The Meaning of Cask Strength
Some people believe that whiskey at cask strength is the purest version of the spirit. A lot of people refer to it as “the extra strong stuff,” nevertheless. But what does it mean for whiskey to be “cask strength?” Cask-strength whiskey is bottled directly from the barrel, preserving its original strength and grain character.
Regular whiskey is watered down before being bottled. Cask-strength whiskey, also known as overproof or barrel-strength whiskey, can have an alcohol by volume (ABV) anywhere from 50-75%, with a normal dram having an ABV of 60-65%. Conversely, to maintain uniformity from batch to batch, regular whiskey is diluted to an ABV of 40%. Another distinguishing feature? The cool filtering process, which is used to eliminate chemical components after maturation and is largely aesthetic, is not applied to whiskey at cask strength. This causes the spirit to become hazy, but aficionados praise it because it lacks nothing essential.
How Much Whiskey Do You Get?
Whiskey is typically watered down to save money for both the distillery (mostly on taxes) and the end user. Since the distillery can only get so many bottles out of a single cask, and the customer wants more Whiskey in its most unadulterated form per bottle, cask strength Spirits are typically found at higher expensive price points.
Why is Whiskey Bottled at 40% ABV?
Before World War One, the majority of the world’s whiskey was bottled in Scotland at between 44.6 and 48.6% ABV. The distilleries understood that increasing the whiskey’s alcohol concentration would improve its flavor and aromatic complexity. Since 1915, the tax regulations of the United Kingdom have gradually been amended to lessen the proof of spirits like whiskey. War was imminent, and the abstinence campaign urged that warriors not imbibe excessively. At least, that’s how British Chancellor of the Exchequer David Lloyd George envisions things working out. In 1920, he pushed for a change in the tax legislation that effectively discouraged distilleries from adding more than 40% alcohol to their whiskey. Therefore, the normative value ultimately triumphed and continues to hold sway.
It’s hardly a secret that whiskey producers benefit from the lower alcohol percentage of 40%. Diluting a barrel of malt whiskey with water, for instance, allows for many additional bottles to be filled from the original barrel. If a distillery realizes you are low on older malts, for instance, you can employ this fix. For extended storage, the alcohol content of limited edition bottles is cut from 46% to 43%.
Diluting It to Between 40 and 46% Has a Direct Impact on the Eye
When whiskey of this concentration is diluted with water or ice, a foggy effect known as “whiskey haze” develops. Many whiskey aficionados, according to the marketing and sales departments, would rather drink whiskey that is crystal clear and free of any sediment. Stronger than 46% proof unfiltered whiskies don’t have this effect.
Does Whiskey Taste Better When It’s at Cask Strength?
Cask-strength whiskey keeps all the flavor compounds it acquired from the wooden cask as it matured because it is bottled straight from the barrel. Cask-strength whiskey has a stronger flavor than other types because the flavor components attach to the alcohol.
Why Drink Whiskey From the Cask?
Cask strength whiskey gives whiskey aficionados and hard-core purists a chance to sample the spirit in its purest, highest proof form, straight from the barrel, with the bonus of a buttery viscosity thanks to the lack of chill filtration. In addition, the undiluted dram can be diluted to the desired degree, allowing the drinker to “play blender.”
How to Get the Most Out of a Cask of Whiskey
There are no set regulations regarding how to drink whiskey, but there are a variety of whiskey-tasting techniques that can help you appreciate each bottle to its greatest potential.
Our Strategy
The Glass
Get a tulip-shaped glass and pour in a small amount of the cask strength expression so you can fully breathe in the aroma.
Before You Add Any Liquid, Take a Moment to Enjoy the Scent
If you want to test the strength of the liquor without diluting it, wet your lips with it beforehand.
Add the Right Amount of Water
If you only need a quarter or half an ounce, then you should have a dropper or some other measuring device with you at all times. Don’t dilute the sample too much or you’ll get a spirit that tastes like water and has no character. It’s also a good idea to let your sample air for a while before diluting it. While this won’t affect the alcohol content, it will help the sample’s flavors and aromas fully develop. It will soften the nose in particular.
“Nose” Your Whiskey
You should “nose” the whiskey by gently inhaling via your mouth and nose while keeping your lips open. The whiskey’s heat will dissipate and the aromas will be easier to pick out.
Enjoy It Neat
The next step is to enjoy your cask-strength whiskey in its purest form: neat. The first time you try a spirit with a high alcohol by volume (ABV), you might feel a little queasy. If you want to try the cask-strength whiskey at different strengths, after tasting it neat, slowly add water between sips. For the greatest results, use water at room temperature.
It Comes Down to How You Like Your Whiskey
The original intensity and grainy flavor of whiskey are preserved in cask-strength whiskey, the purest version of the spirit. In the 1920s, when tax restrictions in the UK were altered to prohibit distilleries from adding more than 40% alcohol to their whiskey, the normative value of diluting whiskey to 40% ABV emerged. The lack of cold filtration in cask-strength whisky gives it a buttery viscosity, making it a treat for whiskey connoisseurs and purists. Using a tulip-shaped glass, the appropriate quantity of water, letting the sample air, nosing the whiskey, and sipping it neat or at varied strengths are all ways to get the most out of a cask of whiskey. Whether you drink your whiskey neat from the cask or watered down is a matter of taste and the atmosphere you’re going for.
