Cask strength, barrel proof, barrel strength… high proof whiskey is quite the trend, with more distilleries offering strong bottles. They have a bunch of different names but all mean the same thing: whiskey with alcohol content 100 proof or more. What’s behind the trend? And, more importantly, how do you drink cask strength whiskey or use it in cocktails? Well read on, my friends, we’re here to talk about cask strength whiskey.
Everything You Need to Know About Cask Strength Whiskey
Noticing this ever-increasing trend, I organized an event for Women Who Whiskey Chicago with Mordecai Whiskey Bar focused on cask strength whiskey. Mordecai has one of the best selections of archival whiskey in Chicago and an awesome high proof cocktail menu, plus some seriously talented bartenders. I talked with Mordecai’s spirits archivist Kris Peterson and bar manager Tom Lisy about high proof whiskey, and parts of our conversation are mentioned throughout this article.
First, in this article we’re referring to “cask strength” as 50 percent ABV — 100 proof — or higher. “The terms cask strength and barrel strength aren’t legally regulated,” Kris Peterson noted, so there’s no concrete definition of what they mean. Plus, not all cask strength whiskeys tout these terms so loudly — or at all. (Although the ABV is always listed on the label.)
Why Drink Cask Strength Whiskey?
The percentage of alcohol by volume — “ABV” (doubled in the U.S. for “proof”) — changes over a whiskey’s lifetime. It’s distilled and enters the cask at one ABV but changes as the whiskey matures, usually going down for scotch and up for bourbon. It comes out of the cask around 50-90 percent and water is usually added to bring down the proof when it’s bottled. (The legal minimum for whiskey is 40 percent.) Water opens up the whiskey, encouraging flavors to emerge and reducing the “heat” of the alcohol. Not to mention the financial benefit of increasing production.
But some distillers — and some drinkers — prefer to taste whiskey as it is in the cask. The flavors are concentrated because they are undiluted and drinkers can add water at their own pace to find their preferred proof. And some people argue cask strength whiskeys are a better bargain, because drinkers add water themselves so their bottles go further.
“The flavor renaissance in the beverage industry (from craft beer to classic cocktails) has finally reached the premium spirits category,” Mordecai spirits archivist Kris Peterson explains. “People are looking for high proof, undiluted spirits that not only carry more intense flavor profiles, but are closer to what comes directly out of the cask.”
You’ll hear us whiskey nerds talking about ABV all the time because knowing it helps us understand the whiskey. So what can the ABV tell you about a whiskey?
What Proof Tells you About Whiskey
Knowing the alcohol percentage of a whiskey tells you several things. Obviously it tells you how strong the whiskey is but it goes beyond that. It can hint at how it tastes, both because of the alcohol heat and the concentration of flavors. (At the Mordecai event we tasted bottle strength Makers Mark compared to cask strength and discovered the huge contrast in flavor!)
It tells you if it’s chill filtered. Whiskey bottled below 46 percent ABV is chill-filtered to remove “impurities” that cause cloudiness when it’s chilled or ice is added. While it’s supposedly done purely for cosmetic reasons, some people argue those “impurities” contain flavors and oils that benefit the whiskey. The higher alcohol content in whiskey bottled 46 percent and above prevents the cloudiness from forming. (Flaviar explains more here.) As with most things in life, to each their own. Personally, I like oily whiskey so I lean towards non-chill filtered whiskey, which is usually noted on the bottle.
The Sudden Surge in Cask Strength Whiskey
So why are cask strength whiskeys — and other high proof spirits — so popular these days? Blame the general popularity of whiskey and the obsessiveness (in the good way!) of its following. People are more interested in the details of it and more curious about the taste of it.
Kris Peterson thinks it’s mostly about flavor. “There’s something romantic in the thought that this bourbon didn’t need much, if any, additional tinkering. It can come straight out of the cask ready to drink and deliver more complex, intense profiles than their proofed down counterparts.”
How to Drink Cask Strength Whiskey
So the advantages of drinking cask strength whiskey is tasting it unaltered, as it was in the cask, plus diluting it to your own taste preference, even if that means bringing the ABV down significantly.
Why add water to whiskey? Water opens up aromas and flavors often compressed under the ethanol. In his book Tasting Whiskey, Lew Bryson compares it to the way your nose smells more detail after a rainfall because the water has loosened the aromas, releasing them into the air.
But not all smells and flavors are created equal and water can open up unwanted ones, too. So add it gradually in small amounts. I prefer to use a water dropper but pouring a small amount into your glass works just fine. It’s worth mentioning that the actual water you use matters, too.
The water matters. Tap water can add odd or undesirable flavors to your whiskey, so many whiskey enthusiasts opt for bottled water instead. There’s even water specifically sold for whiskey from the same source as the distilleries in Kentucky or Scotland. Whether or not special water is necessary is debated, so that’s for you to decide.
How (and Why) to Use Cask Strength Whiskey in Cocktails
Cask strength whiskey ups the ante in cocktails, too. “High proof whiskey creates a more robust cocktail where our base spirit can really become the star of the show,” Tom Lisy explained. “I think the bold character of high proof offerings gives us a better foundation for the cocktail. The goal is still to create something greater than the sum of its parts but now we’re interacting with the individual whiskey in a more involved way, really playing to the strengths of both the spirit and the cocktail.”
So how do you alter the recipe when using cask strength whiskey in cocktails? Tom Lisy recommends adding a little extra sugar to “beef up the mid palate” and to stir it a little longer. “That sugar keeps things from getting too angular and disjointed between the heat from increased alcohol content and the potential thinness from extra dilution.”
What Cask Strength Whiskey to Drink
Now that you know all about cask strength whiskey, here are some good high proof bottles to try.
Cask Strength Single Malt
- Bruichladdich Port Charlotte 10 (50 ABV) is one of my favorite whiskies, and not just because I interviewed Bruichladdich’s CEO about its debut. Peaty smoke rounds out bright, citrus flavors with a slight saltiness, and you won’t even notice the proof.
- Springbank 12 Year Old Cask Strength (54.1 ABV) is a Campbeltown whisky combining all my favorite things: peaty briny flavors mixed with fruity nuttiness, plus a hearty ABV. It’s not for everyone, but I love it.
- Aberlour A’bunadh is a beautiful Speyside whisky heavy on the rich sherry, fruity sweetness, clocking in at 60.2 ABV. It’s a definite crowd-pleaser! (Learn more about the scotch regions of Scotland here.)
- Nikka From the Barrel is a great, well-rounded whisky sitting at a pretty 51.4 percent ABV, named Whisky Advocate’s 2018 whisky of the year.
Cask Strength Bourbon
Kris Peterson recommends store or restaurant private barrels picks, which are usually higher proof. “If you can find a retailer who matches up with your palate, you can feel pretty safe picking up a bottle of about anything they select,” he said. Specifically, he recommended the 1792 Full Proof Bourbon (I second that!) and Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel.
• • •
There you have it, everything you need to know about cask strength whiskey. And for good measure, here are several arguments against cask strength whisky worth reading. So what do you think?
Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and I may receive a commission from them. Thank you for supporting the companies that support Whiskied Wanderlust.
