Given that at least 60% of a whisky’s flavour comes from the barrel it’s aged in, it’s no surprise that distilleries have been busy experimenting with a variety of cask types to add extra nuances of flavour to the final spirit.
Whisky is typically aged in barrels that once contained bourbon or sherry, but everything is fair game these days, whether it’s Cognac casks, rum barrels or port pipes. Even when a cask is emptied, a proportion of the original liquid will have soaked into the staves, so if you refill it with whisky – a process known as ‘finishing’ – over time, that liquid will blend with the spirit. Wine and port casks will add a fruity dimension to whisky; rum will add depth and richness; while sherry butts will vary depending on their type. Oloroso sherry adds richness, whereas a leaner, drier style such as fino will add briney, maritime notes.
Cask finishing was pioneered by two powerhouses of the Scotch whisky industry: David Stewart of The Balvenie, and Dr Bill Lumsden of Glenmorangie. The latter is particularly known for his wild experimentation, finishing his Highland whisky in casks that used to contain Sauternes, Madeira, and even Côtes du Rhône red wine.
It’s fitting, then, that The Balvenie won a Gold medal at the 2023 IWSC, scoring 98/100 for its 21 YO Portwood Single Malt Scotch Whisky, captivating judges with a creamy mouthfeel and sweetness that evoked stewed apples and vanilla cream.
Other top-scoring cask-finished whiskies included Redbreast’s 27 YO Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey and Glencadam’s Reserva Andalucía Oloroso Sherry Cask Finish Single Malt Scotch Whisky, offering a further flavour of the many ways producers are maximising on the trend to create exciting new expressions. Read on for a selection of the best cask-finished whiskies from 2023’s IWSC.
HOW DO WE JUDGE THESE SPIRITS?
We run a tightly structured, rigorous spirits tasting process. That means that each spirit sample is pre-poured into numbered glasses and assessed blindly by the judges. Most importantly, our IWSC spirit judges are experts in their field, who work across all sectors of the drinks industry. For evidence, see our full list of judges.
HOW DO WE SCORE THESE SPIRITS?
Only the best spirits sampled receive a Gold or Silver award. For example, to win Gold, spirits have to score between 95 and 100 points. Meanwhile, Silver wines range from 90 to 94 points. Click here to read more on our scoring system.
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10 top bottles of cask-finished whisky from the IWSC 2023
Irish Distillers, Redbreast 27 YO Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey
Glencadam Distillery, Reserva Andalucía Oloroso Sherry Cask Finish Single Malt Scotch Whisky
William Grant & Sons Distillers, The Balvenie 21 YO Portwood Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Bunnahabhain, Moine 2004 Tokaji Cask Finish Single Malt Scotch Whisky
John Distilleries, Paul John Port Cask Indian Single Malt Whisky
Nagahama Distillery, Amahagan Edition No.3 Mizunara Wood Finish Malt Whisky
Masahiro Shuzo, 12 YO Oloroso Sherry Cask Blended Malt Whisky
Kammer-Kirsch GmbH, Black Forest Rothaus Pinot Noir Cask Finish Single Malt Whisky
Teeling Whiskey, Explorers Edition 12 YO Mugi Shochu Cask Irish Whiskey
Lark Distilling Co, Fresh IPA Cask Single Malt Whisky
