50 Year Old Whisky, The Lowdown On Whisky

50 year old whisky is rare and can therefore be expensive. Online prices range from a few hundred to a few thousand pounds from suppliers like Master of Malt. Here are a few facts about whisky.

Whisky is the spelling in Scotland and Canada; whiskey is the spelling in Ireland and America. Whisky was first produced in Scotland ? if you listen to the Scots! Ireland also makes claim to be the first country that produced whisky.

Around about 90% of single malt whisky is made in Scotland. There are 5000 plus types of single malt whisky. Single Malt Whisky is produced from a single grain ? and from a single distillery.

Blended whisky contains several single malt whiskies, and in addition grain whisky. When single malt whiskies exclusively are blended together, the drink is called a vatted malt.

Whisky age is determined by the aging process, which takes place in oak barrels. To be called whisky, a minimum of three years maturation in an oak cask is required. Blended whisky can only be called as old as the youngest element of the blend.

50 year old whisky has therefore spent at least 50 years being matured in an oak barrel. Whisky does not mature after it is bottled, and so the age is taken when the drink is transferred from the cask. Once bottled, a 50 year old whisky will still be a 50 years old whisky in a hundred years time.

Whisky lasts very well when the bottle is unopened and kept in good conditions (like wine, these are cool and dark). A bottle of whisky is good for at least 5 years after it is opened.

50 year old whisky will have lost about 60 ? 80% of the original volume of liquid that went into the cask to age ? this loss is called the Angels share, and is due to evaporation.

By: Darren Seabrook

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Darren Seabrook is a freelance writer and big Whisky fan. Darren Seabrook recommends looking at what Master of Malt has to offer when looking for 50 year old Whisky.