables. Without that, you would have to add additional enzymes from an external source, and that’s not what we do here, and so we never really would consider anything above 90% out of unmalted grain. Um, we use a minimum 12% typically. So that was really what drove it.

Now, to drive it to 70%, there was actually a former distillery manager here. He was pretty adamant on the 70% rye for balance of flavor and I think he was exactly right. So I’ll give him the credit. 

And about the Single Malt, when did the project start? How did it develop? What was the idea?

We started experimenting at the very end of 2012. And then really got more serious with it into 2013 and 2014 in the distillation of it. And then of course, with it only being in the new oak barrel – the new American oak barrel every single time – over the course of 5, 6 and 7 years of aging, we felt like we needed to add a layer of richness and sweetness, and that’s what led us to using some Sherry casks. 

We have some partner distilleries within our company in Scotland that are very famous for their beautiful sherry scotches [Glendronach]. And so, you know, we were over there years ago. And we’re experiencing what the Sherri provides their whiskeys and we thought we should try it That’s what really led us down the road of sherry. And now we’re sourcing directly from Spain. Our brand new sherry butts!

I’ve seen a new expression in this trip. The Triple mash. What about it? What was the idea?

So we started down the path of bottled-in-bond whiskey. And so when we did that, we were also thinking of different ways to experiment and do innovation. So a blend was an idea! But I didn’t want to blend anything other than straight American whiskey.

We have been making the straight Tennessee whiskey, the Straight Rye whiskey, and the straight single malt as well. And I noticed that each of those spirits were meeting the regulations for American bottled-in-bond. You know, produced in the same seasons and of course, meeting all the requirements for the bonded barrel house and all of that.

I just thought it would be really different and new, if we could take three different bottled-in-bond whiskeys and blend them all together in the same bottle. It’s never been done before that I know of. And so, that was what led us in the path of triple mash.

And well, I think that if you could experiment freely and create an expression of Jack Daniel’s. What would you do? 

Well, we’re continuing to do that. We’re going to continue to do things that represents our history. We’re doing that with our 10-year-old, 12-Year-Old, and there’s a 14-year-old coming. These are all age-stated whiskies that Jack did. So we are just recreating the past. That’s a lot of fun to be able to honor our past in that way. but then we also do things that have never been done before at any distillery, like triple mash.

I think it’s important to have a balance. Between old and innovation. What has never been done, and then, also, recreating our history and heritage.

We all hear about the Lincoln County process how it is it’s really important. Do you think that’s what makes Jack unique?

No! I think it’s our yeast. That’s the most important. Charcoal mellowing would be probably third or fourth on the list of what really drives our unique flavor. Our barrels, for example. It’s very important the way our barrels are toasted first, and then charred.

Our yeast strain, which is very impactful in the flavor of a whiskey, which nobody else has. We make it ourselves fresh every single week in our own lab at the distillery. That’s the same one we’ve been using since 1938. 

Also, how we run our stills. Column stills followed by the little pot still or doublers. You know that is a fairly unique setup. A lot of people will use doublers, but they’ll do them in different ways. We run ours more like a Thumper. Meaning we’re not condensing the low wines in between the column and the pot.

And then I would say the Lincoln County process, That is not creating any flavor. That’s removing flake. So it’s taking a lot of the cereal grain notes out. While it is very important, It would probably be about fourth on the list. 

And well, that’s the final one. You probably get this one a lot. Besides the Old No.7,  what’s your favorite special expression of Jack? 

I love all of our single barrels because each individual single barrel is bottled separately. And so you can get flavor differences from barrel to barrel, which is a lot of fun. Much of my job is focused on consistency. It’s fun to be able to try those subtle differences from mother nature! 

Portugal and Japan have a much deeper connection than you might think. The Portuguese were the first western culture to have contact and trade with the Japanese. And like any contact, there were curious influences on both sides. The Portuguese inherited some words from the Japanese vocabulary, such as “catana” and “biombo”.

The Japanese started to use a series of words of Portuguese origin, adapted to the sound of their language. For example, pan, koppu, tabako and arkoru – that their etymological deduction power must have already indicated that they are respectively bread, glass, tobacco and alcohol. In fact, a combination of words that showed that there was also a certain affinity between cultures when it came to setting priorities and having fun.

In fact, Japanese culture has a beautiful characteristic. To incorporate elements from other cultures, and transmute them into something essentially Japanese. Tempura – yes, frying – is an example. The Japanese did not know the technique until the arrival of the Portuguese. And whisky, too. Whisky in Japan is approximately a century old. The technique was learned from the Scots, but the Japanese liquid already has an identity of its own. So much so that it became a huge fever in the world.

