Whisky

Whisky, also spelled whiskey, is an alcoholic beverage distilled from fermented grains. The practice of distillation is believed to have spread to Scotland and Ireland in the 15th century, with the earliest documented evidence of Scotch whisky production taking place in 1495. Today, Scotland remains the biggest whisky producing nation in the world, followed by the US, Canada, Ireland and Japan, although there are now many others too.

The most numerous ex-whisky casks used in rum maturation are bourbon casks, however others are used too, most notably those that have held single malt Scotch. With the majority of Scotch aged also aged in bourbon wood, as well as sherry, most ex-whisky wood of this type will function similarly to refill casks. Less active, they will impart less flavour from the oak while slowing evaporation by breathing less, making them suitable to lengthy tropical maturation.

While refill casks are often preferred by distillers in order to showcase the natural flavours of their spirit, ex-whisky casks can also impart interesting qualities into rum from their previous occupant. For this reason, casks that have matured heavily peated single malts, particularly from Islay, have been increasingly experimented with by distillers and bottlers in the 21st century.