Nine years ago, when this video was made, few people were talking about e150a. That isn't the case today, and in fact everyone I know strongly prefers buying natural whiskey to whiskey that's been artificially colored.
I've switched to Agave spirits because of this, e150a. Having found it in may of my favorite selections of Scotchish and Irish whiskeys. But i still enjoy them. Just not as often.
If Bourbon is made in two or so years and has enough colour because they use new oak barrels, are we to assume old scotch that doesn't develop enough colour after 10, 12 plus years that the cask used are spent and offer little in colour and even in flavour? And that ones that don't use E150 use better casks?
I swear, the first time I heard about E150 being put in single malts, I thought it was a joke. Too bad that otherwise excellent whiskies continue to do it.
The bottle of Macallan 12 I recently bought states on the back of the box that the whisky is a natural color. In fact this is one of the six pillars that Macallan is priding itself on. Hopefully Edrington will stick to this.
@macsm The color actually depends on the wood used for the cask. I can't recall off the top of my head but I'm pretty sure a whiskey aged in oak barrels for a long period of time get darker while a whiskey that's been aged in another type of wood for the same period might be lighter. Of course younger whiskeys will be lighter anyway.
@DarkheartTheHeritic The interesting thing is that caramel is unnecessary in bourbon because the casks used to age bourbon are brand new so the wood imparts the most flavor and color. Since Scotch is aged in used barrels (usually bourbon or sherry), they might not get the same level of color as bourbon.
@Qiiiiiii I believe Glenlivet uses caramel in all their expressions (even Nadurra I'm afraid) to keep color consistancy. That said the Nadurra may have less caramel added since it's so much lighter than the other Glenlivets.
I got a taster's pack of Bowmore single malts for Xmas this year. (mini-bottles) And I found it very surprising that all 3 bottles, the 12,15 and 18 were colored with e150a. But the really surprising part was it was listed as caramel added in German and Danish on the bottles but not English.
Amen...we DO NOT WANT it indeed! I haven't been able to find a definitive answer online about Macallan using chill filtration or not. I was impressed that such a big company omits the coloring craze, but I might take this 12 year back since I haven't opened if its chill filtered.
@shuboy05 By the way, if you have the cash, try to find an independent bottling of Glenlivet. There is a Signatory bottling of Glenlivet that is also 16 years old, cask strength, non chill-filtered with the added bonus of no caramel. You can then do a comparison tasting with the Nadurra.
I find caramel annoying because I use color to distinguish whiskeys matured in European oak (darker liquid) from American white oak(lighter color), with the addition of caramel all that magic is screwed!! Thanks Ralfy, you are useful and funny too!!
a lot of the color comes from the manufacturers burning the inside of the barrel.. doesn't matter which kind of wood they use.. burned wood will colour things dark and also introduce a burned/charred/smokey flavor.
Ralfy I'm sure you know that they can also add caramel to beer - I just had a bottle of Director's Ale bought for me and it says it clearly on the back label. But perhaps we get away lightly - I saw that to French Cognac they can add caramel, sugar syrup and even oak syrup :/
wow, I will never look at the whisky the same way after seeing this! I'm going to appreciate more the ones that state NATURAL COLOR on their "contract". It's a big shame in my opinion, to put something artificial into something called natural, with tradition and history behind it (with huge marketing and shiny documentary like advertising) that took years to mature. Everything is only marketing, you cannot have an indicator in the color, because you are appreciating something artificial, you don't know the real color. After seeing many reviews and many useful information on Ralfy's videos, I tend to believe that the natural color is actually more pale, more lighter, and when the whisky is diluted from cask strength to bottling strength the color diminishes/drops even more! This for me has been a really mind opener! (personal opinion)
I agree, caramel do not belong in malt whisky I have found some distilleries that claim they do not use any e150, springbank, bruichladdich and highland park You know any other?
Single cask whiskeys will not have caramel added because there is no need for color consistency in that type of whiskey. That said single casks are usually the most expensive....
@ralfystuff Hi Ralfy, I've been drinking single malts and blended whiskies for about 5 years now and tried many different brands, all I enjoyed. Recently though, I bought Auchentoshan (classic) for the first time; after half an hour of drinking a dram of this horrible, sweet, creamy yuck, I started feeling sick and have been feeling sick for a day now. At first I thought it might be the E150, after watching your vid I don't think so now. Have you heard any similiar comments about Auchentoshan?
