Johnson Reserve whisky sets world record for flavour

Whisky maker and maturation specialist Johnson Reserve has been awarded the title of The Greatest Variety of Flavours in a Whisky by Guinness World Records.

The accolade acknowledges the whisky’s ‘intricate’ maturation and finishing process, where a single cask of aged single malt journeyed through a sequence of 33 unique casks, which is said to have given the Scotch a ‘nuanced complexity’. Speaking to The Spirits Business, founder Alexander Johnson, who has spent more than a decade dedicating his craft to this specific maturation strategy, explained the process behind creating the record-breaking whisky, known as Ascension. “We've done an incredible amount of experimentation over the years. I've been testing barrel maturation techniques for coming on to about 12 years, and we’ve matured in the way that we do it, in terms of trying to use a bit more science and working with flavour labs to try and better understand the process. “It's very interesting how much of an influence a cask can have; even if you put a whisky into an ex-Cognac barrique for one week, for example, so much flavour development can happen in that time. But what we found makes the biggest difference is the freshness of the barrel. Fresh ingredients always pay off,” he said. However, he warned that prioritising fresh barrels makes the process very expensive, “because you can't just send 40 barrels over and then fill them as you need them over the months or years. You're having to take each one individually, bring it over, and it has to be used very, very quickly, otherwise you lose so much of the positive flavour benefit.” As such, some casks acquired for the creation of this particular whisky cost in excess of £4,000 (US$50,050) each, such as one Japanese mizunara oak cask. This style of cask, Johnson explained, is “designed for long-term maturation,” due to the porous nature of the wood. “The trees grow at about half the speed of American [oak], and I believe they live for about twice as long as well. So they have a longer life cycle, and they impart lots of flavour over a longer time.” The 33 casks used to create Ascension were sourced from all corners of the globe. “Mexico, France, Japan, Australia, Napa Valley – all different parts of America,” Johnson listed, with the casks having previously held myriad spirits. He noted that ex-rum casks in particular were interesting to work with: “In terms of the range of flavours you get within an ex-rum barrel, you get more than you would get out of Scotch whisky, because Scotch has more regulations.” However, Johnson noted that whisky sees the most diversity, due to it being the most explored spirit in terms of maturation, ageing, and flavourings in different parts of the world, but where the company saw the most value for the final product was in very old Cognac barrels. He said this was because of a flavour phenomenon called rancio, a characteristic that gradually develops during the ageing process and is often used to describe certain aromas, flavours, and mouthfeel that only begin to become apparent after eau-de-vie has spent a lengthy period – in excess of 10 years – within oak barrels. “Rancio creates flavours that are described as mouldy, fishy or cheesy, but in the respect of a whisky, they're incredible flavours when handled with delicacy,” Johnson explained. “It's not umami, but it adds another dimension. When you're maturing spirits like we are now, to achieve earthy and chocolatey flavours, it goes very nicely with those. It makes me think of truffles,” he said. “But rancio is very, very hard to find. You only find it very, very old Cognac barrels. And you have to really try and specifically find that, and for that flavour to carry forward into the spirit that goes into the next barrel, it’s by no means guaranteed.” Third time lucky Not being able to guarantee flavour transfer from rare barrels such as these is one thing, but Johnson shared that there are plenty of other things that could go wrong with a lengthy project such as this. “My biggest concern was that one flavour would take over and imbalance everything. “We had two iterations of this project that came before this final product, and we didn't complete them, and the spirit was completely wasted.” In one failed attempt, Johnson explained they had made it to the fourth cask before it hadn’t worked, but in the other attempt, it was the “14th or 15th cask” that proved to be the project’s downfall. “We used a barrel that I just knew wasn't a good barrel to use. I was flying down to London, going back up, and it was time to switch from the other barrel, and I thought it'd be fine. That was years of my life.” However, these failed attempts allowed Johnson to learn from his mistakes and adapt his next attempt. “There are some barrels that you just need to be so careful with – like a peated barrel, for example, you have to be so careful using because the whisky could just become overwhelmed.” Guinness certification To certify the spirit’s achievement of boasting the greatest variety of flavours in a whisky, the brand sourced testimonials from experts within the industry and enlisted proven operators in the space to provide information to Guinness on the process the whisky had been through. “It's a very subjective thing to say which whisky has the most flavour,” he said, “so it's not the point of trying to say this whisky definitely has more flavour than any other whisky imaginable. It's just about the spirit of innovation, experiment and learning. "Our goal is to share what we’ve learned, so that advanced cask maturation can benefit the industry as a whole. While age statements often guide whisky purchases, many can be disappointed by older whiskies that lack 'active management.' We want to highlight that quality maturation is a matter of care and expertise, not just time." As such, he said, “we are opening up the doors to the entire industry of the greater potential of advanced cask influence”. The 46% ABV Ascension has now been bottled, and is said to offer hints of honeyed fig, toasted almond, and warm brioche on the nose, which evolve into notes of cedarwood, vanilla, and a touch of smoky mezcal. The palate is described as ‘incredibly smooth’, with flavours of caramelised pear and butterscotch, giving way to dry oak, dark cocoa, and the earthy touch of agave. Hints of black cherry and fig are said to blend with delicate spices and a touch of sea salt. The finish is long and lingering with notes of sweet tobacco, toasted hazelnut, and soft spice from mizunara oak. “Ascension represents the pinnacle of our craft, and we believe that those who seek the rarest and most refined experiences will find its value reflected in the years of dedication and innovation behind each bottle,” said Johnson. “This release is not about exclusivity for its own sake, but about offering collectors and connoisseurs an expression of whisky that represents the height of what is possible when patience and precision converge.” Only 40 bottles of Ascension are available for purchase, and a ballot will be held for the chance to purchase one, with price available on application. This summer, Johnson Reserve released three single malts that experiment with multiple cask maturation.