How is barley turned into whiskey?

Barley is first malted by soaking it in water, allowing it to germinate, and then drying it to halt the process. The malted barley is then ground into a coarse powder called grist and mixed with hot water in a process called mashing, which converts starches into fermentable sugars. The resulting liquid, known as wort, is fermented with yeast to produce alcohol. Finally, the fermented mixture is distilled and aged in wooden barrels to develop its flavor, resulting in whiskey.