It was the beginning of about eight years of regular binge-drinking behaviour, where I often drank to get drunk and spirits (or guns, as we called them, as in ‘Time to switch to guns!’) were purely a means to get drunk quicker. 

Personally, I didn’t drink alcohol until I was 18 years old (the legal drinking age in Australia). I didn’t really go to parties so I avoided the peer pressure situations and I was relatively comfortable with remaining sober. That all changed when I moved out of home and went to University. It was the beginning of about eight years of regular binge-drinking behaviour, where I often drank to get drunk and spirits (or guns, as we called them, as in ‘Time to switch to guns!’) were purely a means to get drunk quicker. If I drank whisky, it was often drowned in a sweet mixer and served with plenty of ice. Sweeter was better because it was easier to slam back fast and far gentler on my underdeveloped palate. I didn’t drink because I enjoyed the taste, I drank because it gave me Dutch Courage and a misplaced assumption it improved everything from my confidence to my dancing skill and most importantly to a late teen/early twenties male, it made me more attractive to the opposite sex.

My first job was working at a bar (I actually met my future wife there) and although I was still well within my binge-drinking phase, it did give me a greater appreciation of alcohol and its effects. It was mandatory to complete a Responsible Service of Alcohol course before working in a bar which taught you some basic bar skills and explained standard drinks, the effects of alcohol consumption and how to deal with drunken customers.

I look back on those years now and while they were a lot of fun, I spent a lot of time throwing up in someone’s garden, feeling sorry for myself or throwing up on myself in a garden. I made a lot of bad decisions under the influence of alcohol and have many regrets, but I also matured a great deal in a relatively short time. I don’t binge-drink anymore and in fact, I rarely get drunk. Mostly because the effect of a hangover seems a thousand times stronger now that I am older and kids don’t respond well to “Leave Daddy alone, he wants to die in peace!” spoken in a muffled shout from under a pillow.

Often my next drink was ordered, just so I had something to do with my hands or risk looking like a weird drunk-but-not-drinking person beside the bar.

The responsible appreciation of alcohol leads to the responsible consumption of alcohol. 

What a time to be alive when ‘low-carb’ potatoes are something you can actually buy – I’m not kidding. Carbs and calories are being discussed more than ever but do you know how your drinking is affecting your waistline? Here are some quick tips to help keep your calories from alcohol intake in check.

In dietary terms, 1 Cal (big C) is actually 1 kcal or 1 kilocalorie. This is commonly referred to as a food calorie and is approximately the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of one kilogram of water by one degree Celsius at one atmosphere of pressure.

From now on, when I refer to Calories (Cal), I am referring to kilocalories.

In the metric system, 1Cal equals approximately 4.2kJ or 4.2 kilojoules.

Alcohol by volume or ABV is expressed as a percentage (%) and is a measure of how much alcohol is contained in a given volume of an alcoholic beverage.

When referring to alcohol proof, US 100-Proof is the equivalent of 50%ABV whereas UK 100-Proof is the equivalent of 57.15%ABV. Whisky can be any ABV from 40% to as high as 70% (rarely higher). Typical whisky ABV is 40%, 43%, 46% or >50% for cask strength.

The Metric unit of measurement for the volume of a liquid is ml or millilitre. Whisky bottles are typically either 500ml, 700ml, 750ml or 1,000ml (1 litre) if bought at travel retail. A standard alcoholic shot volume is 30ml.

The Metric unit of measurement for the mass is g or gram; In Australia, a standard drink refers to 10g of alcohol (a US and UK standard drink are 14g and 8g respectively). A single 30ml measure of a 40%ABV whisky equals 1 Australian standard drink.

1ml of alcohol weighs approximately 0.787g (0.787 is the specific gravity of ethyl alcohol at 25˚C) and 1g of alcohol contains approximately 7Cal. 

First, work out the amount of alcohol in grams (g):

   (ABV% x 0.787 x volume in ml)/100 = Alcohol in grams (g)

Therefore, the amount of alcohol in a single 30ml measure of a 40%ABV whisky would be:

   (40 x 0.787 x 30)/100 = 

= 944.4/100

= 9.444g

Then, multiply this figure by 7 to determine the number of Calories (Cal):

   9.444 x 7

= 66.1Cal or 278kJ

Likewise, the Calories in a single 30ml measure of a 60%ABV whisky would be calculated by:

   (60 x 0.787 x 30)/100

= 1,416.6/100

= 14.166g

Then, multiply this figure by 7 to determine the number of Calories (Cal):

   14.166 x 7

= 99.2Cal or 417kJ

What you have just calculated above is the calories of alcohol in your whisky. What this doesn’t take into account is any additional energy from residual sugars, mixers or the physiological effects of alcohol on the way your body processes energy. Let’s look at each in turn.

