The Barrels

Although the production of the whisky from grain to raw spirit has a certain significance for the character and flavour of the later whisky, the majority of the flavours come from the cask ageing and are estimated to account for up to 80% of the whisky flavour.

All Scotch malt whiskies are made from malted barley, water and yeast, yet each cask tastes different, mainly due to the ageing in oak casks.

American or European oak casks are used to store whisky. In the United States, only freshly burnt American oak barrels are permitted for the storage of bourbon whisky and these may only be used once. A standard American cask holds around 200 litres.

Scotch whisky is usually stored in ex-bourbon barrels, which are often expanded into so-called hogshead barrels and then hold around 225 to 250 litres. Traditionally, however, sherry casks from Spain also play an important role in the storage of whisky.

Increasingly, however, other casks and sizes are also being used to give whiskies new flavours. Here is a whisky cask overview of the different sizes and their influence on the whisky.