Rav Moshe Feinstein’s “Heter” :
Many people maintain that Scotch matured or finished in Sherry casks
is permitted based on Rav Moshe Feinstein’s ruling in Igros Moshe (YD I
simanim 62-64) with regard to “blended whiskey.” Rav Moshe concludes
that “blended whiskey” is permitted mei’ikur hadin due to the fact that
stam yeinam added to the whiskey is batul b’sheish. (Rav Moshe advises
a ba’al nefesh to be stringent; see Addendum 6.) However, it is of vital
importance to realize that Rav Moshe was not referring to Scotch; rather,
he was referring to whiskey (perhaps Canadian or American) into which a
small amount of wine (less than 2½%) was added. Thus, it was quite clear
that the small volume of added wine was indeed nullified. Our discussion,
however, refers to Scotch; the issue of concern is that it is matured in
wine casks – wine is never poured into the barrel (it is actually illegal to
do so). Although one might think that Scotch is more lenient since it is
only an issue of absorbed wine (blios) – not actual wine (bi’en), it may be
more stringent due to the opinion of the Shach and other Poskim that the
volume of blios is measured by the entire thickness of the walls, and there
is not sufficient volume of Scotch to nullify the blios b’sheish. Accordingly,
Rav Moshe’s heter does not apply to Scotch.
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