Wooden Bottles?

[nittikkin]

Are there distilleries anywhere in the world that package whisky in wooden bottles (perhaps with staves like in a barrel) ? Is cost / transportation the concern ?

On a related note, wouldn't the whisky continue to age this way ?


-Nitin

[beerandascotch.com]

Hi Nittikkin,

I've certainly never come across that although with the current trend in bars across the globe for barrel ageing drinks post production it is food for thought.
many bars have taken to blending cocktails and allowing them to rest in small oak casks for a few weeks to allow the flavour to marry and mellow.

On a practical level though I can't see anyone ever really bottling in wood. The product would continue to age and at a much higher rate due to the small size of the bottle-barrel, not to mention the huge environmental variances whilst shipping. There simply would be no control over how the product would reach the consumer and in terms of a solid commercial brand consistence in quality is paramount.

Russ
beerandascotch.com

[blenderm]

There used to be some Saki that was in wooden containers many years ago but I don;t know of any whisky. The main reasons apart from cost would be that, unless they were made like small barrels, the wood would have to be glued together and that would taint the whisky. The other main one would be that unless they were varnished or sealed on the inside the whisky would evaporate. If they weren't sealed and just evaporated they would age but would you buy a bottle that was possibly 1/2 empty?

This as a concept still sounds interesting - am sure there would be buyers if brought out right.

-Steve