● DISTILLATION Is the oak industry under threat from rapid maturation techniques? Moving things along iStock.com/liveslow A look at rapid whisky maturation methods By Roger Putman fortune, perhaps we should consider what occurs during maturation and judge whether the science behind these It is an oft-quoted old saying, particularly amongst the accelerations is likely to have any com- brandy fraternity, that: “You make brown spirits for your mercial effect. During the preparation of this article, I was told of magic and black sons and daughters and drink the ones your father made.” arts by a number of Scots. Many text This would suggest that it takes time to mature a spirit into books gloss over ten long years in a dark something of which a father might be proud. According to cellar by the Hebridean Sea by saying that the raw spirit fresh off the still is California-based whisky writer, Bozkurt Karasu, Americans diluted to around 64%ABV in casks pre- lack one important virtue – and that is patience. viously used in the US bourbon industry, the angels take their share and hey presto, a few years later the magic hap- ence there has been a lot of inter- wood and if they don’t get that, they are pens after the black arts have weaved Hest lately, particularly in the USA being cheated. All whisky sold in the EU their spells and the blender is presented with its 1000 craft distillers, in produc- must be matured in wooden casks for with something to play with! ing an acceptable spirit in weeks or at least three years, with the defi nition months rather than waiting for years of Scotch whisky requiring maturation Wood and brown spirits and suffering concurrent losses of in oak. One can experiment with differ- Brown spirits are matured in wood and volume and alcohol, high stock valu- ent techniques, but whether the fi nal include whiskey, brandies (cognac, ations, on-going warehouse storage product complies with the defi nition of armagnac, pisco, aguardiente and costs and having the Excise breathing whisky in the market concerned (and other grape products) as well as some down your neck all the time. can therefore be described as whisky) is rums, cachaças and tequilas. I note On the more cautious side, Rose- a different matter. Such products would that the innovative souls at Watershed mary Gallagher at the Scotch Whisky have to be described as something else in Columbus, Ohio, fi rst produced a Association observed that “Traditional – they should not benefi t from being barrel-matured gin back in 2012. They production practices have built up the described as whisky.” were surprised when the sale of a reputation of whisky as a category. Con- Before we take a look at the various few bottles was announced and 750 sumers expect whisky to be matured in methods supposed to save distillers a folk turned up to buy some. Hernö in 36 z Brewer and Distiller International November 2016 www.ibd.org.uk DISTILLATION l Brown spirits of course start off from the still entirely colourless. The brown comes from the oak cask, its charring and toasting and the col- our of any previous incumbent be it bourbon or sherry. Although still a niche category, brand owners see an Char 1 Char 2 angle in acquiring finishing casks that earlier held port, Madeira or wines like Sauternes, Tokaji or even Grand Cru champagne or Chateau Margaux. France’s Brenne farm distillery near Cognac makes a single malt and does things the other way around, starting Char 3 Char 4 (Alligator char) in new Limousin oak then finishing in newly disgorged cognac casks. Charring the casks at the Independent Stave Company and the various levels of char available, from Char 1 to Char 4 which is the classic Alligator Unaged spirits in the past Sweden has gone further and used a from Longmorn and Glen Garioch with During the nineteenth century, much juniper cask for its spell of maturation. whisky from the Hanyu distillery in whisky was bottled soon after distilla- In the UK, Chris Hayman reports that Japan to produce an offering called tion. But like brewing, whisky-making for his wood-aged 1850 Reserve he Glover. Perhaps on the more bizarre tended to be seasonal in nature and had to alter the gin recipe to take ac- but still eye-catching end of innovation the oak barrel would have been the count of the woody flavours interacting is from independent bottler Caden- most readily available container for with the botanicals. head’s Stupid Cask range with Fishky storage. Discerning producers and I do hope we are not about to see which supposedly put Bruichladdich customers must have picked up on a botanical-infused whiskey but the in a herring cask; pundits Whisky Cast the changed character of the spirit. whole market