Maturation
The Right Cask. The Right Setting. The Right Weather
If a spirit wants to be called Single malt Scotch Whisky, it
must be matured in oak for at least three years -
no less. We go much further.
Our whisky is matured in casks which held bourbon, sherry or
fine wine. A selfless act of recycling? Not quite.
It's an essential step in creating Auchentoshan - the
spirit and the wood work together over many years, lending
colour and flavour to the finished whisky.
So it's no surprise we spend so much time and effort selecting
precisely the right casks - or indeed in balancing
the unique flavours each cask imparts. That way, we create a whisky
with flavours right across the spectrum.
Our whisky is matured in casks which
held bourbon, sherry or fine wine. A selfless act of recycling? Not
quite. It's an essential step in creating Auchentoshan - the spirit
and the wood work together over many years, lending colour and
flavour to the finished whisky.
And because wood breathes, the liquid
breathes too - around 2% evaporates each year, known as the Angels'
Share. What's left is a uniquely smooth and delicate Lowland Single
Malt Whisky.
In fact, most experts agree that 40-60%
of a whisky's flavour comes from the wood. (Taken as a whole, no
other spirit spends as long in wood as Single Malt Scotch
Whisky.)
So it's no surprise we spend so much time and effort
selecting precisely the right casks - or indeed in balancing the
unique flavours each cask imparts. That way, we create a whisky
with flavours right across the spectrum.