Residual sugars

Whisky, like beer, is produced by fermenting sugars from grains. Grains such as malt are used because they contain concentrated stores of energy in the form of starches that can be easily converted to sugars. The majority of sugars are consumed by yeast during fermentation but depending on fermentation methods and added ingredients, the residual sugars within the finished beer or whisky wash will vary. Most of the residual sugars in whisky are lost during distillation which means whisky contains very little energy from sugars; but it does have some, just a negligible amount when calculating Calories.

Mixers

If you drink your whisky with a mixer other than water, you are most likely adding plenty of Calories from sugar (unless the mixer is artificially sweetened). Refer to the mixer packaging for details but for example, 100ml of Coca-Cola contains 76Cal. But beware, the sugar content of your favourite mixers may vary depending on country of origin.

When it comes to whisky and weight gain, the following is the kicker. Most people don’t consume huge amounts of whisky in a single sitting but even if you drank half a bottle (350ml) of 40%ABV whisky, you are only consuming 771.5Cal (3,239.5kJ) from alcohol. But, half a bottle of whisky is a significant amount of alcohol, just over 11 Australian standard drinks.

On average, it takes your body one hour to process one standard drink or 10g of alcohol.

Why is this important? Your body will always metabolise alcohol before it metabolises anything else. Why? Because the primary product of alcohol metabolism is acetaldehyde, a toxin, which must be processed by your body before more alcohol can be metabolised in order to avoid poisoning. Your body makes this process a priority, essentially halting the metabolism of any other energy source until it is complete. That means that any Calories consumed other than Calories from alcohol, will be converted to fat until all the alcohol is out of your system. So, anything you eat in the 11 hours after consuming half a bottle of whisky, will be converted to fat stores rather than metabolised by your body. Beware, this is the trap that most of us fall into when combining alcoholic beverages and food.

In most cases it isn’t the whisky making you fat, it is whatever you eat or drink with it, while alcohol remains in your system. So, rethink that drunken late-night kebab or just don’t drink half a bottle of alcohol in one sitting. In fact, if you are concerned about your health, probably do both.

Irish whiskey (spelt with the 'e') comes in many forms but the only thing that makes a whiskey Irish, legally speaking, is that it comes from Ireland. Sure, it has the same base rules as any whiskey regarding ingredients and minimum age etc. but it doesn't need to be produced in any special way to be considered Irish whisky. It does not need to be triple distilled, plenty of Scotch is triple distilled and plenty of Irish whiskey is double distilled. So if the only difference between Irish whiskey and Scotch is the country of origin, is there really any difference?

Amongst all the Irish whiskey there is one variety produced under very few labels that in my opinion, is quintessentially Irish and is so, for an equally Irish reason - sticking it to the English. Let's start with a quick history lesson. The Irish are commonly recognised to have invented whiskey some time in the 15th century, but it soon crossed the North Channel to Scotland. By the turn of the 20th century, the Irish whiskey industry dominated Scotch sales until the Irish War of Independence cut off exports to Commonwealth countries and the rise of the temperance movement in the US, one of the biggest export markets for Irish whiskey, led to the introduction of prohibition. These events and further unrest in Ireland, crippled the once great Irish whisky industry in a matter of decades. The Scotts, on the other hand, lacked the affinity to the temperance movement that many Irish had and pounced on the opportunity to break into the now illicit North American market and never looked back. Ironically, the Scotts ramped up production through the use of an Irish invention, the Coffey Still, allowing them to produce large quantities of 'blended' whisky that better suited US tastes.

Now while the Irish may be credited with the invention of whiskey and the Scotts with its commercialisation, the English, are credited with the taxation of whiskey. In the 18th century, Scotland was home to hundreds, perhaps thousands of unregulated 'backyard' stills as farmers used whisky to convert bulky barley supplies into far more profitable, less likely to spoil and transportable whisky. The exact number of stills was unknown and that was precisely the problem as far as the tax man in London was concerned. You see, in 1785 it was ordered that whisky was to be taxed as it was a far too lucrative commodity for the Crown not to get a cut. The Scotts did not take well to this news and kept producing from illicit stills hidden away in the highlands for decades but the Irish took tax evasion to a whole new level.

