It's official, there's a whiskey revolution

WHAT is it about this drink that has inspired people to become whisky geeks and maltheads - and to fork out half-a-million dollars for a bottle?

scotland

Scots know it as "uisge beatha", water of life.

Today across the globe - from Asia to South America, Africa to Australia - there's a growing thirst for the amber liquid.

And it's not just the Scots who have mastered the art of making this delectable drink. Some Australian distilleries are now playing in the big boys' league, whiskey experts say.

Dominic Roskrow, editor of a new guide, 1001 Whiskies You Must Try Before You Die, says the world is in the midst of a "whiskey revolution".

"We are seeing the emergence of good-quality spirits from Sweden and Finland in the north to Australia and New Zealand in the south," Roskrow writes in his guide to the "best and most exciting whiskies ever made".

The original big five producers - Scotland, Ireland, the United States, Canada and Japan - continue to dominate the whiskey world, but quality spirits are also being created in exotic places such as Tasmania, which is gaining a solid whiskey reputation, Roskrow says.

The world's premier whiskey critic, Jim Murray, in his 2013 World Whisky Bible, named a Sullivans Cove drop as the Southern Hemisphere whiskey of the year. He described the Hobart distillery's liquor as having outstanding flavour.

Glen Moray master distiller Graham Coull, in Sydney for Whiskey Live, an annual whiskey sampling show, says there is great optimism about the industry's future.

In recent years there's been a move to release younger "unaged" whiskies that are selected for a particular taste profile and lightness of character, Scotland-based Coull says.

"Peated whiskies remain very popular but I think consumers are far more open to experiment with new whiskies now than ever before."

The taste for whiskey, new and old, has travelled far from the glens and become a world of its own, with festival, books, magazines (Roskrow also edits Whiskeria, the world's biggest whiskey magazine) and websites (Maltmadness, Master of Malt).

What is it about this drink that has inspired people to become whiskey geeks, maltheads and whiskey correspondents - and to fork out half a million dollars for a bottle?

The most expensive whiskey sold to date was a 64-year-old Macallan in a one-of-a-kind crystal Lalique decanter. It raised $US460,000 ($503,254) for charity when it was auctioned at Sotheby's in New York in 2010.

For Coull, drinking an older whiskey is like stepping back in time, "there's so much complexity in the taste that no two sips are the same".

Fortunately, for those without large wads of cash to throw around, a young whiskey can also be delightful.

"There are different whiskies for different occasions and it is not always necessary to opt for the oldest, most expensive whiskey in the range."

Coull says what he loves about whiskey - made from just grain, yeast and water - is its delectable combination of sweetness, spice and oak.

"It's a very satisfying drink because of its complexity and finish, which lingers long in the mouth long after the last sip has been taken."

All the cool kids are throwing back whiskey.

SOME WHISKEY TERMS (source: 1001 Whiskies You Must Try Before You Die)

Angels' share - A small volume of whiskey that is lost to evaporation during the maturation process.

Dram - Scottish term for a measure of whiskey, typically around 25 ml.

Dunnage - A traditional warehouse where whiskey is matured, typically low-rise stone buildings that have optimal conditions for the maturation process.

Mouth-coating - Moving the whiskey around the mouth to coat the four taste receptors to help release flavours.

Mouthfeel - A way of assessing a whiskey's intensity by holding it on the centre of the tongue for a few seconds.

Nose - A whiskey's individual fragrance.

1001 Whiskies You Must Try Before You Die, edited by Dominic Roskrow, published by Murdoch Books, $39.99