from a blend of varieties, some too sour or
bitter for eating. The apples are slowly
fermented into cider over the course of
several cool weeks in the autumn, and the
cider is then distilled in either pot or column
stills, depending on the district. The distillate
is then matured in old barrels for a minimum
of two years. Slivovitz, a Balkan plum
alcohol, is also barrel-aged.
Whiskies and Whiskeys Whiskies (United
Kingdom) and whiskeys (elsewhere) are
spirits that have been distilled from fermented
grains, mainly barley, maize, rye, and wheat,
and then aged in barrels. The term comes
from a barley distillate of medieval Britain,
but is now applied to largely maize distillates
in the United States and Canada, and mixed
grain distillates in many countries.
Scotch and Irish Whiskies There are three
kinds of Scotch whisky. One, malt whisky, is
made in the Highlands and islands entirely