One of the upsides to this information/internet age is that a regular middle aged fellow from the Isle of Mann can almost single-handedly steer an industry without even sitting on a board or having a voting stake in any company. Integrity might not make a man rich, but it will certainly get respect. Good on you, Ralfy.

I’m doing a series on Sherry & Sherry Cask whiskies. There are far better sherries for far less money. Try Lustau or Gonzales Byass Amontillado or Olorosso. You can buy them for $25-$30. If you like Fino or Manzanilla try Tio Pepe or Osborne for $10 - $15. Spain has been using American oak for very long time in Ribera Del Duro, Rioja and Jerez.

Somewhere, Fraiser and Niles are lamenting the cask changes of their beloved Sherry.

One of the strange things with covid is that Sherry consumption in the UK is rising fast, maybe because multiple generations are drinking together at home and youngsters are trying gran’s sherry.

The Gonzalez Byass Bodega for example is producing about 20.000 sherry-seasoned-casks a year. Each cask with 500 litres. The young sherry matures for one year and then it's processed to vinegar. During this time the virgin wood soaks up about 20 litres sherry. Together with another 10 litres sherry (to keep the cask moist during transportation) the cask is shipped to scotland. It usually costs 600 to 1000 £. So the whisky, matured in a cask like this, contains a lot of young cheap sherry wine. And Gonzalez Byass is only one of numerous bodegas, which are producing sherry-seasoned-casks for the whisky industry. By the way, Richard Patterson sometimes buys really old premium sherry casks for finishing very old Dalmore. But these casks are rare, because the bodegas barely sell them and they are very very very expensive.

I've watched a lot of your videos over the time but this has been the most informative.. Thank you.

Ralfy, as a young lad I'd look up your reviews and count the days until I was of legal age to purchase said spirits. Well, 10 years have passed and I no longer drink and stopped watching but it makes me happy to see you're still on KZfaq doing your reviews. Cheers, and thank you for the company so long ago!

Many thanks, Ralfy, for all the wonderful info on the changing use of "transportation" (now banned) and "seasoned" ex-sherry casks over the years. Just a couple of small vignettes to complement your video. First, it's interesting to know that as early as 1929 the Johnnie Walker brand was already using "seasoned" sherry casks (hoggies) which contained 35 liters of sweet dark sherry (maybe something similar to paxarette) for a period of 6 weeks before being filled with whisky for maturation. The casks were then lightly pressurized before the sherry was poured out. Many of these casks were also made of American white oak, while others were larger refill sherry butts made of European oak. The second point is the relatively new certification system that has been set up in Spain in 2015 to document and certify the use of sherry- or wine-seasoned casks emanating from Jerez. It's run by the Consejo Regulador and its regulations are enforced by the "Organization for Agro-alimentary Evaluation of Compliance and Certification" (what a mouthful!). It specifies the wines that are allowed to be stored in the casks, the period of storage, and usually the type of oak used, among other matters. Naturally, the wines must come from Jerez and Barrameda in order for the casks to get their "Sherry Cask" approved classification. Reading through the document is instructive (available online) as every step along the way is in fact specified with a minimum requirement. I ask myself, why don't those whisky companies that use such casks include the certification on their back label? It would give the consumer some kind of guaranteed minimal standard that could be relied upon. And those "ex-sherry" whiskies that were matured in casks that only saw 6 months of vinegar-grade sherry wine would, of course, miss out. The whisky enthusiast would be better informed, and those whisky companies "doing the right thing" by establishing minimum standards would be rewarded accordingly. Seems like a topic for discussion, don't you think? Cheers.

Thanks for this informative video Ralfy. You're one of the few indipendent whisky blogger that has the competence and courage to public discuss these topics.

Ralfy, the sulfur from Mortlach and Springbank are from worm tub's lesser copper contact. There is a way to treat ex-sherry casks to get rid of sulfur. Foursquare does things like steam the staves and add hot water to get the wine and sulfur out.

Amazingly informative video! This is why we all keep coming back to your channel, Ralfy.

