12-year-old whiskey and storing it for 3 years VS a 15-year-old whiskey

Question

12-year-old whiskey and storing it for 3 years VS a 15-year-old whiskey

In: 1

Answer 1

As others point out, the aging process takes place in a cask. Depending in the type of whiskey, there are usually strict requirements on the type of cask. Whiskey is almost always stored in Oak casks, either American, French, or Spanish oak. Bourbon, for example, requires charing the inside of an American oak cask before filling. Otherwise, it’s not bourbon.

Some whiskeys are aged in previously used casks, from bourbon or wine, which transfers some of that flavor.

So, the cask and the various chemicals it contains leech into the stored whiskey, and this is very important to the final flavor.