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Warehousing

© 2000, Early Times

This barrel, filled with the new whisky, is moved to a warehouse to "mature", not to "age". Age is important only insofar as how long it takes a whisky to mature. Maturing is brought about by cycling, which is the expansion and contraction of the whisky into and out of the "red layer" behind the char in the barrel. Raise the temperature and the whisky expands, lower it and the whisky contracts. This is one cycle.

Unheated and controlled warehouses, which most distilleries use, can seldom count on more than two cycles per year (in spring and fall). However, Early Times is matured in large brick and concrete warehouses equipped with temperature and humidity controls by which we create our own weather. This allows us to insure that Early Times undergoes as many cycles per year as is necessary to mature the years.

This means 4-5 cycles per year as compared to only two for most whiskies. The final product depends upon the maturing period. "Age" is no criterion for quality or taste. In Early Times you will find more fully matured whisky - richer and smoother in taste.

Maturity vs. Age