I had to do a ton of research and digging over a period of time to learn everything that you just covered in this one video. It's a great resource for those wanting to understand sherry casks in whisky production.

Wow! We need 2 hours more! Amazing

I am always glad to hear such opinions about sherry. Such views leave the superiority and breathtaking complexity of good quality dry oloroso sherry affordable for mature palates that have grown out of regressive tendencies that are at the root of attachment to comparatively sweet whisky :D

Sherry always makes me think of the Monty Python sketch with Michael Palin as the sherry drinking vicar! 🤣

I love sherry, honestly. I think the first time I tried olorosso I had already learnt to appreciate those aroma via ex-sherry Scotch, but coming from that direction you're also likely to find the palate a bit underwhelming the first time. Best thing to do then is to pair your sherry with food. It really goes great with the most charcuteries and many cheeses, but also with salty, fatty snacks (like good quality kettle crisps with your friday night movie). But a fino with a nice salad on a hot summer's day wouldn't be too bad either. Or an amontillado or an olorosso with a rich mushroom soup in the autumn. The thing is to not treat it as a sipping spirit all the way through the bottle, but to think of it more as a wine. I for one will always give a new bottle of wine (or sherry) a bit of a sniff and sip and ponder tasting notes before anything else, but in the end they're meant to go with food. Of course, the more special (older vintages and such) the wine, the more attention you should give its on its own. Anyway, sherry is really trendy as a cocktail ingredient now, but the amounts are generally quite small (its rarely the main ingredient). So if you love ex-sherry Scotch, you should do your part and try some sherry.

Ralfy, lots of great content here!! THANKS. We started with Harvey's Bristol Cream sherry 30+ years ago, then fino sherry, ruby port and now for the last 20 years, tawny port. The tawny is so rich and flavorful. And just a couple of years ago, armagnac. Bourbons finished in armagnac are amazing.

Just as we wondered what alchemy produced enough casks for aging very popular sherried whisky, when the world seems to have lost its taste for sherry itself, along came Ralfy with the answer. Now we know where sherry casks--and balsamic vinegar--come from. Thank you, Ralfy!

Went out and got a bottle of sherry this week! Great vid Ralf love the wealth of knowledge from these extras. Nothing else like it on KZfaq

As i sit here in my 18 wheeler on this boring Sunday morning in South Carolina with a hot coffee i thought it time for an education..:)...Now ive never tried any sherry, but i would happily accept if offered to me..To be perfectly honest ill probably spend my mislaid minimum malty money on a new malt experience instead..With that said i now feel like i have a PHD in sherry, and educations are priceless..Thanks Ralfy!!!!

Once at the Crinan Hotel I asked for a surprise aperitif. I was given a glass of Tio Pepe and loved it - that made me look into the subject..

Excellent episode Ralfy. You truly are the professor of fortification...& fortitude!!

Another excellent video. Thank you Ralfy! I continue to learn a lot about my favourite tipple. 😁👍

What a GREAT video!! So informative. As a portugueses, I cant wait for the port and the Madeira version of this video. Cheers!

I brought out a bottle of oloroso and a bottle of PX at our last whisky club night to try before we had our uigeadail and glendronach Cask strength.

Thank you Ralfy for giving me an idea of how to go about Sherry-finishing some homemade "whiskey", a project I've been dabbling in for about a month or so. Cheers from NC, USA!

My grandmother drank sherry, didn't care for it but I do love a good sherried Scotch. Very interesting episode Ralfy.

Loved this Ralfy! Recently started buying some Sherry (mainly Oloroso) and this was enlightening!

I think this is the most informative video on sherried whisky I’ve ever seen

Super interesting and very educational 👍 thanks for sharing, mate!

This explains why I feel like a lot of cheaper “sherries” whiskies taste like balsamic vinaigrette to me. They must have let the fake sherry casks sit too long and it turned.

Gotta admit my attention was drifting in the beginning, but you brought me back.

Recently opened a old bottling of Macallan 12 sherry cask before they changed the wording to sherry seasoned casks. A different dram than the current bottles, wish I had found more of them dusty on the shelf.

