Tales of the Cocktail® New Orleans 2016

Wood finishes have become a popular way to add another dimension of flavour to whisky, but just how much do you know about the process? It’s not as simple as you’d think. Join Becky Paskin, editor of Scotchwhisky.com, Balvenie’s Jonathan Wingo, Angel’s Envy’s Wes Henderson and Teeling Whiskey Company’s Kevin Hurley for an exploration of extraordinary whisky cask finishes from Scotland, Ireland and the USA. You’ll be given the opportunity to sample six fascinating whiskies finished in various casks from within the panel’s own warehouses, including some that are unavailable in the United States. Discover how finishing has become a standard practice in Scotland and even influenced innovation in the USA, as well as the science behind precisely how different casks and their previous contents affect a whisky’s flavour. Find out which barrels are the finest for finishing, and which ones distillers avoid; which casks bring out the best of Scotch but the worst in Bourbon; and the legal reasons why Irish whiskey can use casks the Scots can’t. Prepare to geek out with wood in a way you’ve never done before!