Distillery Operations & Craft Flashcards
7 cards from real CSP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Distillery Operations & Craft flashcards as text
Under Scotch Whisky Regulations, what is the minimum cask size permitted for maturation?
Answer: 500 liters
The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 specify that casks must not exceed 700 liters, but there is a practical industry standard of using no larger than a butt (500L); however, the regulation sets only a maximum, not a minimum.
What is the 'angels' share' and what factors influence its rate?
Answer: The evaporative loss of spirit from casks during maturation, influenced by temperature, humidity, and warehouse type
Angels' share is the evaporative loss (averaging ~2% per year in Scotland) driven by temperature fluctuation, relative humidity, warehouse design, and cask porosity.
A 'dunnage warehouse' is characterized by which of the following features?
Answer: Low stone or brick buildings with earth floors and casks stacked no more than three high
Traditional dunnage warehouses are low, thick-walled stone buildings with earthen floors where casks rest on wooden runners (dunnage) stacked two to three high, providing a stable, cool, and humid environment.
Which of the following cask types imparts the most vanilla and coconut (lactone) flavors to Scotch whisky?
Answer: Ex-Bourbon American oak (Quercus alba) barrels
American white oak (Q. alba) is rich in vanillin and oak lactones, and ex-bourbon casks contribute classic vanilla, coconut, and sweet wood notes that dominate the lighter Speyside style.
What is a 'first-fill' cask and why does it generally have a stronger influence on the maturing spirit than a 'third-fill' cask?
Answer: A first-fill cask retains more extractable compounds (wood sugars, tannins, prior wine/spirit residues) than one already used multiple times
Each successive fill depletes the cask's supply of extractable flavor compounds, so a first-fill cask—still rich with residual wine, bourbon, or sherry—imparts far more color and flavor than a third-fill cask.
What does 'active maturation' or 'finishing' mean in Scotch production?
Answer: Transferring mature whisky into a different cask type for a secondary maturation period to add complexity
Finishing involves moving the whisky from its primary maturation cask into a different wood (e.g., ex-Sauternes, ex-rum, ex-Port) for weeks to months to layer additional flavors onto the base spirit.
How does the 'warehouse position' of a cask—top rack versus floor level—typically affect maturation in a racked warehouse?
Answer: Top-rack casks experience greater temperature variation, generally producing a more active maturation and faster flavor development
Heat rises, so upper-rack casks in racked warehouses experience higher temperatures and wider temperature swings, accelerating extraction and oxidation compared to the cooler, more stable floor level.