The age of a whisky is widely considered to be the most important factor in its taste. However, many wrongly assume the meaning of a whisky’s age label. By knowing the rules behind whisky labelling, you can better understand what you’re buying before you taste it yourself.
The age of a whisky is widely considered to be the most important factor in its taste. However, many wrongly assume the meaning of a whisky’s age label. By knowing the rules behind whisky labelling, you can better understand what you’re buying before you taste it yourself.
As the popularity of whisky surges, particularly among the younger millennial generation, more and more people are becoming interested in the history of their beloved beverages. Distillation is a fascinatingly complex process with historical roots that go back centuries. Along with this storied history comes a set of rules that have been created in order to maintain the quality of whisky production.
Much like the Bavarian Rheinheitsgebot law of 1516, which strictly limited the ingredients of beer to water, barley, and hops, the rules passed down by whisky makers in Scotland determine how Scotch whisky should be produced and labelled. If these requirements are not met, the product cannot legally be called Scotch. This is just a regional example, as different sets of laws exist in various parts of the world.
The Age Statement
One of the most common misconceptions about any given bottle of whisky is the age. Typically, many people assume that a 12-year whisky is one that has been aged for exactly twelve years, taken out of the cask, and bottled. In truth, many whiskies are blends of several different batches that can vary greatly in age.
The process of distillation, ageing, and bottling a batch of whisky takes a while. In order to maintain a standard across a large amount of whisky, distillers infuse younger batches with older ones. This helps to keep the taste of a popular brand tastes the same each year.
The law is that, no matter how off the proportions are, the age label is always the youngest whisky in the batch. Even if the ratio of 50-year to 10-year whisky in one bottle is 9 to 1, it has to be labelled a 10-year. Distillers are legally bound to adhere to this rule, as labelling is a tightly controlled aspect of whisky making.
Is Age Just A Number?
The amount of time that whisky has spent in the barrel greatly affects the taste. Then again, a higher age doesn’t necessarily mean that one spirit is “better” than a younger one. All the age label denotes is that the flavour of the wooden cask has had more time to impart itself into the whisky. Older whiskies tend to have more complex tastes while younger ones have a more straightforward flavour profile.
That being said, modern distillers have used numerous alternative methods to finely tune the flavours of younger whisky. Using top quality grains and mash bills, for instance, can completely change the result of a five-year batch of whisky. It’s also important to consider that a poorly made whisky aged for 20 years does not redeem the fact that it was poorly made.
Forget The Age
It’s easy for a whisky drinker to become obsessed over the age of the whiskies they try, as older whiskies are undoubtedly rarer. However, some master distillers choose to skip the age label altogether to create new and unique flavour profiles.
These
NAS (Non-Age Statement) whiskies are full of exciting new flavours that you won’t find in traditional bottles. This is because they can mix and match as many young and old batches as desired in order to attain a certain taste. Without limits on a certain flavour or batch ratio, the distillery is free to blend a whisky into whatever they want.
What About Your Own Birthday?
Of course, fine drinks such as whisky often go together with celebrations - and what better occasion to toast to that your own birthday? Choosing the perfect whisky based on your taste profile can be challenging - especially if you don’t have much experience trying whiskies and building up a palate. Why not subscribe to Whisky Loot to learn more about whisky in the most exciting way possible - by enjoying access to an incredible rotating selection rare and intriguing whiskies!
FAQs
The white spirit soaks in the flavours and colour of its barrel home and is only opened to taste test the spirit inside so the head distiller can decide when it's aged enough to be bottled. This aging process helps to give the whisky the best flavour, body and colour possible.
Does age matter in whiskey? ›
Maturing whiskey in oak barrels over time allows complex flavors to develop, resulting in a smoother, more nuanced drink that can be truly savored. It is believed that using certain types of barrel wood, as well as age and location can also influence the flavor profile of aged whiskey.
Is 100 year old whiskey safe to drink? ›
Post bottling, whisky does continue to change and evolve on it's own over time, especially if it's opened and exposed to oxygen, or different storage conditions such as temperature, but is generally safe for consumption, even after 100years!
