Explore our selection of single cask whiskies, bottled at cask strength to allow the full appreciation of each cask’s distinct character and natural flavours.
Spicy, Oak / Woody, Fruity, Sweet, Herbal / Floral
Creamy / Smooth, Spicy, Fruity, Sweet, Herbal / Floral
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Find answers to common questions about our monthly single cask releases, bottling process, and what makes each Epic Drams whisky unique. From whisky regions to cask types, we believe in complete transparency about our independently bottled whiskies.
ABV (Alcohol By Volume) is the measure of the concentration of alcohol within a spirit and is applied to any alcoholic drink.
When created, a cask is filled with new spirit at about 65% ABV but over time, alcohol slowly evaporates from the cask, reducing the ABV slightly.
When a cask is being bottled, the natural ABV of the whisky in the cask will vary but would be expected to be between 50%-60% depending on the age of the cask. But most distillery expressions are diluted with water to 40%-43% ABV at the bottling stage.
But on some occasions, usually by independent bottlers, the cask is bottled at “cask strength”, meaning exactly as it is in the cask without any dilution. This preserves the whiskies authentic, natural flavour, allowing enthusiasts to experience the whisky as nature intended and giving the consumer control over the option of whether to add water to the whisky, and if so, the amount of water to add.
Experts believe that as much as 80% of a whisky’s flavour may come from the very wood it was aged in and so “The Cask” is an intrinsic part of whisky creation.
The most common types of cask used in Scotch Whisky maturation are Barrels, Hogsheads or Butts although other types of casks such as Quarter Casks, Barriques, Puncheons, etc can also be used. The main difference in these different types of cask and how they affect the flavour of the whisky is not just the size of each cask type but critically, what type of wood is used to make each cask, what liquid the cask has been used to store previously and finally how many times the cask has been re-used.
A barrel can hold approximately 190-220 litres and refer mainly to the American standard barrel (ASB), or a bourbon barrel. Barrels are a by-product of bourbon production as the American whiskey industry stipulates Bourbon has to be aged in casks made from virgin oak only and which has been charred prior to usage. So, while American distilleries can’t reuse these casks, the Scotch industry not only can, but very commonly does. The convenience of reusing these bourbon barrels is not only practical but the charring of the cask and the American white oak it’s made from give the maturing whisky a softer, sweeter flavour with notes of vanilla, toffee, and caramel.
After ASB’s, hogsheads are the second-most common type of cask used for maturing Scotch whisky. A hogshead can hold approximately 225-250 litres and so are around 20-25% larger than a barrel. They are often made from staves from bourbon barrels, reworked by coopers into this larger format. It’s not unusual for these casks to have held another liquid, sherry being the most common, prior to being used in whisky maturation. Subsequently sherry hogsheads impart different flavours to the whisky than a bourbon barrel and can give whisky notes of dried fruit, tobacco, chocolate, and figs.
A butt can hold approximately 475-500 litres of whisky (302-350 litres of pure alcohol). That makes butts twice as large as a hogshead, and two and a half times the size of a barrel. Butts are generally made to mature Sherry, and in the same way that the scotch industry reuses barrels from the bourbon industry, so too do Scottish distilleries import butts from the sherry bodegas.
Sherry butts are mostly made from European oak although can occasionally be made from American oak. European oak gives whisky a spicier flavour and is more porous and has more tannins than American oak. It can impart flavours of dried fruits, cinnamon, nutmeg, caramel, orange, chocolate, and Christmas cake.
We at Epic Drams believe that most whisky enthusiasts are not only interested in tasting superior whiskies but are also looking for as much detailed information as possible to help understand the “when, how and why” of each whisky they sample and to develop a deeper knowledge of what to expect from various aspects of whisky production. This in-depth analysis of each whisky is not only informative and interesting to us enthusiasts, but when combined with a developing knowledge, enables better identification of the whisky most likely to appeal to us and so to make more informative purchasing decisions.
At Epic Drams, each bottle label includes detailed cask information such as distillery location, cask type, ABV, age statement, date of bottling and number of bottles. On the website we will also provide in-depth tasting notes and also share interesting distillery facts to help you understand what makes each dram unique.
Due to the single cask nature of our bottlings, once a release is sold out, it’s gone forever. Each whisky release offers a new, unique whisky to discover, making every bottle truly special.
We’re passionate about sharing our knowledge of single cask whisky and happy to help you discover your next epic dram. Get in touch with our team for personalized assistance.
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