According to a team of Japanese scientists, led by K. Koga, older whisky not only tastes better, but it stops you losing your marbles.

His theory goes like this:  

Maturing, known by the less attractive technical name of 'ethanolysis', is the degradation of ethanol which results in the release of lignins and tannins from  the barrel.  These non-volatile components are mainly minerals, sugars derived from the oak's cellulose and hemicellulose.  But one of the main components are the polyphenols ellagic and gallic acid. The two acids originate from the tannin, and lyoniresinol from the lignin.  They give fragrance and taste - as well as  the coagulation of ethanol and water in natural  single malt whisky removed in the process of chill-filtration. These polyphenols are also antioxidants.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are molecules formed as a natural byproduct of the metabolism of oxygen.  ROS must be continually removed from our bodys' cells to maintain healthy, metabolic function; if not, an imbalance results in Oxidative Stress, which  leads to  cellular damage linked to cancer, ageing, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and cardiovascular diseases.  The ROS need to be scavenged, and this is where antioxidants come in to play.

Ethanol, the main component of whisky, is perceived by the stimulating of the sweet and bitter taste receptor cells and the stimulation of the epidermal mucuous membrane in the mouth. This happens through the denaturation of proteins, and is transmitted to the brain via the trigeminal nerve. 'Excessive stimulation' of the brain (now it is open to debate as to what counts as excessive stimulation) is now believed to lead to the formation of 'radical oxygen scavenging' activity

Antioxidants 'scavenge' the radical oxygen, providing protection against these diseases contributing to the total antioxidant defence system of the human body. Vegetables, red wine, chocolate, green tea, olive oil and many grains are alternative sources of antioxidants.

These Japanese scientists have proven that the three polyphenolic compounds from oak casks are found in increasing volumes in older aged whisky: between a 10 year old single malt and a 25 year old of the same type, the polyphenols increased three times (lyoniresinol) to eight times (gallic acid).

So if you want to prevent yourself from going doolalli, drink the oldest, non chill-filtered, single malt you can find.  

And should Dr Koga's thesis be wrong, you will have had a jolly good time trying to prove it  - and besides - you won't remember anything about it.