CASKED WHISKIES

 SINGLE AND MULTIPLE CASKED WHISKIES

There comes a point in every whisky drinker’s journey when they realise that single malt whisky isn’t necessarily drawn directly from cask to bottle. The word ‘single’ can be somewhat misleading here, as single malt can, and often does, come from a variety of casks. The term ‘single malt’ instead refers to a whisky that is produced by a single distillery using a single malted grain (in Scotch whisky-making, this grain must be barley and the whisky must be distilled using a pot still). This is not to say a blend of casks can’t make an exceptional single malt. They can, and they do! Blending between casks allows whisky producers to create balance, establish character and maintain consistency in the whiskies we know and love.

That said, there is something romantic about the single cask – whisky drawn straight from one individual cask. Releases are almost always bottled at cask strength and free from caramel colouring or chill-filtration. This is whisky in its most authentic form; untouched, elemental and pure. No two single-cask whiskies are the same, and they are intended to take on the unique flavour of their individual casks.

One of the most magical elements of the whisky-making process is undoubtedly cask maturation – experts believe that as much as 80 per cent of a whisky’s flavour may come from the very wood it was aged in. This post is a follow-up to an earlier post on the same subject, with a slightly different tilt. The cask is an intrinsic part of whisky creation, but how did it come to be?

HISTORY OF THE CASK

Whisky was officially documented for the first time in Scotland in the late fifteenth century, although wooden barrels were not part of the story at this point. Up until the 1800s, whisky tended to be drunk fresh from the still, or smuggled throughout the country in everything and anything distillers could get their hands on.

It wasn’t until the early nineteenth century when the UK began importing larger quantities of port and sherry from across the Channel, that barrels became a common fixture in the whisky-making process. Shipped to the UK in casks and bottled at the port, a surplus of empty wine barrels was then available for thrifty distillers to store and transport their whisky in.

The oak barrels were praised for being water-tight and easily stackable; however, it was quickly discovered that the sweet wines previously held within these casks helped to mellow the spirit and improve its flavour. Influenced even further by the length of time spent in the cask, it wasn’t long before cask ageing became an essential component of making the whisky we pour into our glass today. In fact, today’s laws require the spirit to spend three years in a cask before it can even be legally called Scotch whisky.

INDIVIDUAL CHARACTER

Due to an almost infinite combination of factors – from a cask’s original contents to the unique character of its wood, to the temperature of the warehouse it is laid in – the components of a single cask come together to create something totally unique; a dram that is truly inimitable.

By their very nature, single casks produce a liquid that is extremely limited. Even the largest casks will only yield around 500 bottles, depending on what proof the whisky is bottled at or how much liquid is lost to evaporation- the angels’ share. Bottles are often individually numbered, and labels show the specific cask details; the holy grail of whisky transparency!

Sought-after for their exclusivity, single casks are also alluring thanks to their ability to showcase a side of a distillery that drinkers may otherwise not get the chance to explore. Focus on the flavours from an individual cask and less intervention from the whisky makers mean the end result is likely to taste different to the distillery’s classic single malt, giving drinkers the opportunity to try something ‘off the beaten path’ from their favourite brands.

 WHAT ARE SINGLE, DOUBLE AND TRIPLE CASK WHISKIES?

A Single, Double or Triple cask whisky simply refers to the number of casks that a whisky has been matured in. It should be noted that this definition operates under different names- single/double/triple wood or barrel are also used interchangeably, and double and triple cask whiskies are often referred to as ‘finished’ whiskies.

An example of single-cask whisky is a whisky that has been aged in one cask for a set period of time before being bottled- the whisky remains at cask strength and is not filtered- in other words it is not interfered with and goes straight from cask to bottle. A double-cask whisky is a whisky that has first matured in one cask before being transferred into another cask to finish maturing.  A triple-cask whisky is one which has matured in three casks before bottling.

However, whilst these definitions seem quite simple- and are widely accepted as the true definitions of single, double and triple cask, due to loose legal regulations, some whiskies are bottled as single/double/triple cask under different circumstances.

For example, it is acceptable for whisky to be advertised as a single cask even if it has been matured in two barrels if the second barrel is of the same barrel type as the first. This is also the case if whiskies matured in the same barrel type are combined in a larger barrel before bottling.

Single-Cask Whiskies: A Single Cask Whisky is traditionally defined as a whisky that has been entirely matured and taken from a single cask. The term ‘single’ is in reference to the distillery the whisky was created at- all the whisky must be distilled in the same distillery. Once in the barrels, the whisky can be matured anywhere, although it must stay in Scotland to be considered Scotch!

