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Finished whiskeys are whiskeys that are placed in a secondary, used barrel that held other spirits, and used as flavoring agents for the whiskey. In the regulations they are labeled as “Distilled Spirit Specialty” and the label has to have the name printed on the label in the same size font. This does allow some phonetic gymnastics such as labeling the whiskey “Straight Bourbon Finished in … Barrels”. The whiskey is no longer a Bourbon, but started as a Bourbon before finishing. Finished whiskeys that are finished in a second, charred oak barrel can be labeled as a straight whiskey, but not a toasted barrel finished whiskey. These are the regulations as I understand them.

With these regulations being stated, I will say there are many finished whiskeys that I find to be excellent. I will start with a little history. The Scotch whisky industry has been “finishing” whiskey for decades. Many excellent Scotch whiskies are finished in port barrels, sherry barrels or wine barrels. This poses less of a problem for Scotch whisky as they employ used cooperage in most of their aging to start with. It does add a fruit note to the whiskey that the distiller wants to add to their final product. In the late 1990s, Jim Beam introduced their “Distillers Masterpiece” line of products. They were Jim Beam whiskey finished in cognac barrels. It caused quite a ripple in the Bourbon industry and begged the question “Is it Bourbon?” The answer was, as the regulations state, no. But it called for a clarification of the rules that led to the above regulations. Since then, many distilleries have introduced finish whiskeys of their own and have created very successful brands. Angel’s Envy was a brand founded on a brand that was a finished whiskey and has been very successful in the market.

I find that to my taste, I prefer a finished whiskey that has been lightly finished in the secondary barrel. I think the finishing barrel should contribute a flavor that compliments the whiskey and does not overpower its flavor. A good example of this is Limestone Branch’s Minor Case Rye. You can taste notes of the Sherry from the finishing barrel, but you still get a full rye whiskey flavor. An example of an “over finished” whiskey, in my opinion, is the Angel’s Envy Rye where the rum barrels overpower the rye flavor in the whiskey, making it taste mostly of rum.

Finished whiskeys also include whiskeys that are “double barreled” in new charred barrels and whiskeys that are finished in barrels that have been heavily toasted. These tend to have more vanilla, caramel and butterscotch flavors and I rather like them. Michter’s toasted products, Bourbon, Rye and Sour Mash, are some of my favorite whiskeys. I like a whiskey that has a nice sweet caramel note in the flavor. 

Finished whiskeys can be an excellent way to introduce a new brand from a company just getting into the whiskey business. They can purchase barrels of whiskey and finish them in different barrels and create their own flavor profile. However, some companies have overdone the finishing process in my opinion. When the whiskey tastes more like the finishing spirit than the original whiskey, I always ask the questions “What are they trying to hide? Did they purchase barrels of inferior whiskey?”

I like many finished whiskeys. They are flavorful with lots of fruit flavors and I have always liked a good, fruity whiskey. What are your favorite finished whiskeys?

Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller