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Where to find this in the Library
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You may access the physical version of this item by going to the Reading Room Reference Desk. Please provide the library staff with either the title and location of this item or the item's catalog call number.
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Identifier
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JML.SphexClub_Smith.S_20260402
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Title
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The Water of Life and the Raising of Spirits
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Description
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Text of a lecture delivered to the Sphex Club on April 2, 2026. Stephen C. Smith presents a comprehensive overview of whiskey production, classification, and terminology, while comparing whiskey to other distilled spirits such as vodka, gin, tequila, rum, and brandy. He explains the science of fermentation, distillation, and barrel aging, including mash bills, congeners, pot versus column stills, and the effects of oak maturation. The paper details the legal and cultural distinctions among major whiskey styles, including bourbon, Tennessee whiskey, rye whiskey, Irish whiskey, Scotch whisky, Canadian whisky, and Japanese whisky. Smith emphasizes how regulations governing ingredients, distillation proofs, aging requirements, and labeling shape each spirit’s flavor and identity. He also explores concepts such as bottled-in-bond, cask strength, single malt, and double-oaked whiskey. Ultimately, the talk demonstrates how tradition, chemistry, geography, and law combine to create the diverse “water of life.”
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Date
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2 April 2026
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topic
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whiskey, whisky, bourbon, Scotch whisky, Irish whiskey, rye whiskey, Tennessee whiskey, Canadian whisky, Japanese whisky, mash bill, fermentation, distillation, congeners, pot still, column still, barrel aging, Angel’s Share, Bottled-in-Bond, single malt, water of life
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Location
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Lynchburg, Virginia
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Digital Format
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pdf
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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Sphex Club (Lynchburg, Va.)
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Repository
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George M. Jones Library Association
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Rights
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Smith, Stephen C.
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George M. Jones Library Association
