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Cask Strength

Malt whisky comes from the still at over 60% alcohol volume; during maturation it loses both volume and strength. It is forbidden by law to top up the casks during the maturation process and this loss is known in the trade as 'the Angel's Share'.

Before the First World War, all whisky was bottled straight from the cask, then in 1916, as a wartime measure it was ordained that the strength be reduced; a compromise was reached at 40% and has remained that strength ever since.

Whisky bottled at cask strength tastes remarkably different from that which has been reduced prior to bottling and many connoisseurs prefer to drink it this way.

Gordon & MacPhail has an impressive range of Cask Strength Single Malts. As the name suggests these malts are bottled straight from the cask at natural strength and colour and are non-chill filtered.

The highly individual label indicates the cask number and the bottling date, along with the distillation year and strength. Each new bottling will have its own unique cask strength.