maturation
Angel's share
Alcohol and water lost by evaporation through the cask during maturation — roughly 1.5–2% of volume a year in cool, humid Scottish warehouses, and often 3–5% in the first year in Kentucky's temperature extremes.
Not a legal term
No whisky regulation in Scotland, Ireland, the United States, the EU or Japan defines this. It is a trade or marketing term, so it is only actionable if its use is actively misleading.
Worth knowing
Direction of drift depends on humidity: in damp Scottish dunnage warehouses strength falls slowly, while in hot dry conditions water leaves faster than alcohol and strength can rise. Duty is charged on alcohol at the duty point, so evaporation in warehouse is never taxed — the loss is commercial, not fiscal.
Related terms
Last reviewed 2026-07-30 · All glossary terms