A fever without laws. So far. Because in February 2021 the Japan Spirits & Liqueur Makers Association (JSLMA) announced new identification standards for Japanese Whisky. A measure that, let’s face it, was needed for a long time. Before we get into the legal details, however, I think a basic recap on the Japanese whisky scene is important.

Until today, there were almost no laws in Japan regarding the production and marketing of whisky. And, because of this, it was allowed – or rather, it was not illegal – for a whisky distilled and matured in another country and bottled in Japan to be labeled as Japanese whisky. In other words, a certain producer could buy 100 percent of Scotch whisky, ship it to Japan, bottle it there and call it Japanese whisky.

This practice may seem absurd, but historically it made sense. First because, in the past, Japanese whisky was not the fever it is today. The country had few distilleries at the dawn of its production. And, importing the product in bulk, ready, and mixing it with Japanese whisky made in Japan (no, that’s not a pleonasm) helped to lower costs and increase sensory richness.

It so happens that, over time, the scenario has changed. Japanese whisky has become unbelievably coveted. As a result, the stock of truly mature Japanese whiskies nearly ran out. And what remained were sold at astronomical prices. Furthermore, the lack of market regulation – previously beneficial as it allows for sensory wealth – has given way to opportunism. Certain companies started to take advantage of this historical permissiveness to deceive the consumer. Buy cheap whiskies and bottle them in Japan, labeling them as Japanese whisky.

With the rise to fame of Japanese whisky, the old rules became obsolete. or rather, they became nothing, because there were no rules in this eastern western that was Japanese whisky. So far. Because, starting from the suggestive date of April 1, 2021, the Japan Spirits & Liqueur Makers Association (JSLMA) – a kind of Japanese SWA – finally announced new guidelines for whisky labeling in Japan.

JSLMA’S POINT

Perhaps, at this point in the post, this goes without saying. But we decided to translate part of the statement that introduces the regulation of the Japan Spirits & Liqueur Makers Association, and which clarifies the reasons behind this much-desired rule.

“It is regrettable that in recent years there have been cases of brands using only imported whiskies and selling them as “Japanese whisky”, and cases of products that do not even qualify as “whisky” under Japanese tax laws, but which are sold as such in other countries, sowing confusion among consumers

Looking back at the history of whisky production in Japan, it is important to note that our journey began by learning the arts and crafts of Scotch whisky producers, as our predecessors began to create a distinct type of whisky, establishing a uniquely Japanese technique over the years.

It goes without saying that these developments are part of the history, tradition and culture of whisky production in Japan. The products created through this process have enriched whisky culture in Japan and are supported by many people around the world. JSLMA members are grateful for the efforts of our ancestors.

(…) by clearly defining what ‘Japanese Whisky’ is, and making this information available to the public in Japan and abroad, we seek to clarify the confusing situation for consumers. “

JSLMA’S NEW WHISKY LABELING RULES

Let’s get to a prior clarification. The Japan Spirits & Liqueur Makers Association (JSLMA) is not a Japanese government body. But a private association, approved by the Japanese government. It is a kind of self-regulatory entity, similar to what would SEC be in the US, or ANBIMA in the Brazilian Capital Market. Yeah, you didn’t expect that, right Gordon Gekko?

According to JSLMA, the new standards are intended (…) to contribute to the proper selection of whiskies by consumers in Japan and abroad, and to protect the interests of consumers as well as ensure fair competition and improve quality“. and continues “these standards apply to whiskies sold in Japan, or sold from Japan abroad, by business operators (ie companies)”

The JSLMA regulation provides a table with the rules to be followed by whisky producers in Japan, so that they can label their products as “japanese whisky” or “Japanese whisky”. The first is that raw materials must be limited to malted grains, or other cereals, and water must be extracted from Japan. Malted grains must always be used.

The second determination concerns the production itself. The saccharification, fermentation and distillation must be done by a distillery in Japan. Here, there is an important point. Malting is a kind of saccharification. Which means that here there is a divergence between Scotland and Japan. And that the new Japanese rules are even more restrictive than the SWA’s Scottish ones. In the oriental version, malting must be done in Japan. It is not allowed to buy malted barley from other countries. Additionally, the alcoholic strength after distillation must not exceed 95% – so that afterwards it is obviously cut with water.

The third refers to maturation, and is almost a mirror of the Scottish rule. Almost. The new-make spirit must be placed in wooden barrels of no more than 700 liters for at least three years. If you read it fast, you might have missed a detail. Or maybe we’re just lost in translation, like Bill Murray. But the use of the word “wood” is curious – it is not clear whether oak is the only barrel allowed. We should wait for news.

