UPDATE The blog entry for November 9, 2014 lists a number of single malt scotches that are matured (aged) solely in either former American Bourbon barrels or virgin oak casks. The entry is titled Kosher vs. Kosher - Scotch for a makpeed.
I got into a "warm" discussion during seudat shleshi one recent Shabat about Chivas Regal scotch, which with Johnny Walkers probably are the most common "synagogue" scotches around.
According to the Chicago Rabbinical Council (cRc), "Various brands of blended scotch may be aged in wine barrels. However, the cRc policy is that unless the questionable casks are printed on the label, they are permitted to use. If one wishes to be more stringent, then only those brands of scotch listed above should be considered free of any wine cask issues." Both Chivas and Johnny Walker fail to appear among "those brands of scotch listed above." (Note: A combined cRc and Star-K scotches list is near the bottom of this blog.)
I checked a bottle of 12-year-old Chivas and failed to see any cask information. It had none - not a clue.
Star-K's liquor list also omits Chivas and Johnny Walker from its list of acceptable potent potables. Star-K notes that "Single Malt and Blended. Except when label states “aged in sherry casks”, “sherry finish”, “port finish”, “madeira finish”, “dual cask finish”, “double matured” are acceptable."
Chivas and Johnny Walker are blends.
What is Chivas' status?
I checked the Chivas' Web page and read:
"We use two types of oak – the original is European oak used to make the large Sherry casks. During maturation in these casks, the new spirit will pick up a dark amber colour, and the character of the spirit will be enhanced with nuances of sweet nuttiness and spicyness. The other type is American White oak used to make the American oak barrel which has previously matured the Bourbon whiskies in the US. During maturation in these casks, the new spirit will pick up a golden colour and the character of the spirit will be enhanced with nuances of vanilla sweetness and dry oakiness.
"Therefore, for his blends, the Master Blender is not only selecting each of the individual whiskies for their own unique characters and flavours, but also whether they have been matured in Sherry casks or American oak barrels." (Emphasis above mine.)
I asked the importer, Pernod Ricard USA, about the casks Chivas uses. Pernod Ricard's Paris headquarters owns Chivas and a number of other well-known brands but is not "email friendly."
The exchange follows.
I wrote: "How can I know which Chivas is aged in sherry casks and which is aged in Bourbon casks - is there an indication on the label? Or is all Chivas a possible mix of both type casks.
The question applies to ALL Chivas scotches.
Lori of Chivas Regal Consumer Relations, replied: "Chivas Regal is matured in a combination of both types of cask. The proportion of which types of cask are used is one of the best kept secrets in the Scotch whisky industry! Only a very select group of individuals including master blender Colin Scott are privy to this information."
So the bottom line for Chivas is, as the cRc writes, "unless the questionable casks are printed on the label, they are permitted to use," with the caveat that "If one wishes to be more stringent, then only those brands of scotch listed above should be considered free of any wine cask issues."
I am not a rabbi and I don't play one on tv, nor am I a scotch drinker - I prefer sour mash and Irish - but some of my friends like the taste of peat.
What about the 1/60th rule? I repeat, I am not a rabbi - check with your rabbi on this. However, the Orthodox Union (OU) mentions the 1/60th rule several times at http://www.oukosher.org/index.php/learn/faq. Search for "1/60" (sans quote marks), it appears several times.
How does the 1/60 rule effect scotch? Will the remnant in the cask formerly used for (non-kosher) wine equal or exceed 1/60th of the casks scotch content? Does the 1/60 rule even apply since the injection of wine flavor is deliberate? Again, ask a rabbi.
I asked a number of authorities:
Does the 1/60th rule apply to a stam product (grain alcohol) that is deliberately put into contact with a non-kosher product?
Specifically, adding grain alcohol to used (non-kosher) wine casks to make scotch (and Irish) whiskies.
This is NOT an "accidental" mixing, it is deliberate and done to achieve a special taste and color.
The following were among the answers I received in the order they were received. (More were invited to comment but elected to ignore the question.)
Rabbi Yisroel Cotlar, Chabad: When a taste is specifically added it can not be considered "batul" because clearly it does give a taste and otherwise wouldn't be added!