They are a unique snapshot of a distillery’s output, from a single distillation, and matured in a single cask. Every single cask is a singular expression that will differ in style and character from standard distillery bottlings. A typical cask will yield between 150 and 600 bottles, depending on the size of the cask, and the age of the Whisky. They are highly sought after by Whisky enthusiasts, and when they are gone, they are gone...

Are Single Cask Whiskies Better Than Other Whiskies?

Some may question why single-cask whiskies tend to be more expensive than other whiskies- are they better? Not necessarily.

There are a few reasons why single-cask whiskies can be more expensive- most stemming from the limited quantity of each single-cask whisky. Casks can typically produce anywhere between 180- 600 bottles each, making the whisky inside a limited commodity. This makes them an attractive purchase for enthusiasts and collectors who value them for their rarity and total uniqueness. Additionally, whilst it is not a rule, single-cask whiskies are often bottled at cask strength (so have a higher alcohol content) and they are not chill-filtered or given added caramel colour E150A.

SINGLE MALT WHISKY V SINGLE CASK WHISKY

What is the difference between Single Cask Whisky and Single Malt Whisky?

As mentioned previously, a single-cask whisky is a whisky distilled in a single distillery that is matured in just one cask. Single Malt Whisky is a blend of malt whiskies produced at a single distillery from 100% malted barley. The difference between the two is that single malt is a blend of different casks from the same distillery, whereas the single cask is from only one cask.

DOUBLE CASK WHISKY

A double-cask whisky is one which has been matured in one cask, before being transferred into a different cask. A ‘double cask whisky’ can also refer to two whiskies from different origin barrels being vatted together in the same barrel before being bottled.

Often the process of maturing the whisky in a second cask is called ‘finishing’ and can take months to years.

Many master distillers choose to finish their whisky in a cask which once held a fortified wine. This is because they can impart sweetness, fruitiness and richness to the whisky- and in some cases a nutty or saltiness- that cannot be obtained from maturation only in American oak casks.

TRIPLE CASK WHISKY

Triple Cask Whisky is whisky aged in three different cask types during the ageing process. This could be a whisky which is matured in one cask then transferred to a second and then to a third, or it could be three whiskies matured in different cask types that are transferred and combined in a fourth, bigger barrel.

The idea behind double and triple-casking whisky is to add layers of flavour to the spirit, and there is, therefore, a more expansive combination of flavours that are available for a triple-cask whisky to have.

Triple-cask whiskies are rare in the whisky world, it is hard enough to balance the flavours when double-casking whisky let alone triple- so are they good? When Distillery Managers are asked to elaborate on triple-cask whiskies, most will say, "Anything that adds variety and excitement to the category should be welcomed."

GENERAL PROPERTIES OF EACH TYPE

Tasting Notes

Colour: Single-cask is typically deep gold in colour; a double-cask is usually golden amber in colour, while a triple-cask has a yellow-gold colour.

Nose: Single-cask smells more alcohol than double-cask and triple-cask. The nose of the double-cask is fruity, while the triple-cask is a blend of different scents (due to the combination of barrels).

Palate: Triple-cask features layers of flavours, usually with notes of butterscotch and vanilla, while double-cask balances sweetness and fruitiness.

Finish: All single, double, and triple cask whiskies can provide a lasting finish, but the triple-cask is more on the complex and warm side.

The single-cask may well be relatively harsh (for some) due to its high ABV, while the double-cask has some fruitiness and the triple-cask some flavours.

CASK FINISHING

Cask Finishing is when a whisky is transferred from its first cask to a second or third for extra maturation. Typically, this secondary maturation will be done in a cask that once housed a fortified wine- such as Port, Sherry, or Madeira.

It takes an expert to keep the whisky balanced whilst retaining its ‘whiskiness’ during the ageing process, and the timing of how long a whisky is aged in each cask is key. The technique is largely based on trial and error with possibly a little luck! It is safe to say that when done right, cask finishing can produce some really excellent drams.

SOME SINGLE-CASK WHISKIES ON OFFER

GLEN MORAY

Soft and fruity are the keywords when talking of Glen Moray which makes it a very amenable partner with American oak. Light and smooth as well, their products are a great introduction to the world of single malt Scotch whisky, encapsulating the flavours for which Glen Moray and indeed Speyside itself is loved for around the world. Approachable and easy drinking, matured entirely in American oak casks, their products open the door to discovering the rest of Glen Moray's whiskies.

