Uisge Beatha Whisky prices compared

Virgin oak whisky

50 bottles in stock, with the best current price from the UK retailers we check.

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Questions

What is the cheapest virgin oak whisky?
The cheapest virgin oak whisky is Slane Irish Whiskey (40% ABV, 70cl), at £24.60 from Tyndrum Whisky. That is £29.10 delivered to the UK mainland for one bottle. Next cheapest: Tomatin Legacy Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky (£27.90) and Deanston Virgin Oak Casks - 46.3% (£31.30).
How much does virgin oak whisky cost?
Virgin oak whisky costs from £24.60 to £419.95, with a median of £79.95 for a full-size bottle. The dearest is Bowmore Infrequent Flyers Single Virgin Oak Cask #2692 1997 23 year old Whisky.
What is the oldest virgin oak whisky you can buy?
Jura Infrequent Flyers Single Virgin Oak Cask #806899 1994 30 year old Whisky, at 30 years old, from £399.95.
What do barrel char levels mean?
Bourbon barrels are toasted and then charred inside with an open flame, and the char level says for how long. Four levels are usually distinguished: about 15 seconds for #1, 30 for #2, 35 for #3 and 55 for #4, known as “alligator char” because the wood cracks like reptile skin. Heavier char creates a thicker charcoal layer, which filters out unwanted flavours, and opens the wood so the spirit can reach deeper into it.
What is a virgin oak cask?
A virgin oak cask is a newly coopered cask that has never held another drink. Scotch whisky may mature in new oak casks, and bourbon is legally required to mature in charred new oak containers, meaning all bourbon begins in virgin oak. “Virgin” describes the cask’s prior use rather than the species of oak.
Why is virgin oak used so rarely for Scotch?
New oak is very active, and over a long maturation its spicy wood notes can overpower the finer aromas of a single malt, so most Scotch is matured in casks that have held bourbon or wine. Whiskipedia notes that virgin casks are used in Scotland only infrequently. Whisky matures faster in virgin oak than in used casks.
What flavours does virgin oak give whisky?
Toasting and charring break down the wood: hemicellulose turns into sugars that caramelise into caramel and toffee notes, lignin gives vanilla, spice and some smoke, and tannins add a dry grip and colour. Virgin oak gives these flavours at full strength, while a rejuvenated used cask gives a milder version.