Rabbi Sender Haber: Off the top of my head, the 1/60 rule does not apply to something which was deliberately added to the mixture for taste."
R. Haber then presented my question to Rabbi Yaacov Haber, Rav, Shivtei Yushrun, Ramat Beit Shemesh and Rabbi Mordechai Orbach, Rosh Kollel, Lakewood. "Both Rabbis I spoke to felt that the whole issue is a stringency. They did not see any reason to be stringent when the bottle does not even mention the sherry casks. This was after I shared with them the words of the employee who claimed that all of the bottles of Chivas are aged in wine tainted casks." (ibid.)
Finally R. Haber ("The Younger") provided the URL of a blogger who wrote extensively on the subject and who, fortunately, cited his sources: http://alanlaz.blogspot.com/2006/06/kosher-whisky-part-ii-sherry.html
Kosher Miami after a second email, replied that In general, the rule of "bitul" or " 1/60", doe not apply in advance, in a premeditated way. It is a leniency used for an "after the fact" situation.
For a more detailed answer about your specific situation, many more details are needed before a proper answer can be given.
Yehudit Friedman of Services International Kosher Supervision (SIKS), headed by Rabbi Moshe Saadoun, writes that "The 1/60th rule only applies when the grain alcohol comes into contact with a cask which is more than 12 months old. This is because the wine has lost his taste."
Kosher Whisky and Liquor (http://www.kosherliquorlist.com/, linked from the London Bet Din page lists Chivas products as "Kosher according important poskim." The "important poskim" never are identified. Some scotches, such as one White Horse label, as listed as "Kosher for Mehadrin Consumer," but again, the kashrut authority never is cited; rather like having a "K" on a product.
cRc, Star-K Scotches List
To be fair, not every brand of every whisky or whiskey is listed by cRc and Star-K. Star-K's list of Irish whiskies includes only Middleton Very Rare, Powers, Jameson Regular, and Kellan (with kosher label). cRc lists Jamesons, Kellan, Midleton, Paddy, Powers, and Tullamore Dew (regular only- NOT those aged in sherry casks)..
Still according to Kathy of Bushmills, a label omitted from cRc and Star-K lists, "Bushmills Original, Black Bush, 10 Year Old Single Malt, Bushmills Distillery Reserve and Bushmills Malt Select Casks have been awarded Kosher status by the Chief Rabbinate of Ireland."
As for Johnny Walker scotches, Jennifer H. a Johnnie Walker Consumer Representative when asked about Johnny Walker scotches wrote: "In response to your inquiry, please be advised that Johnnie Walker products are not kosher." (Updated 4 September 2011)
A Follow-up From the "Irish Jewish Community [irishcom@iol.ie]"
Having visited the Bushmills' Web site and seeing that
most Bushmills' whiskies are aged - "matured" - in former wine casks, I asked the Office of the Chief Rabbi of Ireland if, indeed, Bushmills was certified. The reply:
Bushmills is no longer under the supervision of the Chief Rabbinate of Ireland.
The following whiskeys from Bushmills are approved kosher in the guide of the London Beth Din
Bushmills 1608 anniversary edition – Bushmills Malt 10 – Bushmills original.
I am attaching the relevant pages from the KLBD guide for your information.
Shana Tova
Stewart Barling
The London Bet Din notes that
"As a direct result of the London Beth Din's work with the manufacturers of Irish whiskey, Irish legislation has recently been changed and it is no longer permitted to add flavour enhancers (including those which are wine based) to Irish whiskey. This applies to all new whiskey produced in Ireland since 2008. However since whiskey is generally left to mature for several years, whiskey currently on sale would have been bottled before the new legislation went into effect. Thus kosher consumers are advised only to purchase the brands listed below which have been specifically checked and approved."
Those approved by the London Bet Din from Bushmills are listed above.
UPDATE An expanded list of Irish whiskeys that are aged/matured in either former Bourbon barrels or virgin (never used) oak casks is presented at Kosher vs. Kosher - Irish whiskey "By the barrel" http://yohanon.blogspot.com.au/2014/11/kosher-vs-kosher-irish-whiskey-by-barrel.html
Bet Shamai or Bet Hillel?
Either way, לחיים !
