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Casks

Barrel Making Click here to see an excellent animated film on barrel-making courtesy of Tonnollerie Billon

Casks have been used primarily as a form of receptacle to store and transport  whisky to the market place or bottler, rather than merely an aid to maturation.

Legally Scotch whisky must be aged in oak casks. The most readily available source  at the time – the Sherry industry –  was thriving in the UK with the majority bottled there rather than in Spain. Consequently a ready supply of redundant, empty casks was available for filling with whisky.

The flavours of the previous contents of  a cask such as Sherry or Bourbon are leeched from the wood by the ageing spirit which will have a direct effect on colour and bouquet of the malt if left naturally.  Casks recently emptied of their original contents exude a greater influence on the maturing whisky.

‘Fresh’ Sherry Casks Over the last fifteen years Bourbon casks have replaced the dwindling number of freshly used sherry casks since all sherry is bottled in Spain. With the solera system of production, there are very few spare casks available, thus the supply of fresh sherry casks has thus been dramatically reduced. Fresh sherry casks can over dominate a weaker whisky, or if matured for too long.

‘Bourbon’ Casks  Since Prohibition, Bourbon production law ensures that oak casks can be used only once for maturation of Bourbon – these redundant casks are dismantled and shipped to Scotland where they are reassembled and used. Now 90% or more of the casks used for filling with whisky are ex-bourbon hogsheads. The more subtle flavours from Bourbon casks can show off the true attributes of a well made whisky to its best. conversely a poorly made malt will be exposed.

‘Refill’ Casks.  All casks are re-coopered to keep them in use for as long as possible often with three or four fillings or more, thus a reduced influence on the contents; these are known as. The colour and flavour imparted is reduced each time the cask is used.