It is believed that the closeness of the river and the high water table produces a slightly warmer and more humid microclimate which assists maturation. Since the La Martiniquaise takeover a higher percentage of first-fill American oak is used, adding more buttery notes to the mix. It was one of the first whiskies to be ‘finished’ in wine casks – Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay specifically – as well as Port. After a few quiet years, new releases are beginning to appear. Some peated malt is now being run as well.

Although now in the midst of housing, Glen Moray originally sat out with Elgin’s boundaries and started life as a brewery, taking its water and power from the fast-flowing River Lossie alongside.

Like many, this 1897 distillery fell victim to the slump which took place at the start of the 20th century and closed in 1910, being snapped up in 1923 by Macdonald & Muir, owners of Glenmorangie. With snazzy Glenmorangie, Glen Moray became the firm’s ‘budget’ malt with a price often the same as standard blends. While sales rose, there was little profit made and the distillery’s image was badly damaged.

In 2008, it was sold to French distilling firm La Martiniquaise, predominantly for fillings for its Label Five and Glen Turner brands. Capacity has since been increased by 40% with new washbacks and another pair of stills being installed.

THE OLD MALT CASK

Speyside Single Cask #17592 Ex-Bourbon

DISTILLERY	GLEN MORAY
Description	Single Cask
Vintage	2007
Year Bottled	2022
Age	15 year old
Alcohol ABV	50 %
Cask Strength	Yes
Cask Wood	Oak
Cask Number	17592
Single Cask	Yes
No Bottled	214
Packaging	Cardboard Tube
Bottler	Hunter Laing
Country  Origin	Scotland
Stopper	Cork
Bottle Type	Standard
Bottle Size	70cl
Neck Level	Full Level
HTFW Cat. No.	LP16339
Vintage	2007

 Product Description

This single-cask maturation was distilled at Glen Moray in January 2007. It was bottled in February 2022, for a total ageing of 15 years. This bottle is one of 214 produced from this vatting.

Nose: Sweet, floral and buttery - notes of caramel and vanilla.
Palate: Summer fruits, vanilla yoghurt and orange blossom.
Finish: Sweet and satisfying with a touch of toasted malt.

ARRAN

Island Single Malt 1998 24-Year-Old Whisky

Although the Arran distillery is relatively new, with production starting in 1995, the island in the Firth of Clyde has a long history of whisky-making. A hotbed for smuggled whisky, Arran had excellent links to Glasgow. Bottling started with a limited edition three-year-old in 1998 and the range has continued to expand, although today there are fewer ‘finished’ variants than in the past.

Once buzzing with over 50 whisky distilleries, until recently the island of Arran was home to only one, which claims its water, sourced from Loch Na Davie, is the purest in Scotland.

As an island whisky, it might be thought that Arran would always have been peaty. Instead, it started life as a non-smoky ‘Highland-style' malt. Like any new build distillery, the equipment is in an easily managed single-tier space with a small semi-lauter mash tun, wooden washbacks and two pairs of small stills.

The character shows light cereal crunchiness behind a distinctly citric note. Arran has also shown that this distillate, allied to a quality-focussed wood policy, has given single malt that is capable of extended ageing. These days, peated malt is also being run.

THE OLD MALT CASK

• Island Single Malt Scotch Whisky
• 
  

DISTILLERY	ARRAN
Description	Single Malt
Vintage	1998
Age	24 year old
Alcohol ABV	54.7 %
Cask Strength	Yes
Cask Wood Type	Oak
Cask Number	19620
Single Cask	Yes
Number Bottled	243
Packaging	Cardboard Tube
Bottler	Hunter Laing
Country of Origin	Scotland
Stopper	Cork
Bottle Type	Standard
Bottle Size	70cl
Neck Level	Full Level
HTFW Cat. No.	LP17159

A 1998 Arran single malt from independent bottler Hunter Laing that was matured in a refill hogshead for 24 years, before being bottled in July 2022 at 54.7% ABV as part of its Old Malt Cask series. Aromas of garden herbs, ripe fruit, dried tea and warm spice fill the nose, complemented by notes of stewed berries, cherry cola, cinnamon, liquorice, vanilla and oak spice throughout the palate. Gloriously well-matured single malt Scotch whisky from the Arran Distillery.

