Demand for “Sherry casks” in the whisky and rum
trades is so strong that there are many casks out there which are not genuinely
or properly seasoned with Sherry. Both top malt whisky distillers and the
Consejo Regulador have been worried for some time by spirits sold as having
been aged in Sherry casks when in fact they were aged in casks which had been
seasoned with other wines. The Consejo Regulador has since last year been using
a new system to certify them as genuine and eleven bodegas which account for
some 60,000 casks have signed up to the system. At the start no minimum time
periods for seasoning were included in the system but the vast majority of certified
butts were seasoned for about a year. At a plenary meeting yesterday the
Consejo agreed that one year should be the minimum time despite petitions to
reduce it.
New casks undergoing seasonng |
It was generally agreed that a butt needs at
least a year to become impregnated with the Sherry aromas, but the Consejo, at
the request of one bodega, agreed to study the possibility of an exception to
the rule if it could be proved, as that bodega suggests, that seasoning with
old wine can accelerate the process without altering the result. Until a study is
completed of the effects on wood of old wines, the Consejo will only certify “Sherry
casks” with a minimum seasoning of one year. This certification consists of a
card attached to each butt with a QR code containing information on the
traceability of the product in the butt and the time it has spent there. Only spirits
aged in certified butts have the right to use the name “Sherry” on their
labels.
A (genuine) Sherry Cask Matured Whisky |
A reputable bodega in Huelva has supplied “Sherry
casks” for years to the whisky trade, perfectly good casks, but naturally could
not get certification, so they ended up buying Bodegas Valdivia in Jerez in
order to get the necessary certification. Butts used for Sherry production are
seasoned with fermenting must from the third pressing of grapes from three
vintages. Due to the uptake of tannins and strong wood aromas it will later be
distilled.
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