There is an additive that can legally be added to most whiskies yet is rarely mentioned on a label. It allows for consistent colour in your favourite whiskies and only really gets referenced when it is NOT used. That additive is spirit caramel. But what is spirit caramel; how is it used in whisky; why is it contentious; and what does it actually taste like? This is The Whisky Club's guide to spirit caramel in whisky.
What does natural colour mean?
A natural colour whisky is simply one that has not had any artificial colour added to it. Many brands will mentioned when a whisky is natural colour, very few will say if it's had spirit caramel added. The only way to find out in many cases is to check German or Scandinavian websites where the inclusion of E150a has to be on the label. Interestingly, all straight Bourbon or American whiskey is natural colour. No spirit caramel can be legally added.
What colouring agents can be added?
Only one colouring agent can legally be added to Scotch whiskies: plain caramel or E150a. This is a form of spirit caramel that has been passed as safe for human consumption. The Scotch Whisky Technical File states:
Material allowed for colouring
The colour of Scotch Whisky derives primarily from the maturation cask. Colour may be adjusted by the addition of plain caramel colouring (E150a), but the resultant colour should not exceed the natural range that can be derived from maturation casks.
and
The use of plain caramel colouring to adjust colour has been traditional since the 19th Century. Plain caramel (E150a) is a colouring, and is not for flavouring or sweetening.
Why use E150a at all?
There are two answers: batch to batch consistency and the fact that darker whisky is more appealing to some consumers. From a consistency perspective, if you are producing a large batch of core range single malt or blended whisky then you need each batch to smell, taste and look the same. Producing a consistent aroma and flavour is tough enough with the individual nature of each cask in a warehouse. This is even more of a challenge when making blended whisky where the number of distilleries available may change from batch to batch as well. If Whiskymakers then also needed to blend for colour consistency, they would need to spend much more time, effort and cash to get each batch right. It is much easier to blend for aroma and flavour then adjust colour afterwards.
Do all the big brands use E150a?
Many new single malt brands have shunned the use of E150a for a more natural look in their malts. Bruichladdich, Ardnamurchan, Nc'Nean, Loch Lea, Kilchoman and Arran are a few of the newer brands who only make whisky with natural colour. But it's not just the smaller players who do this. Bigger brands like Ardbeg (who granted get protection from a green bottle); The Glendronach; Benriach; The Glenrothes; and Highland Park are all natural colour. But perhaps the biggest surprise in this space is The Macallan. Their team of Whiskymakers ensure every batch tastes the same as the last one and is blended to the exact natural colour specifications needed as per the recipe.
Does the caramel flavour in whisky come from this E150a?
In a word: no. E150a is essentially burnt sugar, and tastes more acrid and bitter than sweet. A whisky will get more caramel/toffee flavours from the cask itself than from this additive, so we can safely say it is imperceivable in a glass of Scotch whisky. These aromas and flavours are naturally occurring in oak that has been heat treated.
Do they add alot of spirit caramel to whisky?
No. There is more E150 in one 330ml can of Coca Cola than 20,000 bottles of blended Scotch.
How can I avoid spirit caramel in whisky?
Unfortunately, most whisky brands who use E150a will not mention it. However there are a few things to look out for:
- Check The Whisky Club website. We will always let you know if our releases are natural colour and if you're not sure you can always drop us a note.
- Check German online retailers. In Germany, they must disclose all ingredients in a whisky. So if you can find the same whisky in Germany, it will tell you if they use colour or not. The terms to look out for are "mit farbstoff" for whisky with colouring and "ohne farbstoff" for natural colour whiskies.
- If you see the term "Natural Cask Strength" on a Diageo bottle of whisky, it will be natural colour.
- If you drink American Whiskey, you can be sure it is natural colour.
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