EVEN MORE ON THE CASK

 INDIAN AND TAIWANESE SINGLE MALT WHISKIES

Two regions, in particular, have taken centre-stage in a global whisky renaissance: India and Taiwan. These countries are not just producing whisky; they are reshaping the very fabric of what constitutes a world-class whisky. In a relatively short span, they have not only garnered global attention but also challenged the conventional wisdom that once dictated whisky's geography. The journey of Indian (and Taiwanese) whisky began with adapting traditional whisky-making techniques to local conditions. Distilleries in India faced unique challenges, primarily the tropical climate, which significantly impacts the aging process. Unlike the slow maturation in cooler climates, Indian whisky matures much faster due to higher temperatures, resulting in a different flavor profile. This accelerated aging process posed both a challenge and an opportunity to craft distinctive whiskies that stand out in the global arena.

However, Taiwan's higher humidity and temperature variations impart distinctive characteristics to the whisky, creating a profile that is both complex and unique, differing from the Indian whisky profile here. The common factor is that whiskies from both countries mature in three to five years. We could go a step further.

The most important factor after distillation is the barrel in which the whisky is to mature. There are hundreds of brands of 3-5 year old Scotch. Red Label, Cutty Sark, Grant's, Haig, Hankey Bannister, Harvey's, King's Choice, Passport, etc. All blended Scotch varieties. The single malts therein are thus only 3-5 years old, made in third and fourth-fill barrels. There are many 3YO single malts Scotch whiskies out there, mostly fresh outputs from the dozen or so new distilleries sprouting across Scotland, like Holyrood, Dornoch, Nc'nean, Lochlea, Glenwyvis and others, including from well established distilleries like Glenglassaugh, Kilchoman and Bruichladdich with the Octomore 10.4.

One point to note is that when we discuss whiskies from 1st or 4th fill casks, we are not counting the initial ageing that takes place when bourbon or sherry is aged in new oak casks. A 1^st fill whisky cask means that the cask in question was used only once prior to that occasion for either bourbon or sherry or even wine. Bourbon is aged in new casks that have undergone mandated preparation and made ready within a week. That cask then matures bourbon for 2 years or more. Sherry casks need to be first used to mature wine for a minimum of three years before being loaded with sherry. Newly distilled single malt whisky is aged in either bourbon or sherry casks. In other words, the whisky journey starts when the casks are 2-3 years of age, at the earliest.

How long casks stay usable is correlated with the type of cask used to brew single malt whisky. All casks in which whisky is matured are always made of oak wood cut from trees between 70 to 200 years in age – either American White Oak, which grow and can be harvested much faster or European Oak, which are pricier due to lower supply. Other woods can’t be used as they impart unmistakably unpleasant flavours to whisky.  Softwoods have too much resin, which prevents the cask from “breathing” – which is a vital part of the maturation process. Wood is primarily composed of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, along with smaller amounts of extractives and water. At around the 60 yr stage, the casks are diverted to mature grain whisky.

Before a new cask is used, the ‘dead’ wood must be brought to life through a ‘toasting’ process. The wood is heated to 2000°C for 30 minutes. This breaks up the basic structure as cellulose is split into caramel compounds, usually caramelans (C24H36O18), caramelens (C36H50O25), and caramelins (C125H188O80) and xylose (wood sugar), HOCH2(CH(OH))3CHO. Also, the Lignin (the complex polymer in the cell walls that creates the rigidity in the wood) is converted into Vanillin, C8H8O3 – the primary content of the extract of the vanilla bean. Higher sugars like [glucose , dextrose], [maltose, sucrose, lactose],  etc., are C₆H₁₂O₆ , C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁ . They all have to be broken down into ethanol, C₂H₅OH, over time. In the 3-5 YO bracket of Scotch single malts, the ultra-complex compounds including aldehydes, ketones, furfural (C₄H₃OCHO), large-molecule esters, micelles [spherical structures formed by molecules with both hydrophobic (water-repelling) and hydrophilic (water-attracting)] are extracted during the ‘cutting’ phase as the condensed distillate flows down the pipe into the Spirit Safe, which, under the observation of the note-taking Excise Duty officer, directs the various cuts to different end zones. In some cases, whatever remains in situ after the cut is extracted by chill-filtration.

The ethanol to be used, called new make, is sent to huge steel or aluminium tanks of 10,000+ L capacity. These tanks finally reach the Bond House, where they are diluted and filled at 63.5-65% ABV into oak casks with a capacity < 700L. In the case of the older single malts, the complex bits are not cut off, but retained in the Spirit Safe and sent for maturation following the same procedure and finally mellowed into ethanol over the extra years. This is one major difference.

A 4–5 YO Indian or Taiwanese malt can develop complexity comparable to a 12–15 YO Scotch. Scotch Whiskies mature in a cooler, temperate climate. Ageing is slower, allowing for more gradual flavour development and smoother integration of oak. But there are subtle differences. Yet another important difference is longevity, as explained in the chart below. Essentially, rapidly aged single malts tend to oxidise rather quickly, rendering them insipid, with more water than alcohol.

Flavour Profile & Style

Feature	Indian Single Malt (4–5 YO)	Scotch Single Malt (12 YO)
Climate Influence	Rapid ageing, intense wood extraction	Slow ageing, subtle oak influence
Barley	Usually 6-row barley. More protein and enzyme content. Grainier flavour in the finished wash. Smaller kernel. Germinates faster.	2-row barley. More carbs. Fuller, maltier flavour in the wash. Low protein
Explanation of Wash	Fermented input to the 1st pot still (wash still) producing ~20% ABV sugary spirit directed to the 2nd pot still, the spirit still	Wash still output goes into the spirit still to produce new make, usually cut at ~70% ABV, the top and lower 15% being discarded
Flavour Notes	Tropical fruits, banana, mango, lychee, spices, bold oak, sweetness, plums, apricot, vanilla	Mellow fruits, vanilla, honey, gentle smoke, citrus fruits, berries, cake, kiwi, almond, sugar, oak wood
Texture	Often punchier, more robust	Smoother, more rounded
Peat Usage	Varies (e.g., Paul John and Amrut have peated versions)	Common in Islay Scotches, rare in Speyside
Extract Potential	Higher diastatic power (DP), indicative of their ability to convert starches into sugars	Higher potential per Kg
Devil’s Cut	Aka Indrink, this is the amount of spirit absorbed by the wood and desirable in Sherry casks. Insufficient time to extract all the Indrink. Bourbon is undesirable	Enough time to extract all indrink and absorb their colour and tastes. Origin of tastes of figs, dates, etc.
Longevity	6 months once a bottle is opened and used carefully	5-20 yrs once a bottle is opened and used carefully