Black Whisky... Once i found in shop something called White Whisky, it was looking like vodka, but I didn't buy it, what is this White Whisky, is it very young spirit like our Polish Vodka?
Does caramel have a bad impact on health? If not so I don't see a big problem in using it (unless you of course pretend to make 'natural' colored drinks). Thanks for the interesting vid!
Well, I've finally found a whiskey based product that states in English that it is colored with caramel. Unfortunately it's Bailey's Irish Cream. Now if only Diageo would put that label on their whiskies.
does anybody know id they add caramel to makers mark Kentucky straight bourbon? ik its not a scotch but it does look very lovely and dark just wondering cheers
Hi Ralfy, sorry for changing subjects here. People are telling me that I am gaining Weight because I drink Scotch every week. Can you tell me how many Calories a glass and a bottle of scotch have. Some people tell me beer is the one that gains weight. I dont Know, and I trying to lose weight, (it's Bloody Hard!) And Wine and Champagne to me are overrated fads for snobs. I like my 40 percent nectar from the Gods in Scotland. So please find out the info, and email me back. W.T.
(Please read this tongue-in-cheek). How dare you bad mouth E150a! I happen to be a connoisseur of E150a brands and here is my review of the Johnny Walker Black Label. "Ah, you have to hand it to Diageo. They certainly use some quality E150a. Taking a sip...hmm...do I detect vintage 2013 with that hint of bitter toffee-spirit so characteristic of Aarkay Food Products Ltd.Hmm...yes..yes, that wonderful water soluble food coloring, made by the heat treatment of carbohydrates. Ah, that rich all natural amber to dark brown hue is unmistakable. Yes, the slightly bitter note and an odor of burnt sugar is true craftsmanship. I'd give this Aarkay Food Products E150a batch 13, an 89. That's not an integrity score mind you! It would have got a higher score had they not artificially added some C2H5OH processed ethyl alcohol to it, better known as whisky!!"
Wow, I saw this observation on a whisky forum that was just too astute to leave there. Artificial coloring is kind of like breast implants--they can make you say "wow", but you know they aren't real.
@wesleytaylorviadomus I don't believe that drinking once a week is making you fat. my brother drinks every day, beer, about 3-4, he has 53 and he is skinny(like 73 kg at 1,83 m), but he also practices karate for 30 years and he always was skinny so... read the book of Peter J. D'Adamo which has this principle that the bood types appeared in history with the changing of humans diet. like type 01 is the blood type of the hunter, so your main food should be meat. it's all about diet.
Nine years ago, when this video was made, few people were talking about e150a. That isn't the case today, and in fact everyone I know strongly prefers buying natural whiskey to whiskey that's been artificially colored.
physics2112 lol why would anyone want something adulterated with foul burnt sugar hahaha
I've switched to Agave spirits because of this, e150a. Having found it in may of my favorite selections of Scotchish and Irish whiskeys. But i still enjoy them. Just not as often.
Absolutely excellent and useful, informative video. Amazing in the effort to simply educate and inform.
If Bourbon is made in two or so years and has enough colour because they use new oak barrels, are we to assume old scotch that doesn't develop enough colour after 10, 12 plus years that the cask used are spent and offer little in colour and even in flavour? And that ones that don't use E150 use better casks?
I swear, the first time I heard about E150 being put in single malts, I thought it was a joke. Too bad that otherwise excellent whiskies continue to do it.
The bottle of Macallan 12 I recently bought states on the back of the box that the whisky is a natural color. In fact this is one of the six pillars that Macallan is priding itself on. Hopefully Edrington will stick to this.
I am so glad I found your channel. Great information. Thank you Ralfy :)
@macsm The color actually depends on the wood used for the cask. I can't recall off the top of my head but I'm pretty sure a whiskey aged in oak barrels for a long period of time get darker while a whiskey that's been aged in another type of wood for the same period might be lighter. Of course younger whiskeys will be lighter anyway.
Well said Sir, keep the blasted stuff out of our single malts. It is becoming a real problem, and one many people think me a snob for disliking.
a good clear demonstration. And something to remember.
