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Scotch whisky distillery Tomatin produces a stupendous and delicate single malt whisky, which is extremely approachable. For one week a yr, additionally they produce a whisky made with very frivolously peated barley, known as Cù Bòcan. It’s this spirit that varieties the bottom of Creations, a collection of releases showcasing totally different features of their whisky by utilizing totally different ending barrels. However how does ending work? While having fun with and ending a bottle of whisky may be simple, ending as an ageing course of is an artwork that requires a lot of concerns. Barbara Drew MW delves into them under.
Whisky. In some ways, a easy spirit. In any case, it’s simply barley, yeast, and water, proper? Nicely, not precisely. There’s a fourth ingredient, and it’s obligatory – oak. To be labelled as Scotch whisky, a spirit should be aged in oak barrels, of 700 litres or much less, for 3 years or extra.
Nevertheless, a model new, fresh-from-the-cooperage oak barrel comprises an enormous quantity of flavour – from the toast on the within of the staves, to the vanillins and lactones within the oak (that style of vanilla and cream respectively). These flavours are very simply extracted into high-strength alcohol just like the new-make spirit (new-make refers back to the freshly distilled spirit, usually round 65-70% because it comes off the nonetheless). Three years’ ageing in a brand new barrel would overwhelm the delicate flavours of the barley within the new-make, leading to a harsh, tannic and excessively oaky spirit.
As an alternative, producers use outdated oak barrels, which have already been used to retailer spirits (or typically wines). The barrels have thus given up the vast majority of their extra intense flavours. Many of those older barrels previously held Bourbon. When making Bourbon, producers should use solely model new oak casks. After a couple of years, as soon as the Bourbon is bottled, the casks want a brand new dwelling. There’s subsequently a wholesome commerce in once-used, ex-Bourbon barrels to Scotland.
That is nice information for Scotch followers, as these barrels impart all types of scrumptious flavours to the whisky, from coconut to vanilla and typically a fragile toffee word too.
Bourbon barrels are usually not the one oak barrel used to age Scotch whisky although. You could have heard of Sherry cask whisky, and Sherry casks are highly regarded amongst whisky makers. These barrels are typically comprised of European oak – both French or Spanish – and sometimes lend barely spicier notes to the whisky. Relying on what kind of Sherry was initially aged within the cask, a few of these flavours will even find yourself within the whisky too, with walnut and raisin notes from Oloroso Sherry casks and almond and olive notes from a Fino Sherry cask.
Totally different components within the mix
Alongside spirits barrels, many wine producers promote casks to whisky distilleries, and whiskies are sometimes “completed” in these casks – spending the final yr or so of their maturation gathering an extra array of flavours in these barrels. This could result in a large range of types. For individuals who like their whiskies with a touch of raisins and darkish chocolate, these completed in Port casks are good; for extra delicate marmalade, honey and saffron notes, a whisky completed in a Sauternes cask might swimsuit.
Different spirits producers may additionally share casks for ending, with a spotlight lately on various kinds of rum casks lending their intense fruit characters, and even Tequila barrels, which add a delicate peppery zing to spirits aged in them.
This strategy of ending a whisky, although, is not only about including one other flavour to the spirit. Consider it as an alternative as a tweak to the recipe to focus on totally different features of the underlying spirit. Scotch whisky producers can produce subtly totally different types of spirit by experimenting with fermentation, distillation and maturation. Ending provides one other ingredient, a strategy to highlight sure flavours throughout the spirit, and intensify them utilizing the flavours within the ending barrel.
Such a course of works greatest when the spirit shouldn’t be overwhelmed by these flavours, however merely complemented by them, one thing achieved to nice impact by Tomatin’s Creations collection.
Completed Creations
Every of the Creations releases showcases the impact of a unique ending barrel (or two). For instance, Creations #6 has been completed in Pedro Ximenez (PX) Sherry casks and Jamaican rum casks. These two forms of cask work very nicely collectively, with the PX casks including a wealthy, nearly treacley raisin character to the spirit. The Jamaican rum casks convey tropical fruit characters; Jamaican rums are identified for his or her significantly pungent banana and pineapple aromas. There’s additionally a beautiful ginger spice as nicely, accentuated by this ending regime.
Collectively, the result’s a easy and delicate whisky, interwoven with delicate notes of ripe tropical fruit, brown banana, raisins and ginger. That is all offset fantastically by the slight tang of peat smoke, performing as a counterpoint to the fruit.
After all there are as many alternative types of cask finishes as there are distilleries in Scotland. Work your manner by a couple of to discover the totally different components and determine which is your good end.
Cù Bòcan Creation #6 is obtainable right here
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