Clear in, amber out
New-make spirit is colourless. Every shade of gold and every note of vanilla, caramel, coconut and spice comes from years of breathing in oak. The wood gives flavour, takes harshness away, and lets the spirit slowly oxidise into complexity. Scotch must sleep at least three years; most sleeps far longer.
- Ex-bourbon casks (most of Scotland's) — vanilla, honey, coconut
- Sherry casks — dried fruit, spice, mahogany depth
- Virgin charred oak (all bourbon) — bold caramel and toast, fast