When producing whisky, barley needs to be malted (made to sprout or germinate) in order to release essential plant enzymes. These enzymes are what convert hard starches within the barley into soft starches that are able to be converted to sugars when mixed with hot water inside the Mash Tun. The sugars provide a source of food for the yeast during fermentation. The English knew that malted barely was essential to whisky production but not for traditional farming, so naturally, they taxed it. Now, this is what makes Single Pot Still whiskey so wonderfully Irish. The Irish were not stupid, they also knew a thing or two about whiskey (they did invent it after all) specifically, they knew that only around 30% of the total barely used had to be malted in order to produce enough of the essential plant emzymes. Since only malted barely was taxed, they tried making whiskey with just 30% malted barley, slashing their tax bills by seventy percent! Well played Irish whiskey makers, well played.

The term Single Pot Still (it used to be called 'Pure Pot Still') is confusing because it means one thing literally and another in the context of Irish whiskey. A pot still is a copper vessel that is heated and used for distilling whisky wash into a clear spirit. Many whiskies are made with just one or a 'single' pot still but they are not Single Pot Still whiskey. Single Pot Still whiskey, in the Irish whiskey context, is whiskey made with a combination of malted and unmalted barely and in my opinion, is the only true Irish whiskey.

Sadly, there are very few Single Pot Still Irish whiskeys on the market today, in fact, you can count them on one hand; Redbreast, Green Spot and Yellow Spot, Powers and Middleton are about the only labels readily available. They are characterised by their unique flavour profile and this uniqueness is why I consider Single Pot Still whiskey to be the quintessential Irish whiskey. The mixture of malted and unmalted barley (and sometimes other grains) produces a full body (think red wine mouthfeel) and a spicy character. Single Pot Still whiskeys are fruity on the nose and fresh smelling. I find them very easy to drink neat and quite moreish, it is always difficult to settle for only a single dram. So if you feel like an Irish whiskey next St Patrick's Day (or any day for that matter) try a Single Pot Still Irish whiskey, the most Irish of Irish whiskeys.

At face value, the differences between whisky and wine may seem obvious but it's not as straightforward as you might think. If you are a wine aficionado, don't expect to be able to simply transfer that knowledge to whisky and vice-versa. Some of the differences if ignored, could be very costly, especially if you are a collector.

Aging

Whisky ages in the barrel or cask and ceases to age once bottled. Wine, on the other hand, continues to age in the bottle. Don't assume that holding onto a 10-year-old bottle of whisky for 10 years will turn it into a 20-year-old bottle of whisky or that it will taste any different.

Storage

Wine (if sealed with a cork) should be stored laying down so that the cork does not dry out. Whisky corks are different to wine corks in both construction and intended use. Wine corks are softer, absorb liquid and once removed, expand and are not put back in the bottle. Whisky cork stoppers are harder, often sealed and are intended to be removed and replaced multiple times. Whisky is also much higher in alcohol by volume (ABV) than wine. The average wine is about 12% ABV whereas whisky is 40% ABV or higher. A spirit of such a high ABV will degrade the cork over time, therefore whisky must be stored upright so that there is no contact between the spirit and the cork stopper. If you store whisky for extended periods lying down, it is likely the cork will break down and contaminate the whisky.

Additionally, whisky is more robust when it comes to temperature changes than wine so you do not need to store your whisky in a temperature controlled environment like a wine fridge or cellar. You may want to limit exposure to direct sunlight and high humidity, however, because fading or moisture damage to a whisky bottle's label will affect its resale value for collectors.

Vintage

Whisky has no vintage in the same sense as wine. You may see a year printed on a whisky bottle but it is not common. Wine is greatly affected by seasonal changes at the winery where the fruit is grown. Whisky is not affected in the same way and most distilleries go to great pains to ensure consistency across every production run. There are some exceptions and declared whisky batches are perhaps the closest comparison to a wine vintage. If a whisky has been bottled from a single barrel or cask, there will likely be some differences from barrel to barrel. This will be more often the case with smaller craft distilleries rather than larger mass producing distilleries.

Food Pairing

There is no doubt that wine is more commonly paired with food and this is a practice that has been going on for hundreds of years. But as whisky has become more popular, so has pairing particular whiskies with certain food. If pairing red wine with red meat and white wine with white meat is an accepted simplification of wine/food pairing, the following should suffice for whisky. Pair Scotch style whiskies with rich food such as heavy cheeses, sausages or fatty meats like rare waygu steak. Pair sweeter American whiskey like Bourbon with sweeter dishes such as any based on chocolate, ice cream, fruit, sweet vegetables, light cheeses or anything caramelised. 

Wine may be easier to pair with food, but whisky taken neat (or however you prefer) is a great digestif following a meal. If you want to have whisky prior to a meal as an aperitif, then best to stick to light whiskies and mix it with either soda water or in a cocktail of your choice to bring down the ABV. I would avoid drinking peated or smoky whisky prior to an expensive meal as this is likely to coat your mouth and may even annoy other nearby diners if they are particularly sensitive to the peated whisky aromas, which are quite volatile.

