The LC Spirits Glossary: Every Term You Need to Know — From ABV to Terroir

📖 THE LC SPIRITS GLOSSARY

Every time you hear a term on the podcast or read it on a label and wonder what it means — this is your reference. We'll keep adding to this as new episodes drop.

A – C

ABV (Alcohol by Volume): The percentage of alcohol in a spirit. Standard spirits are 40% ABV (80 proof). Cask strength can reach 60%+. Age Statement: The number on a bottle indicating the youngest spirit in the blend. A 12-year Scotch contains no whisky younger than 12 years. Angel's Share: The portion of spirit that evaporates from the barrel each year during aging — typically 2-4% annually. Bagazo: The fibrous agave waste left after juice extraction. Some brands like Tequila Tromba upcycle it into biodegradable products. Barrel Proof / Cask Strength: Bottled at the natural proof from the barrel, without water reduction. Usually 110-130+ proof. Bottled in Bond (BIB): A US legal designation — 100 proof, single distillery, single distilling season, aged at least 4 years. Created by the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897.

D – H

DHM (Dihydromyricetin): A natural compound used in traditional Korean and Japanese medicine to help the body metabolize alcohol. The active ingredient in Last Call supplement, reviewed on this show. Distillation: The process of heating fermented liquid to separate alcohol from water and other compounds. The vapors are collected and condensed into spirit. Ensamble: A mezcal made from a blend of two or more agave varieties. Fermentation: The process by which yeast converts sugar into alcohol. Finish: The flavors and sensations that linger after you swallow a spirit. A long finish is generally a sign of quality. Glencairn Glass: A tulip-shaped glass designed specifically for nosing and tasting whisky. The tapered rim concentrates aromas. Grain-to-Glass: When a distillery controls every step of production — from growing the grain to bottling the spirit.

H – M

Heads / Hearts / Tails: The three fractions of a distillation run. Heads: The first portion — high in acetone and methanol, discarded. Hearts: The good stuff — what the distiller keeps. Tails: The last portion — heavy compounds, often recycled into the next run. Lincoln County Process: What separates Tennessee Whiskey from bourbon — the spirit is filtered through maple charcoal before aging. Mash Bill: The grain recipe used to make a whiskey. Example: 51% corn, 35% rye, 14% malted barley. Mixto Tequila: A tequila made from only 51% Blue Weber Agave, with the rest from other sugars. Avoid these. Always look for '100% Agave.' NOM (Norma Oficial Mexicana): The official distillery registration number for tequila and mezcal producers.

N – Z

NAS (No Age Statement): A bottle with no disclosed age — common in Scotch. Not necessarily bad — blending skill often compensates. Neat: Spirit served at room temperature with no ice, water, or mixers. The purest way to evaluate a spirit. Nose: The aromas of a spirit. Palate: The flavors experienced when the spirit is on your tongue. Piña: The heart of the agave plant, harvested after 7-10 years of growth. The piña is cooked, crushed, fermented, and distilled to make tequila and mezcal. Proof: Twice the ABV percentage. 80 proof = 40% ABV. Rick House / Rickhouse: A warehouse for aging whiskey barrels. Position within the rickhouse (temperature, humidity, airflow) affects flavor development significantly. Single Barrel: Every bottle in a release comes from one specific barrel. No blending. Single Malt: Made from 100% malted barley at a single distillery. Terroir: The environmental factors — climate, soil, water — that give a spirit its unique sense of place. Most evident in mezcal, cognac, and single malt Scotch. Wash: The fermented liquid before distillation — essentially a low-alcohol beer that gets distilled into spirit.