Reply To: Single Malt Scotch

From the Star-K Website:

Scotch, a most complex spirit, presents a challenge when trying to formulate a definitive kashrus policy. As we have noted in previous articles, scotch is aged in a combination of used bourbon and used wine casks, predominantly casks that were used to age sherry, port, Madeira or olorosso wines. By far, the greater percentage of casks used to age scotch are pre-used bourbon casks. Does the smaller percentage of sherry casks present a halachic problem? Some distillers will first age the scotch conventionally and then refill the scotch into sherry casks to complete the aging process, in order to impart a sherry taste into the scotch. Unquestionably, scotch that is aged exclusively in sherry casks has a sherry look, taste and smell pervading the scotch.

Star-K halachic policy maintains that any scotch that advertises on the label, neck tag, website, etc. as being aged, finished, double aged or refilled in sherry casks, or other wine casks, are not approved and are not acceptable. If there is no mention of sherry casks, or any other variety of wine casks or refilling, the scotch is acceptable because the amount of sherry present would be botul1 in the final product.

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I just checked the glenlivet website:

nothing is mentioned in the website or on the bottle about the sherry, yet, the rep of the company wrote the scotch is sherried – why should we not believe the company that they are adding sherry as an imparted flavor into the scotch?