Casks. They’re mostly needed to age whiskey. Mostly. Yes, that’s the word I want to use there. Totally not a bad idea.

But there are only so many trees, only so many people willing to turn those trees into barrels, and only so much that they’ll be paid. Thus the standard of using ex-sherry or ex-bourbon casks will eventually run out. There’s more distilled fermented grain juice than there is tree armour for it.

EnterWriter’s Tears Cognac Finish, one of many whiskies attempting to find the line, figure out the trick, buy casks from someone who isn’t selling tons of casks, and attempt just a finish. See how it takes to it. Also, Cognac casks are expensive already…. So my initial reason d’etre didn’t really apply and these aren’t really an alternative. But experimentation is a good reason for anything. Perhaps this means cheaper brandy barrels could work?…