uses Historically the casks used to ship Oloroso Sherry to the UK, often remained in the UK where they were used in Scotland and Ireland to age whisky. Since the Spanish government changed the export laws in 1981, stipulating that sherry must be bottled in Spain, sherry casks are now manufactured purely for the whisky industry—by seasoning casks with Oloroso or other sherry prior to the distilleries using them to age their whisky. It's extremely rare that a cask used by a sherry Bodega to actually age sherry is used in the production of whisky. Single malt whisky aged in sherry casks is regarded by some as a special category with its own aficionados. This category usually refers to whether the whisky was finished (aged first in another cask and then transferred to an Oloroso cask or butt for finishing) or fully matured (taken directly off the still and matured entirely in a cask that once held Oloroso.) The Oloroso wine infused in the wood of the casks imparts some of the flavor and aroma of the wine to the whisky during the aging process. Oloroso casks are also used to age brandy for the same reasons. A whisky that was matured only in Oloroso casks is often fruitier, with stronger notes of tobacco, pepper, and stewed fruits. References Further reading External links Oloroso article and tasting note Sherry