Sherry may not be everyone's favorite tipple. Sherry casks—on the other hand—are wildly popular in whisky production. And for good reason. In the right hands, sherry cask finishing can transform an austere whisky into a real crowd-pleaser.
How Sherry Casks Make Whiskey Taste Better.
Sherry styles vary widely—from light, bone-dry and racy to rich, bold, and syrupy sweet. Since the lighter versions can be an acquired taste, most distillers prefer casks from the more aggressive end of the spectrum. Of the seven major types of Sherry, two are the most popular in whisky production:
Oloroso: an amber, medium-bodied style prized for its oxidative (savory), nutty, dried fruit flavors.
Pedro Ximenez (PX for short): a super-sweet style that seeps from the bottle like molasses and imparts chocolate, coffee, and spice notes.
Why Doesn't Everyone Love Sherry if Whisky Finished in Sherry Casks is So Popular?
Perhaps the lingering image of British matriarchs nipping from a dusty bottle of cream sherry lacks the sex appeal James Bond distilled in the Martini. Or maybe the complex nature of Sherry production turns people off. (For those with busy schedules and mortal intellect, mastering the Solera Process—an intricate method of fractional blending used in Sherry production—is daunting).
Thankfully, you don't need to understand Sherry's production to understand why Sherry casks make whisky taste better. After all, most barrels used in the Solera process never hold an ounce of whisky! Since 1981, Spanish Law has required Sherry to be shipped in bottles. And most casks stay in the Solera cycle for decades.
Where Do Whisky Distilleries Get Sherry Casks?
Great question. To meet demand, Sherry producers developed a side hustle. Bodegas cooper American Oak barrels and "wash" them with Sherry for a few months. The casks are then emptied, disassembled, and shipped to whisky distilleries.
Don't worry. You aren't the victim of an elaborate marketing scheme. It doesn't take long for a freshly coopered barrel to soak up plenty of sherry influence. And Sherry washed casks—unlike neutral casks leaving the Solera cycle—still have plenty of oak tannin and flavor compounds left to give.
Historically, it turns out, barrels used to transport Sherry didn't come from the Solera process either. So nothing much has changed, and Sherry seasoned casks get to keep doing what they've done for centuries: flavor-boosting your whisky.