Can you drink 50 year old whiskey? ›
Drinking a whisky that was opened years ago will not make you unwell. It is down to what your taste preference is more than anything else. If a whisky noticeably no longer tastes as good as it once did, then it's probably time to dispose of the bottle.
Is 18 year old whiskey really 18 years old? ›
Whiskey doesn't keep aging in the bottle. “A whiskey's age is a reflection of the time from when it is first put in the barrel till when it is dumped," says Lew Bryson, a whiskey expert and author of Tasting Whiskey: An Insider's Guide to the Unique Pleasures of the World's Finest Spirits .
What is the best whiskey age? ›
And because scotch is whiskey to most of the world, it set the standard for oldness. Ten years is good, 12 is better, 15 is posh, 18 is superb, 20 is sublime. American whiskey is on a different scale.
Is 12 year old whiskey good? ›
A 12-year-old whisky typically showcases a more developed profile than its younger counterparts. The extended interaction with the oak often results in a smoother, richer dram, with the raw heat of alcohol mellowed to a gentle warmth.
Does Jack Daniel's expire? ›
While whiskey doesn't necessarily expire, it does start to lose flavor and elements after it is opened. An unopened bottle of whiskey will last indefinitely if stored in proper condition. After opening a bottle of whiskey, you have as long as two years or as few as six months or less to drink it before it goes bad.
What happens if you age whiskey too long? ›
While some aging is desirable to achieve the best flavor profile, too much aging can actually cause the Bourbon to lose flavor. A great distiller can find the sweet spot in the aging process where the youngest whiskey no longer has its sharp, unfinished taste but hasn't succumbed to flavor loss from over-aging.
Does unopened whiskey get better with age? ›
Whether a three-year-old expression spends a year or 30 years on a shelf without being opened, it is still a three-year-old whisky. This is because the taste profile of a whisky shouldn't change if it remains unopened. A whisky draws its flavour from the wood that it matures in.
Typically, a young whisky tends to have a traditional spirit taste, which can be harsher and one dimensional. Whiskies that are aged for longer in the cask tend to lose this harsher flavour and become more complex in taste, as it is more full-bodied, featuring a longer finish.
Does whiskey ever go bad? ›
Over time, the flavour profile of the whisky – so carefully curated by the distillery – will start to change and deteriorate. The overall alcohol content will alter, and the colour may also begin to fade. Whisky doesn't expire and it won't necessarily taste bad, but it will taste very different.
Should you refrigerate whiskey? ›
Whiskey should be stored at a consistent temperature in order to preserve its flavor and freshness. The ideal storage temperature for whiskey is between 55-60 degrees Fahrenheit. Storing whiskey at a higher or lower temperature can cause the whiskey to evaporate and become less potent.
What's the most expensive whiskey? ›
A bottle of Macallan 1926 60 Year Old, with a label designed by the Italian artist Valerio Adami, has become the most expensive bottle of whisky in the world at £2,187,500 ($2,714,250). The previous record of £1.45 million ($1.9 million) was also a bottle of Macallan 1926 60 Year Old, but with the Fine and Rare label.
Does whisky age matter? ›
It's true that it doesn't work like wine, people don't leave whisky in the bottle to improve its taste. However, factors such as oxidation and exposure to sunlight can change the taste of whisky that has been sitting on the shelf. Most enthusiasts will agree that the change is not for the better, however.
What does 12 years old whiskey mean? ›
Scotch whisky must be matured for a minimum of three years. If a bottle of Scotch whisky shows an age statement, e.g. "12 Years Old" means that the youngest whisky in the bottle is at least 12 years old. Scotch is bottled at a variety of ages, from 3 years to 50 years.
Why do some whiskeys not have an age? ›
A non-age statement whisky is when the spirit has been bottled without its maturation age being marked on the label. Often, several ages of spirit are brought together in a vatting pre-bottling and this can be described as a multi-vintage whisky.
Does the value of whiskey increase with age? ›
Older whiskies, like wine or Parmesan cheese, increase in value as they age, but they also require a bet on uncertain future demand. So, for a distiller that currently enjoys success selling a modestly aged whisky, the decision to add a longer-aged spirit is full of uncertainty.