A great episode - one of the best - very informative. Thanks for sharing !

An incredible amount of information.Many thanks.

I have already done that wood experiment; Charred European oak has been in a sample Moonshine for 1½ years. I didn't like the original moonshine, but with the oak it was surprisingly drinkable

So much information. A great place for dabblers, such as myself, to get a feel for the depth and breadth of what happens in the industry.

Great informative video ralfy. Thank you. Can you please update us on Cognacs someday, as an alternative for whisky. It's has been long since you did any Cognac video. Thank you 🎊😇

If you are into high end dry sherry I strongly recommend "1991 Gonzalez Byass Palo Cortado Anada Sherry". Pretty unusual since it is a single vintage rather than a Solera

Such a great, interesting, and educating video! Thanks!

Ralfy, Brilliant! Thank you! Never enjoyed school as much as I do your classes! NealyB

I felt truly educated after watching this video. Bravo.

For an intense sherry aged whisky, give Navazos Palazzi Overseas Malt Whisky a try! They send 3 year old scotch to Jerez, Spain, where it is aged for 4 years in an oloroso sherry cask, in a much warmer and drier climate than Scotland! Very nutty, raisin, dry and a little funky. Like sherry, I enjoy it more served over ice.

0:50 Boiled grape juice is added to increase the sugar content and make PX or Oloroso sherry sweeter for specific markets. The majority of sherry is made entirely with white grapes and the colour you see in the drink or the cask is the result of the oxidation process. Oloroso is aged and heavily oxidised and dark. Sweet Oloroso sherry is sweet and dark because they have added grape juice syrup. Sherried whiskey doesn't have to have a lot of colour and its entirely up to the distiller to make that decision when they chose the cask. I've had exceptional, light coloured Fino sherry cask matured whiskey and there needs to be more of it.

I like the whiskys that have dry fruit notes more than just sherry mixed with malt. I like both but definitely the crazy dry fruit is the stuff for me

The port pipes are the same when it comes to the port producers needing the casks to be reused many times to limit the wood influence. However port seems to be in bigger demand in the world market, so that might counter effect it a bit. It would be interesting so hear more indepth about that :)

Hud the bus ya bass! Manzanilla and Fino are some of the finest white wines available that represent fantastic value. Works with spiced food like thai and curry and are far too cheap. la Gitana and Il pastrano are just superb. haven't quite got into Amontillado etc but chilled Manzanilla or Fino is superb. I was at the aftermath of a Fiesta in Ronda in the south and the street was knee deep in Sherry bottles.

Before the bodegas add sherry to the Spanish Oak casks, are the casks toasted or charred? Or does the sherry just go into a virgin Spanish Oak cask, uncharred? Please exclude American Oak from the above example. This is strictly about European Oak. Thanks

Love your channel. Great vids and reviews.

Hey Ralfy. Very informative video, as usual. Even if it is almost 2 years old, it feeds our minds. One thing that I don't agree with you is in your disaffection for Sherry wines. A lot of wines made in the Jerez area are really great fortified wines. You just have to go for an old Palo Cortado, Amontillado or Oloroso to taste very flavoursome wines. Sherry wine got famous in the UK through the basic medium sweet wines but there is many wines produced with the solera system that are real wine jewels (and ususally don't get to the UK market). I guess that solera systems are not very compatible for selling the casks (as they are never emptied, but refilled every time they take out 1/3 of its capacity for bottling). Brands like Lustau, El Maestro Sierra, Barbadillo and many others make crazy wines with great strength and flavours far from diluted. I appreciate the market and losgistics knowledge that you are sharing in your videos, very useful to understand a bit more of what's behind the whisky production. Slàinte!

Lyche was the first tasting note i ever came out with , my parents used to let me try white wine when i was a kid and i always remeber it being like tinned lychees.

Just read the chapter ‚chuckles‘ in your new book while enjoying some Laphroaig. I need more of these limericks 😜

Famous dialogue from "Withnail and I" film: Monty (to Withnail): "Sherry?" Withnail: "Sherry." Monty (To Marwood): "Sherry?" Marwood: "Sherry." Monty (to himself): "Sherry..."

