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  • James_H
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    Joined: 08.10.2014Posts: 24CollectionJames_Hs CollectionRatings: 3

    Can anyone help me put together a list of which distilleries still use the following processes?

    1. Use of Golden Promise barley in the mash. Im aware of Glengoyne and Macallan but don't know if they still use it and if anyone else does?

    2. Use of both brewers and distillers yeast.

    3. Maturation solely in dunnage warehouses.

    Thanks.

  • horst_s_2 Administrator horst_s_2 Joined: 01.07.2014Posts: 507Ratings: 661
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    This will be quite difficult, because this data is not easily available.

    Why are you looking for Golden Promise? This robust plant was developed in the late 1960s and came on the market in 1969. It took over the market in the 70s and will be found in most of the longer aged whiskies in Scotland. BUT not in the really old ones from the 50s and 60s.

    The 'real' barley used in former times had been the ones now called beer barley and alike. There had been bottles from Arran and Highland Park produced with special barley which developed well in the short northern summer.

    But the amount of this barley was too small to feed the UK-market for beer and wine. They had to import a lot of barley prior to the development of Golden Promise. With the new barley imports into the UK went back.

    P.S.: Please note, that there is a ban on genetically modified food in the EC.

    Kind regards, Horst Luening, Master Taster, Whisky.com
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  • horst_s_2 Administrator horst_s_2 Joined: 01.07.2014Posts: 507Ratings: 661
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    "James_H" wrote:
    2. Use of both brewers and distillers yeast.

    I talked to some distillers in the last weeks when I visited new distilleries in the UK (not only Scotland).

    It is not that easy to go for those two yeast strains. With the great British recession starting in 1979 and went on far into the 90s a lot of distilleries had to close. Millburn, Glen Flagler, Port Ellen, ...

    The following years showed a stron contraction of the market and distilleries were bought by megacompanies which formed a very cost effective environment. Together with this contraction processes were harmonized, buying was simplified and also the yeast finally standardised.

    Newly built distilleries like the Kingsbarns in Fife now use two yeast strains to add more flavour to the wash. But it is not only the yeast which counts. Quite the same or even more influence comes from the time span of fermentation. The yeasts produce different aromas at different ABV levels. Fermenting for 96 hours brings more complexity in the wash then just for 48 hours.

    It is very difficult to find out about these fact even for knowing people as us. You have to be let into the yeast store to find out, what is stored.

    Kind regards, Horst Luening, Master Taster, Whisky.com
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  • horst_s_2 Administrator horst_s_2 Joined: 01.07.2014Posts: 507Ratings: 661
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    "James_H" wrote:
    3. Maturation solely in dunnage warehouses.

    In the moment I know of just one distillery which solely matures in dunnage warehouses. This is Edradour. They have a main concrete aisle for moving the casks and the ground below the casks is natural.

    But if you look at Glengoyne only the old warehouses are of the dunnage type. The new ones have concrete floor. If you look at the 1995 built Arran distillery most of the warehouses have also concrete floors. Even Macallan built the new warehouses in 1993/94 with a concrete floor.

    I yould guess, that there is close to none distillery out there which will fulfill all three requirements.

    Kind regards, Horst Luening, Master Taster, Whisky.com
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  • James_H
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    Joined: 08.10.2014Posts: 24CollectionJames_Hs CollectionRatings: 3
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    Thanks for the reply Horst. I thought it might be a difficult task to find a distillery that follows all three processes but assumed there must be one or two that follow at least two. The main reason for wanting to try a whisky distilled using golden promise (and also a long fermentation using brewers yeast as you mentioned) was to see the difference in fruitiness that this makes to the distillery character. I've read a few times that this is the result but never had the chance to experience it.

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