Here's a little whiskey education for those of you who may be new to the world of whiskey.
Let's break down chill-filtering:
When whiskey is made, it contains various natural compounds, including fatty acids, proteins, and esters. These compounds can interact in certain ways, especially when the whiskey is exposed to cold temperatures or ice. Sometimes, when you add ice or water to whiskey, it might become a bit cloudy or hazy. This cloudiness is not a quality issue; it's just a natural reaction of the components in the whiskey.
To address this cosmetic issue and ensure that the whiskey looks clear and consistent, some producers use a process called chill-filtering. Here's how it works:
Cooling: The whiskey is cooled down to near-freezing temperatures.
Filtration: While cold, the whiskey is passed through a special filter to remove the fatty acids, proteins, and other compounds that could cause cloudiness.
Result: The whiskey that comes out of this process is clear and does not become cloudy when you add ice or water.
Now, why might this matter? Some people prefer their whiskey to look crystal clear, and chill-filtering achieves that. However, there's a bit of controversy in the whiskey world. Chill-filtering can remove some of the whiskey's natural flavors and character along with the undesirable compounds. As a response to this, Jackson McCrea produces "non-chill-filtered" whiskey, which means we skip this process to preserve the full flavor profile of the whiskey.
In essence, chill-filtering is a cosmetic step in whiskey production to maintain visual clarity, but it's not universally embraced because it may have some impact on the taste.
Jackson McCrea is non chill-filtered. We’ve preserved all the flavor, especially for you.
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