Finally, bottling must take place in Japan, and the alcoholic strength must be at least 40%. This rule is also more restrictive than the Scottish one, which allows blended scotch whiskies to be bottled outside of Scotland. Under the Scotch Whisky Association rule, only single malts must be bottled in their country of origin. Additionally, only plain caramel coloring can be used in Japanese Whiskies.

The rule also states that there should not be any expressions or terms between the words “japanese” and “whisky”, except to indicate the type of whisky – for example, single malt or blended. And for the smart ones, synonyms are also covered by the rule. So, no Japanese whisky, for example. The regulation goes further, and also says that it is not worth making a whisky that looks like a Japanese, with ideograms, names and expressions that are clearly Japanese. No “Hokusai Whisky” or “Mount Fuji“.

All these guidelines, however, have an adaptation period. As of April 1st, new products (launched after that date) must follow the published rules. However, whiskies that didn’t follow the rule before may remain rebellious until March 31, 2024, as is – surprisingly – the case with Nikka From the Barrel. In other words, until then, not all Japanese whisky will be real Japanese.

It is important to point out that, unlike Scotland and its Scotch Whisky Association, the JSLMA rules do not have the force of law. But, they are valid for the members of the association. Which, in practice, does not mean the end of non-Japanese Japanese whisky. But it is an important step in the transparency of a market that has been lacking in some transparency for years. And more transparency and equality bring more security to the consumer – and help maintain the good name of japanese whisky in the world. Kampai to that.

This is the first part of a two-part post about myths and legends in the world of whiskey. Get ready, dear readers. Time to get nervous.

Boitatá, curupira, headless mule. Satyr, faun, centaur. Werewolf, vampire. Every culture has their mythical creatures. They were born from the need to explain what was previously inexplicable. Or simply ensuring that people behaved correctly and didn’t do anything barbaric. After all, it’s easier to explain that a winged demon will suck your blood at night than to rationally explain why you shouldn’t satisfy your lust with your best friend’s partner.

The world of whiskey, too, is full of beliefs and folklore. Myths, which no one really knows where they came from. And, in a world of post-truths, fueled by immediacy and the enormous flow of (mis)information, these beliefs multiply and perpetuate. Some are based on purism. Others, in rather strange analogies. And others, still, must have sprouted from the ground out of the blue, because they don’t make any sense – like the talk about the abovementioned demon.

Here we identify some of them, and explain why they are not true. Rationally.

SINGLE MALTS ARE BETTER THAN BLENDS

This is probably one of the most popular legends, it’s like the headless (and brainless) mule of the whisky world. The reality, however, is that single malts and blends are just different. Due to the different production process, blends tend to be lighter, more accessible – sensorially speaking – and with a more balanced flavor profile. The idea of ​​blends is precisely this. Create standardization and reach the largest consumer base possible, creating a pleasant and accessible product. Blends benefit from having hundreds of different whiskies at your disposal to generate sensorial richness.

Single malts, on the other hand, are the most profound experience you will have within a given sensory profile. Because they are produced in a single distillery, using only malted barley, and are necessarily distilled in pot stills, the range that a given single malt can have, sensorially speaking, is more limited. In other words, perhaps obvious: it is easier to produce diametrically opposed blends under the same brand than very different single malts under the same roof. On the other hand, what single malts lose in balance, they gain in depth and intensity. As a general rule – and there are several exceptions here – single malts are more intense and deeper.

This Dog’s opinion is that there is learning curve here. When we start to like whiskies, we gravitate towards single malts. It is a process of rupture and return. We must break with what we already know (blends) to discover the new (single malts). As we progress, however, the story changes, and we slowly describe an arc and understand why the Chivas Regal 18 Year Old is absolutely incredible, for example.

BAD QUALITY WHISKY CAUSES A HANGOVER

The keyword is hidden. Quality can be both sensorial (synonymous with complexity) and of production. If it is the first, the statement is a lie. Just because whisky is simple, “bland”, dull or whatever adjective you use, that doesn’t mean it will give you a hangover. In fact, if you’ve had a hangover drinking a dull whisky, it’s anything but dull, because you probably drank too much. One of the most common reasons for a hangover is, precisely, dehydration and consequent loss of water-soluble vitamins and electrolytes, due to excessive alcohol consumption (note that excessive alcohol consumption here is not discretionary).

Production quality, however, is a more delicate matter. If the production quality is low, then perhaps we will have a hangover. It can also be caused by ingesting methanol. Methanol is present, in small quantities, in almost all alcoholic drinks, as it is a product derived from fermentation. Our body transforms methanol into formaldehyde and formic acid. These substances are responsible, in part, for the unpleasant symptoms of a hangover.