@DarkheartTheHeritic The interesting thing is that caramel is unnecessary in bourbon because the casks used to age bourbon are brand new so the wood imparts the most flavor and color. Since Scotch is aged in used barrels (usually bourbon or sherry), they might not get the same level of color as bourbon.
@Qiiiiiii I believe Glenlivet uses caramel in all their expressions (even Nadurra I'm afraid) to keep color consistancy. That said the Nadurra may have less caramel added since it's so much lighter than the other Glenlivets.
I got a taster's pack of Bowmore single malts for Xmas this year. (mini-bottles) And I found it very surprising that all 3 bottles, the 12,15 and 18 were colored with e150a. But the really surprising part was it was listed as caramel added in German and Danish on the bottles but not English.
Amen...we DO NOT WANT it indeed! I haven't been able to find a definitive answer online about Macallan using chill filtration or not. I was impressed that such a big company omits the coloring craze, but I might take this 12 year back since I haven't opened if its chill filtered.
@shuboy05 By the way, if you have the cash, try to find an independent bottling of Glenlivet. There is a Signatory bottling of Glenlivet that is also 16 years old, cask strength, non chill-filtered with the added bonus of no caramel. You can then do a comparison tasting with the Nadurra.
@ralfydotcom do you have any idea when they started adding caramel to whisky and who did it first?
I find caramel annoying because I use color to distinguish whiskeys matured in European oak (darker liquid) from American white oak(lighter color), with the addition of caramel all that magic is screwed!! Thanks Ralfy, you are useful and funny too!!
a lot of the color comes from the manufacturers burning the inside of the barrel.. doesn't matter which kind of wood they use.. burned wood will colour things dark and also introduce a burned/charred/smokey flavor.
Ralfy I'm sure you know that they can also add caramel to beer - I just had a bottle of Director's Ale bought for me and it says it clearly on the back label. But perhaps we get away lightly - I saw that to French Cognac they can add caramel, sugar syrup and even oak syrup :/
great info
never thought I would hear ol ralfy swear in a video. but when I did, I wasn't surprised it was about e150 haha
wow, I will never look at the whisky the same way after seeing this! I'm going to appreciate more the ones that state NATURAL COLOR on their "contract". It's a big shame in my opinion, to put something artificial into something called natural, with tradition and history behind it (with huge marketing and shiny documentary like advertising) that took years to mature. Everything is only marketing, you cannot have an indicator in the color, because you are appreciating something artificial, you don't know the real color.
After seeing many reviews and many useful information on Ralfy's videos, I tend to believe that the natural color is actually more pale, more lighter, and when the whisky is diluted from cask strength to bottling strength the color diminishes/drops even more! This for me has been a really mind opener! (personal opinion)
Awesome video brother Ralfy
Ralfy, you rock. The original whisky youtuber!!!
Good stuff, sir. Such a wonderful topic.
I'm looking forward to the next video.
ha! without knowing you did this too I experimented a bit with caramel E150a or E150c which i got from a home brewing store. fun to try! cheers
Learning a lot today through your videos, thanks!
Good info thanks. See how much you have too add to your favorite whisky before you notice a difference. Does anyone add flavouring to their whisky?
I agree, caramel do not belong in malt whisky
I have found some distilleries that claim they do not use any e150,
springbank, bruichladdich and highland park
You know any other?
Shite - Thanks Ralfy - that took care of a lot of questions.
The Glenfarclas owner specifically told me they don't use E150a. Can you you confirm?
Single cask whiskeys will not have caramel added because there is no need for color consistency in that type of whiskey. That said single casks are usually the most expensive....
In contrast, Aberlour informed me that they DO use E150a. My interest has declined.... as well as due to further education.
I looked closer on the back of a Jura 16 YO and on the back it says Karamel!
thanks for the info
@Qiiiiiii possibly because then almost all of the supermarket blends would end up looking like vodka
It's most likely the Bunny 12 had more wood interaction than the Laphroig 10.
Hi, i'm new to whisky and I'm really enjoying ur videos. Is dark whisky always colored with caramel?
