Whyte & Mackay, has announced that it is expanding its
Scottish Oak Programme, across its entire estate of distilleries, to help
establish the use of native oak as a quality raw material for the wider spirits
industry.
Spearheaded by Master Whisky Maker Gregg Glass, the
programme aims to establish the use of Scottish Oak widely among whisky makers
while addressing some of the historical challenges around working with Scottish
Oak, such as porosity, quality, consistency of the wood and cost versus true
value.
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| Whyte & Mackay Master Whisky Maker: Gregg Glass |
Typically, casks used in the production of Scotch whisky are sourced from abroad, most commonly ex-Bourbon barrels from the USA, and European fortified wine casks from Portugal and Spain.
Inspired by his time exploring local sawmills with his
Grandfather on the Black Isle, Gregg wanted to explore how to harness all that
the local environment has to offer the whisky maker. He set about exploring the
role Scottish Oak could play, and what it would take in terms of forestry
management, and every skill required from harvest to cask creation.
When Gregg Glass joined Whyte and Mackay in 2016, he then
began to implement the programme in earnest. He has developed partnerships with
other organisations – including local landowning estates, sawmills and coopers
– to create an initiative with the vision to one day be adopted by the Scotch
Whisky industry.
Comenting on the news, Greg Glass, said: “The Scottish Oak Programme
seeks to inspire change within the Scotch whisky industry. We want to champion
the potential home-grown oak offers the spirits industry, and the incredible
diversity of flavour it offers the whisky maker. Our close relationships with
industry partners mean we know the provenance of Scottish Oak and are even able
to trace it right back to the individual tree. Through experimental whisky
maturation and analytical trials, we can assess how the different variables –
including growing conditions, drying and wood seasoning, oak type, coopering
skills and heat treatment – can impact the flavour of the resulting whisky and
there is a myriad of exciting flavour profiles to explore.”
In 2019, Whyte & Mackay’s experimental arm, Whisky Works, launched its first Scottish oak part-finished expression; King of Trees. The 10 Year Old blended Highland malt was created using wood from two 200 year old wind-felled Scottish oak tree to make one cask.
Whyte & Mackay, is set to
announce a second Scottish oak release under its Fettercairn brand, later this
year.
Posted by Steve Rush