BLAIR ATHOL

1995 20YO THE WHISKY VAULT 2016 LIMITED EDITION

A member of the ‘nutty-spicy’ camp which defined the old Bell’s distilleries, Blair Athol takes the first part of the descriptor to its boldest expression. Established on peaty moorland south of Pitlochry in the foothills of the Grampian mountains, Blair Athol’s ancient source of water is the Allt Dour – in Gaelic “the burn of the otter,” which flows through the grounds from the slopes of Ben Vrackie. Closed in 1932, Blair Athol was saved during the depression by Arthur Bell and Sons. In 1949 it was extensively rebuilt, re-opened, and has been in production ever since.

Cloudy worts and a short fermentation time give the nutty base, but it is distillation which adds real weight to the distillate. A controlled level of solids coming across in the wash still add a rich, deep, malt-loaf character to the new make. It is this character which allows it to show so well in ex-Sherry, although for blending purposes the majority of the make is destined for ex-Bourbon.

The central Perthshire town of Pitlochry sits on the banks of the River Tay and has had a distillery since 1798, making its plant one of the oldest legal whisky-making sites in Scotland. The original distillery was named Aldour after the burn which supplied it with process water, but changed its name to Blair Athol after a nearby village in 1825.

During WWII, both Blair Athol and Dufftown distilleries had been bought by Perth-based blender, Arthur Bell & Sons. By the 1970s, Bell’s was being built into the UK’s top-selling blended Scotch and, as a result, Blair Athol was doubled in capacity.

In an attempt to tap into the then-infant single malt market, Bell’s bottled it as an eight-year-old in the 1980s, but in the Diageo era it has appeared mainly as a member of the Flora & Fauna range as a 12 YO, matured in first-fill ex-Sherry casks.

THE WHISKY VAULT CASK 

Highlands Single Malts Whisky

DISTILLERY	BLAIR ATHOL
Region	Highlands
Vintage	1995
Age	20
Bottled	2016
Series	The Vault
Yield	180
Cask	Sherry
Cask Number	#11163
Bottler	Douglas Laing
ABV	51.8%
Content	70cl
Country of Origin	Scotland
GTIN	5014218799200

 Product Details

This well-sherried Highland single malt Scotch whisky was laid to rest at the Blair Athol distillery in November 1995, where it remained undisturbed for 20 long years before being bottled in May 2016 especially for The Whisky Vault by celebrated independent bottlers Douglas Laing & Co. Ltd from their Douglas McGibbon stocks.

A superb malt that is one of just 180 bottles taken from sherry cask number 11163, bottled at a natural cask strength of 51.8% ABV and supplied with a smart presentation tube.

TASTING NOTES: -

Nose: Opens warmly spiced and runs to soft barley with a macerated dark fruit style
Palate: Lively still with spices to the fore – then doughy – home-baked fruit pie tones
Finish: Those warming spices are still so abundant, with a gristy stewed apples quality.

 BRAEVAL

Infrequent Flyers Single Cask 11 YO Whisky

The Braes of Glenlivet was a major location for illicit stills in the 18th and 19th centuries, and if local rumours are true, the practice continued until relatively recently. This remote, sheltered, high pasture land was ideal for moonshining – the first road to ‘the Braes’ was only laid in the 1960s. The distillery followed in 1972.

Braeval, a Speyside single malt Scotch whisky distillery, has steadily grown in capacity and is now home to six stills (two large wash and four smaller spirit) all with thin necks and upward sloping lyne arms helping to generate a lighter style with some floral notes. It is rarely seen as a single malt – even independent bottlers scarcely have any. It shares the honour of being the highest distillery in Scotland jointly with Dalwhinnie, at 355 m above mean sea level.

The site was chosen by Seagram – at that point still in pursuit of The Glenlivet – purportedly because of the quality of its water. Famously, the first mash took place before the roof had been put on the distillery because the chairman was coming from Canada to inspect his new baby.

It was one of the first wholly automated distilleries in Scotland and one of the first to contain all of the equipment in a single open-plan space. Although it sports a pagoda roof, no malting has ever taken place.

It became part of Pernod Ricard’s portfolio when the firm took over Seagram’s Scotch whisky division in 2000. The following year, its new owner mothballed it for six years. It is now in full production. First known as Braes of Glenlivet, it changed its name to Braeval to avoid any confusion with its more famous neighbour.