I always wondered about two things: 1. Some brands just say "European Oak", but don't specify if this is virgin oak or the casks did contain something. 2. Sherry actually needs casks that were heavily used. Like wine casks that were used over and over again, sometimes for decades. You don't want woody notes in sherry, you want oxidation. These casks can't be good for whisky, let alone better than ex-bourbon first fill ones. This video somehow answered me. The "sherry" casks are in fact not really "sherry". They are first filled with a wine-like liquid that later becomes vinegar or sherry. Or whatever. This leads to other questions. What did the people in the past used? Also, what do people use, when they say they use "port casks"? What do they use when they say "ruby port"? I thought ruby port is not matured in casks? Are these port and sherry casks more expensive than ex-boubon? I assume a lot more. Why do people say first-fill ex-bourbon? I thought when there is an used cask, you can't call it bourbon? Why people don't use fruit brandy casks? I think because nowadays (in the last 20-30 years) most brandies (at least in Europe) are not aged at all. And more importantly, they are made kinda like vodka, very high alcohol, that is then watered down. It doesn't really have any tast, so when you put it in a cask, it doesn't give something to the casks. But there are be some brandies made to have more taste from the fruit, in countries like the USA, Germany, Serbia or Bulgaria. We need a video about casks in general, I think. Anyway, thanks for the informative content.

Excellent information. I can't believe there's not 100 plus more comments here.......Thanks Ralfy!

Hi Ralfy, would it be interesting to do an Extras on cask buying and whisky investment? It seems that more people are buying casks, either for their own pleasure or as an investment. (I'm interested to buy one myself, not as an investment, but for my own interest.) But I wonder if this investing in whisky is something benefiting the industry, or if it's ruining it, making it harder for us costumers to buy whisky at a fair price. I would love to hear your experience on this subject!

Mmm. I’d do love a good sherry. Been known to add a couple of drops in a poor whisky. Px is the best. Nice one

Fantastically interesting and educating!

Brilliant content Ralfy so interesting thank you

Top notch interesting video here. As a side note, If I were forced to pick only ONE category of whisky to drink for the rest of my life, it'd be sherry-influenced single malt scotch whisky. The type of sherry is irrelevant to me... PX, Oloroso, Fino, Manzanilla... love it. Cheers Ralfy

Thanks for the subtitles ralfy,cheers from spain!

Outstanding Information! Thank You👍🙏🥃

As someone already stated, (dry) sherry isn't really a sipping drink but rather suitable for pairing with food. And boy, does it work. Specially brothy soups, but I wouldn't hesitate to have sherry with any savoury food. Anything boiled for a long time, fried, dishes with broth or slightly caramelised ingredients can mean magic along with a dry sherry. They are not very appealing on their own at all. I also really like the half dry ones with about 45 g. of sugar a litre, and they work well for sipping. Dry Sack is great, some other of the cheap ones has a slightly unpleasant maple syrup taste. The really sweet ones I haven't tried yet, but apparently they go well not with your dessert, but rather in it as a sauce.

Springbank talked about this on their Online Tasting Week Sherry Cask session - they said they are having far better results with the seasoned casks, and in some cases the seasoned PX / Oloroso are too active!

A lot more Scotch whisky distillers commission their own casks from Spanish cooperages than just the two you mentioned. Actually I believe most of them do... As fo the use of American oak, that is by no means a recent development. Although most transport casks were made of European oak, American oak has been used for making solera butts in Jerez since at least the late 17th century. Also, I think you meant to say that the seasoning sherry ends up in Jerez vinegar, not balsamic.

Great video again Ralphy but not sure about your comment about Fino being a good Sherry. Fino is a type or style of Sherry and as such there can be bad ones as well as good ones.

Man! Ralfy looks like a regular bloke but talks like a number one whiskey expert in the world.

