The Elements
Casks
Our casks sit in our maturation warehouse in the mild temperatures right beside the wild Atlantic Ocean. The cask draws in air prompting interaction between whiskey and wood. This process leads whiskey to develop its unique character and colour. A cask of whiskey is a complex living system of reactions.
Unmalted Barley
The Irish Whiskey making tradition makes use of unmalted barley to give whiskey a creamy mouthfeel and spicy flavour profile. Unmalted barley and malted barley are combined in the mash of Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, creating the uniquely complex flavour profile for which the style is renowned.
Malted Barley
Malted barley is a key ingredient in the production of whiskey. Malting is a trick on nature. By adding water and increasing the temperature slightly, barley seeds can fooled into thinking it is time to germinate. This makes the barley release sugars and enzymes valuable to the final flavour profile. The process is halted by increasing the temperature further and drying the barley. Malted grains often have a distinctive cereal taste when they are distilled.
Time
Above all, whiskey requires patience – a scarce commodity in todays world. To legally be permitted use the title of Irish Whiskey, spirit must be matured in a wooden cask on the island of Ireland for a minimum of 3 years. Every day of maturation whiskey vapours are lost through the wood of the cask. This is called the Angel’s Share. As a result, older casks will contain a lot less whiskey on the day they are emptied than when they were filled.
