Scotch-Production Rules Changing, Wall Street Journal Explains

The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) will allow distillers to use a variety of casks—including those previously used to age tequila and fruit spirits—to age Scotch whisky during its required three-year maturation, according to the Wall Street Journal. Regulations previously limited acceptable casks to those previously used to hold sherry, cognac, bourbon or port. Some distillers told the news outlet that the change would allow companies to create “new flavor experiences” for Scotch whisky drinkers, while others expressed apprehension. “Scotch needs to be judged by its color, taste and traditionality,” a former chief executive of the SWA told WSJ. “Clearly if you then had a whisky that tasted of tequila—if it used an ex-tequila cask—it would not be a Scotch whisky.”