Does Terroir Affect Whiskey? This Distillery Thinks So, and Its New Whiskey Might Prove It

Is there such a thing as terroir in whiskey? For some, to even pose this question reflects ignorance or complete lack of knowledge about something that's been proven by distilleries like Bruichladdich. 

For others, there's clearly no such thing as whiskey terroir. The high-energy and high-temperature act of distillation removes any qualities that grain varietals might impart into whiskey’s flavor. But there’s another factor that may or may not be truly considered terroir that indisputably plays a part.

Experts say that up to 70 percent of a whiskey’s flavor comes from the barrel in which it ages. That varies depending on what type of barrel exactly, like new charred oak versus sherry cask or used bourbon barrel versus French oak wine, for example. 

But the location of the barrel also has a profound impact on a whiskey’s flavor as it ages. In Kentucky in particular, barrels on higher floors are exposed to much more intense heat throughout the year, meaning there will be more evaporation, higher proof, and intensity of flavor. Barrels on lower floors experience the opposite.

Over the past few years, distilleries have released special expressions that highlight the effects of location on whiskey. They pull barrels aged in a specific warehouse to show what that microclimate does to the liquid. Is this really terroir? Perhaps. Whatever you call it, if you try a couple of these bottles side by side, you'll certainly notice differences.

Wild Turkey has been doing this for a few years now with its excellent Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse series. So has Old Forester, the brand and distillery owned by drinks giant Brown-Forman that has a fantastic lineup of affordable bourbons and ryes, as well as some unicorn releases like Birthday Bourbon. 

Old Forester's latest release is a new addition to the distillery’s 117 Series called Warehouse I, an 11-year-old bourbon that was aged in that particular rickhouse. Past 117 Series releases have included High Angel’s Share, Scotch Cask Finish, and bourbons aged in warehouses H and K.

According to the distillery, Warehouse I is heat-cycled, meaning that the temperature is manually controlled instead of just being left to the elements, and assistant master distiller Caleb Trigo selected barrels from the hottest floors. 

It's a lovely bourbon, bottled at 95 proof with big notes of vanilla, caramel, tobacco, oak, and stone fruit. There are some subtle black pepper and baking spice flavors along for the ride. And at 11 years old, the bourbon has really engaged with the wood without becoming a tannic oak bomb.

Could a similar flavor profile be found in different barrels in a different warehouse? Possibly, and the reality is that two barrels aging next to each other might taste really different. That being said, whiskey makers have their warehouse sweet spots that they believe draw out certain notes, and the proof is in the palate. Old Forester 117 Warehouse I, MSRP $65, is available now in 375ml bottles from the Old Forester website and at specialty retailers around the country.

Related: I've Tried Hundreds of Whiskeys. This High-Proof Bourbon Is a Complex and Delicious Steal