Sulphur in whisky? What does “sulphured whisky” even mean? And why do people use terms like “dirty cask” or “tainted cask”. Hmmm…I’m reminded of a quote from a movie: “The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.” The Usual Suspects, 1995
Substitute “whisky industry” for devil and “sulphur” for he and you’ll get a quick snapshot of what’s being discussed here. Sulphur taint is one of the more confusing and least understood aspects in today’s whisky community, and there are plenty of industry folks trying to convince you it doesn’t exist. Let’s cut through the taint and kill a few myths and misunderstandings…