The Angel's Share

Hey Miko, can I ask you something?

…What is it, nya. You’re up to something again late at night, nya

Ehehe, just having some whisky~ (>_<)

…Yesterday it was garlic, today it’s booze, nya. Living your best life, nya

Ahaha… so anyway, the label says “12 Years,” right?

…12 years aged, nya

Yeah. But like… what’s actually going on during those 12 years?

…It sits in a barrel, nya

Well yeah, but it’s not JUST sitting there!

So I looked it up, and get this — whisky slowly evaporates while it’s in the barrel

…Evaporates, nya? Isn’t it sealed, nya?

It’s a wooden barrel, so it’s not perfectly sealed. Little by little, it escapes through the wood into the air

…How much is lost, nya

In Scotland, about 2% per year

…2%, nya?

And it’s even more in the first few years — like 3 to 4%. After 20 years, about 40% of the original amount is just… gone

…That’s wasteful, nya. 40% just disappears, nya?

Sounds wasteful, right? But here’s the thing — this “disappearing” has a really beautiful name

…

Angel’s Share (>=<)

…Angels, nya

The part that evaporates? They say the angels are drinking it. It’s an old saying~

…Too poetic, nya. Evaporation is evaporation, nya

But it’s not just disappearing for nothing!

…What do you mean, nya

As it evaporates, the remaining whisky gets more concentrated. The rough stuff fades away, and the flavor left behind becomes richer and deeper

…

…That’s the same principle as reduction, nya

Reduction?

When you reduce stock, the water evaporates and the umami concentrates, nya. Same with sauces, nya. Driving off the excess moisture makes the flavor richer and deeper, nya

Miko, that’s exactly it! (>=<)

…But reduction is controlled by the cook, nya. Whisky is left to nature, nya

Right! Instead of fire, time does the cooking

…Time does the cooking

And here’s the cool part — in cold, humid places like Scotland, alcohol evaporates faster than water. So the longer it ages, the lower the ABV gets, and the smoother it becomes

…What about hot countries, nya

The opposite! Water evaporates first, so the ABV goes UP. In Kentucky they lose up to 5% per year. In India, it’s like 12%!

…Age it 20 years in India and there’d be nothing left, nya

Ahaha, that’s exactly why Indian whiskies tend to have shorter aging periods!

Oh oh, there’s another cool thing I found out

…There’s more, nya

The origin of the word “whisky”!

…It’s English, nya

Nope! It actually comes from Gaelic — “uisge beatha,” which means “water of life”

…That’s a dramatic name, nya

Right? But it makes sense, ‘cause it was originally made as medicine in monasteries

…Medicine, nya

Yep yep! And here’s the fun part — as the word entered English, it kept getting shorter and shorter

…

In 1581 it was “uskebeaghe,” in 1610 “usquebaugh,” in 1715 “usquebae,” and finally just “whisky”

…The “beatha” part — the “life” — is gone, nya

You noticed! (>=<) Only the “water” part survived. The “life” evaporated!

…Even words evaporate, nya

The Angel’s Share of language~

…Proud of that one, are we, nya

Ehehe~ (>_<)

…By the way, yesterday you were talking about peperoncino, nya

You remember!?

…How you like removing ingredients. Subtraction, nya

Yeah… but today’s story is kinda the opposite

…Opposite, nya?

Peperoncino is about “not adding anything extra,” right? Subtraction from the start

…Right, nya

But whisky is the opposite — it keeps adding time for 12 whole years

…But the quantity decreases, nya. The angels are drinking it, nya

Exactly! That’s what’s so interesting. The physical amount goes DOWN, but the value goes UP

…

Peperoncino reaches perfection by never adding extras. Whisky reaches perfection by letting extras leave over time

…Different starting points, same destination, nya

Miko…!

…Nothing but the essentials remain. The path is different, that’s all, nya

That’s… yeah. Cooking gets there by “not putting in.” Whisky gets there by “letting out.” Both end up at the same place — only the essence remains

…So what’s your point, nya

Well, y’know…

This glass I’m holding right now — it’s got 12 years’ worth of angels in it

…

For 12 years, a little disappeared each year, and every bit that left made the flavor deeper. And now it’s finally here, in my hand

Every sip is the survivor of something someone poured into a barrel 12 years ago

…That’s similar to nukazuke, nya

Nukazuke!?

You tend the nuka bed every day, for years, to build up the flavor, nya. Rushing won’t give you the same taste, nya

…!

Some flavors can only be reached through time, nya. Whisky and nukazuke are the same in that way, nya

Miko, that’s sooo deep…

…Just talking about cooking, nya

But hey, I was kinda thinking…

…What, nya

Will I get deeper and richer too, someday? Like, after the angels take their share from me?

…

…You’re still new-make spirit, nya. Not enough substance to evaporate yet, nya

So mean! (>_<)

…But new-make has its own charm, nya. Fresh, raw, full of energy, nya

…Miko

…Not a compliment, nya. Just stating facts, nya

Alright then, one more glass while I’m still fresh~! (>=<)

…Don’t overdo it, nya