is highly competitive and were not complimentary, suggesting The current minimum storage period innovation to get that edge in the market that: “The nose hides the secrets of embedded in the Scotch Whisky Regu- is intense. Developing a USP has never the whisky well and the finish is salty, lations is a little known result of Lloyd been more critical. Once upon a time the greasy and nasty with no redeeming George’s efforts to bolster munitions sector was driven only by %ABV, pack- qualities.” Westland Distillery also production during the Great War when age design, age or cask finish. Scottish put out a press release on April Fools drink was apparently causing more products no longer feature as regularly Day with Inferno, finished in a Tabasco problems than the whole fleet of Ger- in Jim Murry’s Whisky Bible top five as cask. Roundstone Rye probably had man submarines. they used to. While at the classic end of more luck with a maple syrup cask. Total prohibition was not an option the market, a 12yo whisky might now be but a number of measures to curb more common than a declared 8yo but Vibrant sector immoderate consumption were intro- there is more and more Scotch on sale So the sector is indeed vibrant and as duced. UK brewers are familiar with with no age statement. In Ireland, Cooley Bill Owens at the American Distilling the restriction of pub opening hours, is selling a poteen straight off the still; Institute points out, if you listen care- making the buying of rounds illegal I trust that it is more potable than the fully to the supply chain for American – and the nationalisation of pubs and product which surreptitiously appeared whiskey, there is a distinct sucking breweries around the munitions plants at times in Bass’ Belfast Brewery! sound as demand threatens to outstrip at Enfield in London and Gretna on the Hybrids are everywhere; Pernod- the ability of the industry to supply. Scottish border – but the Immature Ricard has Zaconey, a blend of Irish and The market is huge, with Bill’s 1000 or Spirits (Restriction) Act of 1915 banned US whiskies with berry extracts; Eng- so US craft distillers representing just the sale of any spirit less than two land’s Lakes Distillery produced a blend 1.5% of American spirits sales (over years old. This was increased to three of whisky from all parts of the United there craft beer is 12.2% of the market). a year later. Kingdom called ‘The One’ to sell before We have already seen %ABV reduc- The Act certainly reduced spirit its own whisky comes of age. Moss- tions and a shortening of the period availability and took immature prod- wood finished a 7yo Tennessee whiskey in cask so small wonder that brand ucts off the market believing that they in a cask which had been seasoned with owners are interested in any permitted caused more drunkenness than older espresso coffee. High West Whiskey’s accelerations as long as they do not and obviously more expensive brands. Campfire combines American rye with damage brand credentials. No doubt Today the arms factories are long peated imported Scotch. Similarly Jim much work is going on behind closed gone, but the three-year rule still ap- Beam Kentucky Dram blends Kentucky doors to avoid accusations of penny- plies for Scotch whisky along with the Straight Bourbon with an Ardmore pinching corner-cutting but enquiries to restrictions on raw materials, upper peated malt to ‘marry smoke and va- PR departments are greeted with sharp distillation strength and a minimum nilla’. Diageo’s Whiskey Union recently intakes of breath and quiet tutting alcoholic strength of 40%ABV in bottle. launched Huxley Rare Genus Whiskey, sounds for your even suggesting that Immature spirits disappeared from the comprising Scotch, Canadian and such shenanigans are going on! Heriot market for a century. American casks while its Boxing Hares Watt University in Edinburgh has also The benefits of aging in oak have infuses hop flavours. conducted some research but under a long been appreciated, rather than Adelphi has mixed single malts client non-disclosure agreement. understood. Even today we have only www.ibd.org.uk Brewer and Distiller International November 2016 z 37 l DISTILLATION Ian Palmer from Scotland’s newest whisky distillery Inchdairnie says he has looked at lots of rapid maturation options, not that he wanted to use them but just to understand them. He tried adding wood into the barrels but this just tasted of sawn wood where the young spirit flavours are masked as opposed to maturing them out. He added “I am looking for complexity, mouth feel, long finish and sweetness. Many of these ideas, for a sophisticated palette, can be just one dimensional which leads to disappointment.