Some drinks have higher levels of methanol than others. This, in large part, has to do with particularities of the production of each type – tequilas have more methanol than vodkas, for example – but also with some choices made by the producer. Most methanol is produced at the beginning of the distillation process, when the “foreshots” of the spirit is extracted. A wider foreshot cut – with a lower alcohol content, leaving part of the foreshots to run with the heart – can bring more methanol, for example. The curious thing here is that this has nothing to do with the price of the drink. There are incredible single malts that have more methanol in their new-makes than entry-level blends.

What is the solution to all this? Drink moderately.

COUNTERFEIT WHISKY CHANGES COLOR IN BREAD

This is a new legend, which was perpetrated by internet misinformation. Some fake whiskies, depending on how they are counterfeited, can even change color when in contact with bread. This happens in very – but very – rudimentary fakes, where the forger uses iodine to color the spirit, so that it acquires a tone more similar to the original whisky.

The problem is that the most common form of counterfeiting is not putting a spirit distilled in the backyard, or vodka, or cachaça, and coloring it with iodine. But rather, putting a cheaper whisky inside a bottle of more expensive whisky. In this case, no method works, because what is inside the bottle is whisky. In other words, it’s whisky inside a whisky bottle. But a liquid worth 30 reais inside an empty bottle of whisky worth 200 reais.

Because of this, there is no point in shaking the bottle or tapping it with the pen. The best way to ensure that a whisky is original is to buy from a reputable place.

YOU CANNOT PUT ICE IN WHISKY

This is another myth that probably arose from the need to explain something very quickly or prevent something imminent from happening, like, well, someone putting a bunch of ice in a whiskey glass. In fact, as always, one must behave in accordance the moment. In fact, guys, this is a rule for life. Always behave in accordance the moment, do not embarrass yourself in public. But anyway, I digress.

There are two distinct consumption situations. Analytical tasting and drinking for pleasure. At the first case, it’s really not a good idea to add ice. Ice reduces the temperature of the drink and can alter its sensory balance. The bitters are more intense and the sweets are softer. Furthermore, the low temperature makes your taste buds less sensitive, which makes it a bit difficult for you to feel the more delicate flavors. In analytical tasting, therefore, the ideal is to drink it pure, or with a little good quality still water – this reduces the alcoholic impression of the whisky, and binds together some congeners responsible for the flavors and aromas.

If you want to drink for pleasure, however, anything goes. You can drink it with ice, with coconut water, mix it in a cocktail, put an ice cap inside your glass and just a little whisky. Or a floating mini-ice like a sailor adrift on the ocean in an abysmal cesspool of booze. The watchword here is fun. Whisky is a supporting factor. You just want to drink something delicious, be happy and have a good time. It’s like they say, you don’t need alcohol to have fun, but you don’t need sneakers to run either, it just helps a lot.

Finally, there is the issue of ice quality. Large ices made with neutral, quality water are best if your idea is to better preserve the aromas and flavors of the whisky. They have less dilution, and fewer impurities, which can bring flavors that interfere with the drink.

MAKING A COCKTAIL WITH WHISKY IS ABSURD

Well, cocktail history practically began with a whisky cocktail. The Old Fashioned. That’s why today it’s called Old Fashioned. Furthermore, many of the most classic cocktails in the world contain whisky. Manhattan, Highball (Haiboru), Boulevardier, Rusty Nail, Godfather, Whisky Sour and Penicillin are just some of them. So, I think it’s pretty clear that you can mix whisky to make a cocktail, and if you disagree, the ghost of Jerry Thomas dressed as a satyr will pull your leg at night.

To be honest, we are very purists. The phrase “the whisky spent years maturing in a warehouse for someone to come and mix something with it” demonstrates a certain hypocrisy. The sausage spent months maturing. The cheese spent weeks curing. That doesn’t stop you from mixing everything together on ordinary toast, adding an ocean worth of ketchup and mustard and – worst of all – drinking coke to wash everything down your throat.

Subchapter – you cannot make cocktails with single malt. Here, the prohibition is more specific. Single malts tend to be more expensive, and because of their high price, it can seem like a waste. It is said that if you are going to mix it, the whisky doesn’t make any difference. But this is untrue. Firstly, because the sensorial characteristics of your base drink will have a huge impact on the cocktail. In the same way as, for example, the type of cheese you put on your sandwich. If the base you are using for your cocktail doesn’t make a difference sensorially, in the end, you are making your cocktail wrong.

Secondly, because sometimes using a specific single malt is the only way to achieve a desired flavor profile. Peat, for example. When looking to create a drink that has a predominantly smoked characteristic, using a single malt may be the only option. Here, the important thing is to – as in life – know what you are doing.