How is Canadian whiskey produced?

1. Grains: Canadian whiskey must be made from a mash of cereal grains, primarily corn, rye, barley, and wheat.

2. Malting: Barley is often malted, converting the starches into fermentable sugars.

3. Mashing: The grains are milled and combined with hot water in a mash tun to allow enzymes to break down the starches into sugars.

4. Fermentation: The extracted sugary liquid (wort) is cooled and transferred to fermentation vats. Yeast is added, converting the sugars into alcohol through fermentation.

5. Distillation: The fermented liquid undergoes double (or more) distillation. The initial distillation produces "low wines," while subsequent distillations concentrate the alcohol and remove impurities.

6. Maturation: Canadian whiskey must be aged in new, charred oak barrels for a minimum of three years. Aging imparts flavor, color, and complexity to the whiskey.

7. Blending: Canadian whiskey often involves blending different batches or whiskeys of varying ages to achieve a consistent flavor profile.

8. Bottling: Once the desired quality is reached, the whiskey is diluted with water to lower the alcohol content to the designated level, filtered, and then bottled.

The regulations also state that Canadian whiskey must contain a minimum of 40% alcohol by volume (80 proof), and flavoring or additives other than caramel aren't permitted except when the product is clearly labeled as containing flavored whisky.