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The cask
Every detail is important, from branch to barrel
European Oak
European oak (Quercus Robur) is traditionally used to manufacture Sherry casks. It contains a high amount of tannins, giving a spirit a dry astringency in the early stages of maturation. Over time, lignin compounds break down slowly, releasing more intense notes of spice and toffee into the spirit. Quercus Robur is a slower growing species of oak, which leads to a wide grain. This gifts a whisky a highly developed complexity and character.
American White Oak
American oak, (Quercus Alba) is high in compounds called oak lactones, which help to deliver a sweet, fragrant aroma found characteristically in American Bourbon and often described as coconut, vanilla or citrus notes. Quercus Alba is a much faster growing variety of oak, which thrives in the US climate. It has a tighter grain than European Oak, which means a spirit extracts sweet and delicate flavour compounds.
The initial fill
It is traditional in Scotch whisky production to use casks which have previously held another style of drink in order to season the cask before it is emptied and filled with clear, new-make spirit. Over time the cask will gift the whisky the desired flavours and aromas and we will use our experience to determine when each cask has reached the desired quality for bottling.
Bourbon
American Bourbon whiskey is made primarily from maize, along with a mixture of other cereals such as barley, rye and wheat. Distilled in both large column stills and pot stills, the whiskey is matured in warehouses, which can be subjected to extremes in temperature.
Sherry
Sherry is a Spanish white wine which has been fortified by the addition of a spirit distilled from grapes. There are different types of Sherry, each with its own characteristics; from the light, bone-dry freshness of Fino, the robust and dark nutty character of Oloroso, through to the heavy, rich, sweet and spicy notes of Pedro Ximénez. Scotch whiskies matured in ex-Sherry casks will typically carry notes of dried fruit, spice, with a nutty character.
Cask specifications
Hogshead
(250 litres). There are two types of hogshead casks: ‘Re-made’ and ‘Sherry’. Re-made hogshead is traditionally made by Scottish coopers by adding staves to barrels to increase the size, resulting in sweet vanilla flavours. Sherry hogshead is the smaller brother of the Sherry butt, producing similar fig and spice flavours.
Barrel
(200 litres). Generally ex-American Bourbon. These casks have the largest surface area per litre, delivering faster maturation likely to yield sweet, fruity flavours.
Request a booklet
Learn more about our philosophy, our good wood policy, and cask maturation with The wood makes the whisky booklet.