Frequently Asked Questions
The Barrel
Is the barrel real?
Yes! A cooper has handcrafted it in the same way, from the same materials, that large casks are constructed for maturing whisky directly by the distilleries.
What kind of wood is the barrel made of?
The cask is new American White Oak and has been toasted to a medium char. It has never been filled with whisky or anything else, so that maturing will occur relatively quickly.
Can the barrel be reused?
Yes. Of course, subsequent uses may require longer periods of time to mature the whisky. You must make sure that the barrel does not dry out. We also recommend that the barrel be cleaned after several uses.
Barrel Care
How should the barrel be stored?
Barrels are best stored in a cool damp environment such as a wine cellar. This will keep the exterior from drying out and minimize evaporation ("the Angel's Share").
Can the barrel be reused?
Yes. Of course, subsequent uses may require longer periods of time to mature the whisky. You must make sure that the barrel does not dry out. We also recommend that the barrel be cleaned after several uses.
I left my barrel dry for an extented time. Now it leaks... what do I do?
In many cases just re-cure the barrel. If it continues leaking, submerge the barrel in water for a couple of days. After it's been submerged, dry the exterior with a towel and fill it with water to see if it continues to leak. If so, find the leak and apply wax to the hole.
How often do I clean my barrel?
When aging hard spirits such as whiskey, rum or tequila, clean the barrel after two or three batches (or every 1 to 2 years). For wine, cider, liquor or other low alcohol content spirits, clean after each batch.
How do I clean my barrel?
1) Dissolve the Barrel-Kleen into warm water. Fill the barrel with this cleaning solution and soak for 24 hours. Empty and rinse 3 times with hot water.
2) Dissolve the Neutralizing Acid into warm water. Fill the barrel with this neutralizing solution and soak for 15 minutes. Empty and rinse the barrel 3 times with hot water.
3) To re-char the barrel interior, drain the barrel for 3 hours. Place a butane torch in the bung and spigot hole and re-char the inside.
To prevent the barrel from drying out and minimize the possibility of contamination, barrels should always be stored full with spirits or water with sterilizing solution.
***See cleaning package directions for exact mixture quantities.
How do I store my barrel?
When storing the barrel fill the barrel with a mixture of sterilizing tablets and cool water. Fill the barrel with the solution and leave in a cool damp place until you are ready to use again.
Aging
How soon before I can drink the whisky?
Since the whisky has already been matured it is, obviously, quite drinkable. Of course, maturing it further will result in a whisky with more character and robustness.
How long should I leave the whisky in the cask to get the benefit of maturing?
This is a matter of personal taste, and we encourage you to experiment.
However, you will find that the whisky matures relatively quickly.
This is because there is a small amount of whisky with a proportionally large surface area of wood.
That is, unlike hogsheads (250 litre) casks or butts (500 litre casks) typically used to mature Scotch, your small cask allows greater contact of the whisky with the wood.
As well, Scotch whisky is matured in used oak that, while adding flavours from Bourbon or Sherry, reguires greater time to mature its contents.
Like Bourbon, which is also aged in new oak casks, less time is required to mature the whisky in "new fill" casks.
How soon will changes start to occur?
We have found that after only one or two weeks, the whisky in Whisky Works turns a rich golden colour and already has great vanilla , toffee and oak flavouring.
Each cask is different; therefore your whisky will take on unique colour, nose, taste and finish.
You may want to buy serveral Whisky Works kits to experiment!
What is the maximum amount of time I should leave the whisky in the cask?
Since the whisky matures quickly, you will find that after only a few weeks the whisky has matured considerably.
You should sample the whisky frequently to determine when you want to remove it from the cask, after which maturation will cease.
We have found that a couple of months is generally long enough to enjoy the benefits of maturing with Whisky Works.
The longer you wait, the more evaporation will have occured (the "angel's share") and the stronger the wood and vanilla flavors.
Can the cask be reused?
Yes. Of course, subsequent uses may require longer periods of time.
Can I put other whiskies in the cask?
Sure. We would recommend a cask strength whisky, but know that this may be hard to find. You can put any type of whisky in the cask and have it mature further.
Some people turn the cask into a "living cask", continually adding new whisky of different types as they draw off whisky from the cask to enjoy.
How about experimenting with different finishes?
Lots of people have, with excellent results, experimented with putting sherry, rum, and other wine or spirits into the cask for a couple of weeks, draining it, then adding the whisky.
They have reported unique finishes to their personal style whisky.