 Cask # 27768 | 2009 | 11 year old Whisky | 70cl | 56.1% | £89.95

DISTILLERY	BRAEVAL
Region	Speyside
Description	Infrequent Flyers Single Cask
Vintage	2009
Year Bottled	2020
Age	11 year old
Alcohol ABV	56.1 %
Cask Strength	Yes
Cask Wood Type	American Oak
Cask Number	215
Single Cask	Yes
Packaging	Cardboard Tube
Bottler	Infrequent Flyers
Country of Origin	Scotland
Stopper	Cork
Bottle Type	Standard
Bottle Size	70cl
Neck Level	Full Level
HTFW Cat. No.	LP13018

Product Description

Colour: Light gold.
Nose: A classic Speyside nose - fresh, sweet, fruity and very floral. Buttery, baked fruits, almonds and treacle.
Palate: This has a real bakery store vibe to it. Buttery and creamy, with plenty of honey, vanilla and malty notes. Deliciously sweet, with toffee, vanilla cheesecake and custard.
Finish: Sweet and spicy. 

JURA 2007

Island Single Malt Limited Edition Scotch Whisky

It might be reasonably assumed that Jura would make a peaty whisky. After all, the island is smothered in the stuff. It was, however, built in the 1960s with backing from a major blender, Mackinlay, and at that time light whisky was what was needed. Jura, therefore, conformed to the requirements of the market.  Noel Moitra

JURA DISTILLERY

Jura is a classic 1960s distillery – large rooms, a clear flow from a semi-lauter tun, stainless steel washbacks, and a capacious stillhouse with very tall (7.7m) stills with a capacity of more than 20,000 litres. Clearly, it was not built solely to satisfy the thirst of the local populace. Relatively short ferments give Jura background rigidity – meaning that this is a whisky that needs time (or active casks) to open fully.

Although the large southern Hebridean island of Jura has always been sparsely populated, it has a fascinating distilling heritage. In the 18th century, it was reported that islanders made spirits from rowan berries, as well as using the bitter fruit to acidulate their whisky punch. Sure, illicit distillation occurred, but there was a legal site in the island’s only settlement, Craighouse, in 1810 licensed to the island’s owner Archibald Campbell. There is debate as to whether there was a legal distillery in Lagg.

The distillery went through a number of names: Craighouse, Small Isles, Caol nan Eilean, Jura, and various owners without garnering any great fame until 1901 when it was among many to close in whisky’s first great sales slump. The cost of running a remote island site is always expensive, and a lack of direct transport to the mainland (all ferry traffic still has to go via Islay) also counted against its survival.

It was these economics which ruled Jura out of the distilling equation for over six decades. Then, in 1963, two of the island’s landowners, Robin Fletcher and Tony Riley-Smith, decided to start whisky-making once more – predominantly as an incentive to stop any further decline in the island’s population. With financial backing from Leith-based blender Charles Mackinlay & Co, designer William Delme-Evans was hired and a large, modern distillery was built which was further expanded in 1978 to its current size. In 1985, Invergordon Distillers bought Mackinlay and from there the firms were folded into Whyte & Mackay.

It began being sold as a single malt in 1974, and the range has grown steadily since. The start of peating saw some smoky whisky being included in the no-age Superstition brand, launched in 2002, while a 100% smoked Prophecy was released in 2009.

In 2018, Jura underwent a radical revamp, introducing a completely new range of whiskies with a lightly smoky character, from the entry-level NAS expression Jura Journey through 10-, 12- and 18-year-old malts, plus Jura Seven Wood. Further expressions, including Jura Time and Jura Tide, have been launched into travel retail. One may conclude that the core range of Jura has a subtly smoky character, from incorporating a small amount of peated spirit into the vatting.

THE OLD MALT CASK

 Cask # HL19605 | 2007 | 14 YO Whisky | 70cl | 50% | £110

	DISTILLERY	Jura
	Classification	Scotch Whisky
	Region	Island
	Style	Single Malt
	Size	70cl
	ABV	50%
	Country of Origin	Scotland
	Age Statement	14 Year Old
	Single Cask	HL19605
	Distilled	October 2007
	Bottled	August 2022
	Cask Strength	Yes
	Bottle Type	Standard
	Bottler	Hunter Laing
	Type of Wood	Oak
	Stopper	Cork
	Chill Filtered	No
	Artificial Colouring	No
	Number of Bottles	304
	Neck Level	Full Level

 Product Description

Distilled at Jura Distillery, this Island Region is a bottling from The Old Malt Cask range at Hunter Laing & Co. The marvellous expression was aged for 14 years in a single hogshead cask and this is one of only 304 bottles. Bottled at 50% abv and free from chill-filtration with natural colour.

Expect leafy, sweet and fresh aromas, followed by a palate full of orange pulp and a touch of fennel. The finish is long and grassy, with a hint of ginger.