36 | A bluffer’s guide to...
Written by: Federica Stefani
A BLUFFER ’SS GUIDE TO..
Whisky casks
When it comes to the flavour of whisky casks are key, so here’s a quick run through of the drinks that impart their flavour to your favourite drams through the medium of wood
W
e have previously delved into the world of wood and
It is made by using white grapes of varieties such as
whisky in our Bluffer’s Guide in issue five. When it comes
Palomino, Pedro Ximénez and Moscatel, and its producers
to casks and flavours in the whisky, it’s the liquid that
use a special warehousing system known as a ‘Solera’, in
was in the cask before using it to mature whisky that is all important. Bourbon barrels are the most popular choice, with their vanilla
which casks are arranged in tiers (known as criaderas). Sherries can be divided into three main categories:
and coconut notes and the almost natural exchange that comes
dry sherry wines, naturally sweet wines, and sweet
from the bourbon industry not being able to use them twice. Drinks
sherry wines. Oloroso, Amontillado and Manzanilla are
including sherry, wines and spirits are also used to shape the flavour
all dry sherry wines and are among the preferred types
profile of our favourite drams. Learning more about these products
used in the whisky industry. The first is probably the
and how they are made can unlock new perspectives when it comes
most popular in whisky maturation – made from Palomino
to tasting or buying a whisky.
grapes, Oloroso is peculiar in that it is allowed to age
SHERRY
while exposed to oxygen, making it a multi-layered and complex sherry, rich and warm with a dry finish which
The most popular choice of cask for whisky, after bourbon, is sherry. It is
won’t overpower the whisky. Amontillado is herbal and
produced in Andalucia, specifically in the region of Jerez de la Frontera.
leathery, whereas Manzanilla is fresher and more floral.
Sherry is a fortified wine, meaning that a stronger alcohol, such as
Moscatel and Pedro Ximénez are naturally sweet
brandy, will be added to a traditionally produced base wine, increasing
wines. The latter is obtained by using overly ripe
the alcohol percentage from around 12% to 15-17%. This practice was
grapes of the Pedro Ximénez variety, which have a high
initially introduced so that the wines could better withstand long sea
concentration of sugar. The result is sweet, syrupy and
journeys, but it also helps halt the fermentation process at its peak.
resinous, which imparts notes of Christmas cake, dried fruits, figs and molasses. Moscatel, although sweet and juicy, will have a more light-bodied, fresh and fruity influence on the whisky.
PORT Another very popular fortified wine used for whisky finishing is port. Its origin is in the Douro Valley in Portugal and in the city of Vila Nova de Gaia. It’s made with both white and red grapes and fortified with
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