@ralfystuff Hi Ralfy, I've been drinking single malts and blended whiskies for about 5 years now and tried many different brands, all I enjoyed. Recently though, I bought Auchentoshan (classic) for the first time; after half an hour of drinking a dram of this horrible, sweet, creamy yuck, I started feeling sick and have been feeling sick for a day now. At first I thought it might be the E150, after watching your vid I don't think so now. Have you heard any similiar comments about Auchentoshan?
thanks for the useful info Ralfy.
Thanks for the info. I will email the brands I drink to let them know of my disaproval. Hopefully others will do the same.
1:40 'because its shite ! ' :-) brilliant
Black Whisky...
Once i found in shop something called White Whisky, it was looking like vodka, but I didn't buy it, what is this White Whisky, is it very young spirit like our Polish Vodka?
i cant believe you gave that a taste haha made my night
I found this very educational very good video
Excellent!!! Many thanks Ralfy!!!!!!!!!
Does caramel have a bad impact on health? If not so I don't see a big problem in using it (unless you of course pretend to make 'natural' colored drinks).
Thanks for the interesting vid!
. . . no, not in small quantities, far more E150a in soda drinks !
Well, I've finally found a whiskey based product that states in English that it is colored with caramel. Unfortunately it's Bailey's Irish Cream. Now if only Diageo would put that label on their whiskies.
Nice magic trick there, Ralf!
Thank you, Ralfy!!
Is there a resource online for finding additive free (or at least E150 free) single malt scotch?
does anybody know id they add caramel to makers mark Kentucky straight bourbon?
ik its not a scotch but it does look very lovely and dark just wondering
cheers
well thats a relief!!!!!!
thanks ralfy keep up the good work friend
cheers
Could you give a list of brands using caramel?
. . . that would be a very long list, better to identify those who dont and state it in their marketing and on the bottle. Like Springbank.
excellent stuff. you are a master.
Can you do a review on loch dhu?
Hi Ralfy! .. Could you recommend me some whiskies without e150?
Very interesting
Thanks for the intel.
"because it's shite" lol well said, Ralphy, well said.
Is "Loch Dhu" similar to "Cú Dhub"?
Hi Ralfy, sorry for changing subjects here. People are telling me that I am gaining Weight because I drink Scotch every week. Can you tell me how many Calories a glass and a bottle of scotch have. Some people tell me beer is the one that gains weight. I dont Know, and I trying to lose weight, (it's Bloody Hard!) And Wine and Champagne to me are overrated fads for snobs. I like my 40 percent nectar from the Gods in Scotland. So please find out the info, and email me back. W.T.
(Please read this tongue-in-cheek).
How dare you bad mouth E150a! I happen to be a connoisseur of E150a brands and here is my review of the Johnny Walker Black Label.
"Ah, you have to hand it to Diageo. They certainly use some quality E150a. Taking a sip...hmm...do I detect vintage 2013 with that hint of bitter toffee-spirit so characteristic of Aarkay Food Products Ltd.Hmm...yes..yes, that wonderful water soluble food coloring, made by the heat treatment of carbohydrates. Ah, that rich all natural amber to dark brown hue is unmistakable. Yes, the slightly bitter note and an odor of burnt sugar is true craftsmanship.
I'd give this Aarkay Food Products E150a batch 13, an 89. That's not an integrity score mind you! It would have got a higher score had they not artificially added some C2H5OH processed ethyl alcohol to it, better known as whisky!!"
Thank you from Brasil, Rzlphy
Wow, I saw this observation on a whisky forum that was just too astute to leave there. Artificial coloring is kind of like breast implants--they can make you say "wow", but you know they aren't real.
Muito bom.
I love you Ralfi!
So u definitely have a Caribbean background
. . . I do like the heat !
shiiiiite. love it. you say it just like a dub :-)
2020.
Loch Dhu was vile. Tell me it doesn’t still exist
. . . only in collectors collections !
Colour is meaningless?
@wesleytaylorviadomus I don't believe that drinking once a week is making you fat. my brother drinks every day, beer, about 3-4, he has 53 and he is skinny(like 73 kg at 1,83 m), but he also practices karate for 30 years and he always was skinny so... read the book of Peter J. D'Adamo which has this principle that the bood types appeared in history with the changing of humans diet. like type 01 is the blood type of the hunter, so your main food should be meat. it's all about diet.
Witchcraft!
So that's satan's blood?
Because it's sshhh-eye-T
thank you for that