Shelf Life

Different wines have generally accepted time frames when they should be consumed once opened. White wine lasts 1-2 days, red wine 1-2 weeks and fortified wine 1-2 months once opened. Whisky, on the other hand, has a near infinite shelf life, even when opened. Some people may claim the taste of a whisky changes over time once opened and that may be the case, but for the majority of people, the changes will be indistinguishable. What's important to note is that whisky will not go off, so you do not need to throw out your whisky if it has been open for a few years. But I would question whether you should really drink Grandma's bottle of port that has been open since Christmas five years ago.

Snobbery, is when a person who believes himself or herself to be an expert in a given field, condescendingly rejects the opinion of anyone with differing views on the subject. The scientific name for someone who does this, is a wanker. Don't be that person.

Snobbery is rife in the world of whisky and it ranges from the ignorant who believe misinformation supporting their own prejudices, at the exclusion of all other opinions; to the worst kind of wanker who uses their knowledge of, or access to whisky, to try and appear superior to someone else. But it is possible to become a whisky wanker unintentionally. It is very easy to form these snobbish opinions, especially if they are passed down to you by someone you respect or look up to. But you do not have to be a wanker forever.

The easiest way to become a whisky wanker is to falsely believe that you know it all. Look at it this way, what a terrible thing it would be to know everything about any one thing. No more surprises, no more discovery; been there, done that. A huge part of what makes whisky great is learning new things and expanding your tastes. Don't exclude a great number of products for no other reason than you read this or heard that. Try it for yourself and if it's bad, use it as a comparison to what is good. Enjoy the good with the bad, the strange with the familiar, the cheap with the expensive. 

But we all know that wankers exist and always will, so how do you deal with it. Don't buy into it. Don't let their limited view of whisky distract you from your own journey and experiences. If they feel big by showing off their tens of thousand dollars worth of dusty bottles, then good luck to them. If they only ever drink one particular brand because it is 'the best' then let them. If they toss your gift in the back of the cupboard because it is only a blended whisky and not a single malt then save yourself some money next time. Everyone is different and we all enjoy whisky differently. Surround yourself with people who share your passion and life will be much more enjoyable.

Whisky tasting is subjective. My tastes almost certainly differ in some way to yours. That’s not to say we cannot like the same whisky, but I bet there are some whiskies that divide our opinions.

Buying an expensive whisky, holding onto it for a while without opening it and then selling it at a profit is a perfectly legitimate investment strategy ― but it is not enjoying whisky. Personally, I do drink or intend to drink all my whisky. If you don’t then that’s fine, but you are also part of the problem why my whisky habit is becoming more and more expensive. As a drinker, it’s annoying when collectors snap up stock of a whisky I really want to try and that old supply and demand metric is like Viagra to RRPs.

But what if you do want to invest in whisky rather than drink it?

It is a question whisky lovers get asked in one form or another from their friends and family quite often. 'What is the best whisky?' If you ever answer that question with a singular whisky, you are not only doing your friends or family a disservice, but also yourself. The correct response is, there is no ‘best whisky’ and here is why:

No two people have the same sense of smell or taste. Coupled with that we all have different preferences for what we find appealing or not and when it comes to tasting the complexities in whisky, we all have a different flavour library to compare the whisky to. You may describe a whisky of having flavours of tropical fruits or Christmas pudding but if someone has never tasted those things before it is a meaningless description to them. 

Most of us remember the first time we tried a high ABV (+>40%) spirit straight, it burns your tongue and it’s hard to taste anything but hot. That’s one of the reasons people shoot spirits rather than sip them, get it down fast then wash away the burn with something cooler (like beer) or dilute the spirit with a sweet and or fizzy beverage. Once you decide you want to start drinking your whisky neat, you need to work at it for a while. Have a little whisky regularly (nightly) for a week or two and sometime in that period the burn will subside and you will start tasting the whisky.

Find out how they want to drink it. There is no point recommending an expensive single malt scotch whisky if they are going to drown it in Coke. If they are going to drink it neat or on ice, but are new to whisky, definitely recommend a 40% ABV whisky (the lowest legal ABV for whisky) and perhaps even suggest they add a few drops of water if drinking without ice. Adding water or ice will change the flavour profile of the whisky but it also reduces the ABV by diluting the spirit, which could assist with managing the burn for a whisky novice. Lastly find out how adventurous they want to be. If they want to take it easy, then suggest a mild easy drinking whisky. If they want to try something completely unique, then suggest a peated whisky but perhaps not too heavily peated.

There is no bad whiskey. There are only some whiskeys that aren't as good as others.― Raymond Chandler 

There is no ‘best whisky’