Thank you Ralfy for a very enjoyable and informative video, I certainly was not aware there is a market in vintage sherries, more a Port fan myself. Just out of interest do you or anyone know what is the oldest cask(s) in use today north of the border? Anyway keep safe, keep sane everyone and keep producing such top quality content Ralfy from that bothy somewhere in the Irish Sea. 👍

Hey! these sherry businesses should just buy the old and tired shery casks from the whisky industry and sell them their younger one. I could see a nice coupling there.

Old vintage port from 70’s or older are the best of fortified wines in my opinion and a very different animal than others

I learned a lot here, thanks

Oloroso sherry whisky is my sweet spot ..fascinating info, cheers @ralfy

Tried Sherry cask whiskey and I prefer Bourbon cask. Thank you for showing me why.

Hello malty engineering non-chill enthusiasts! And thank you Ralfy for this malt lesson! I've started my journey not long ago, but I find watching your channel, and your extras in particular, the most amazing source of malty information.

Great extra. But now I'm genuinely interested in tasting a whisky aged in the sour cask you mentioned. Just curious 😅

Will a grain distillation used for whisky have any sour notes left over by it own ?

Ralfy, have you done a extra's from a cooperage? That would be interesting.

Great and informative as always ralfy. Out of curiousity did you buy a bottle of the jack and victor from the TV show still game blend? Think it was bottled at the Loch lomond distillery but its quite expensive for a blend, would be great to get your thoughts

Ralfy isn't quite right with the vinegar reference. Balsamic vinegar is an Italian thing. The Spanish are using the American oak casks to make sherry vinegar which is why most sherry vinegar comes from Jerez.

Great video! Many thanks Ralfy… cheers

I prefer Madeira first, Amontillado Second, then Tawny Port, Marsala, And lastly Olorosso Sherry. Some Cream Sherry’s and Ruby Port’s are ok if I am in the right mood

Ralfy, for a real quality sherry, try Lustau Almacenista sherries. They are the real deal.

Dry cool fino sherry is excellent with smoked fish and fish generally.

Thank you Ralfy!!

16:57 found this interesting? This is amazing!

May I suggest that you provide links to that webpage you made a while back, as well as the matching Extras videos, that go into how to bake sticks for flavoring liquors? They're worth the views and visit! 😆👍

Great video! Could you also make a video about Port finished whiskeys? I love Arran Port Cask and I'd love to know what else you'd recommend. Thank you!

My favorite whisky is my own blend which I add px sherry to and I love it rich sweet smokey with a mouthfeel I don't get from any I buy, Whisky snobs grab those noses lol

( Thanks for the subtitles. Pouring myself a Spinola Medium right now. Cheers. )

I love kilkerran but I can not stand the kilkerran 12 yr old for the eggy sulphur taste I get when I drink it. I have got the Kilkerran 8 sherry cask strength and the Kilkerran Heavily Peated batch 4 and I love them that much I would pay more for them .

Ralfy have you ever bought one of the wee barrels, seasoned it with Sherry or wine and the put a malt in to see what develops taste wise ?

A sherry cask topic, so i have myself a Glendronach 10 years Forgue.

A Dios Baco Elite Oloroso sherry is a wonderfully complex drinking experience.

Poe turned me onto Amontillado, not so sweet, and if you come over I'll take you to the bottle.

I'm 6 months in to my scotch journey and feel sad not to enjoy the sherried whiskeys. Glenmorangie and Aberlour 12 have both put me off and are gathering dust. I am much, much keener on the peat / iodine

"Sweet Sherry please Boaby."

Hello Ralfy, what do you think about couvreur in france? There are many old faishoned sherry casks in Bouze les Beaunes;-)

hope you do something similar with Port. Generally speaking, what do you think are the biggest flavour differences between single malts finished in sherry and finished in port?

I love a good sherry.

Hey Ralfy, I always enjoyed trying different whiskeys my favourite is Oban, though I also enjoy blended ones too, except Craig Club, that was really a bad experience that put me off trying different whiskeys for a long time. My question is, I am not sure if this was a valid assessment or did I overreact there?