Origin
Pedro Ximénez is at home in the southern regions of Spain. Nowadays, the grapes are spread as far as Australia and South America. Pedro Ximénez is often abbreviated PX and is a very sweet fortified wine suitable for desserts with a very dark colour. The alcohol content is between 15% and 22% vol. The sugar content of more than 212 grams per litre is one of the highest in the entire industry. From a sugar content of 45 grams per litre, one already speaks of a sweet wine.
Production and post-treatment
What is special about the PX is the pre-treatment of the grapes. Before the grapes are pressed for fermentation, they are dried in the sun. Just before the grapes are sultanas, they are added to the winemaking process. This adds extra sweetness and flavours of sultanas and other dried fruits to the wine. The wine is also only partially fermented. The degree of fermentation of the wine determines the residual sugar content and thus the sweetness of the wine. A Pedro Ximénez usually has an enormously high residual sugar content of 300 to 500 grams per litre. Coca Cola, for example, has only 108 grams of sugar per litre.
Effect on the taste
Maturing in PX casks gives the whisky an extra sherry sweetness. It also has aromas of sultanas and dried fruits and a syrupy smoothness.
Effect on the colour
Pedro Ximénez is a very dark sherry, which also gives the whisky a very dark, brown colour. If the whisky is not matured for the full time in the PX cask, but is only post-matured for a few months, the maturation tends to produce lighter golden or amber tones.
Whisky examples
Most whiskies are only post-matured in Pedro Ximénez casks. All whiskies become sweeter and fruitier through maturation in PX casks. (Post-)maturation in PX casks is very popular for peated whiskies, as it results in a very pleasant blend of sweetness and smoke.
