You have to feel some pity for Kavalan’s master distiller in Taiwan. The island, off mainland China, is subtropical with high temperatures and humidity, occasional typhoons and a cold winter that lasts about four weeks at best. 

If ever a whisky environment can be far from Scotland, this is it. Angels just don’t want a sip of the award-winning single malt whisky. With loses of up to 15 percent a year, it seems they want to drink the whole cask!

While Kavalan experiences the extreme, many of the factors affecting whisky seem to be accepted as just part of the process and territory, such as temperature, seasons, and location of the distillery. However, all-important – but often ignored humidity – is one part of the process that you can take control of fairly easily.

In this episode we’ll be talking about how you can assure your humidity is exactly how you want it – keeping casks and electronics happy – how you can reduce the angels’ share and increase profits, along with how having a proper air system in your visitors’ centre can help in keeping viruses down and customer numbers up. 

Guest

Lindsey Henderson of Humidity Solutions

Resources

What is the Angel’s share in whisky?

Forbes: Subtropical Taiwan suddenly boasts two whiskies

Whiskey Science: Looking at the Angel’s share