The hue/color of a spirit is indicative of changes made post-distillation. The distillation process creates a clear, almost colorless liquid. Color can come from flavoring materials added to the spirit, then allowed to steep for varying lengths of time. These infusions and macerations may include fruits, herbs and grasses, roots, leaves, bark, coffee beans, vanilla pods, or other materials. See infusion and maceration. Alcohol’s solvent action leaches color and flavor from the material.
The hue of an aged spirit (e.g., whisky, rum, brandy) derives from aging in barrels or casks, where the color is absorbed from the wood. See aging and barrel. Darker color may indicate more age, but using new wood gives more color faster than aging in used barrels. Smaller barrels put a higher ratio of liquid in direct contact with the wood, also adding color faster.
Natural or artificial colors may also be added directly; use of caramel color is common in some types of whisky, while brandies may be adjusted for market with the addition of
See also oak; wood chemistry; and wood/barrel finishing.
Bryson, Lew. Tasting Whiskey: An Insider’s Guide to the Unique Pleasures of the World’s Finest Spirits. North Adams, MA: Storey, 2014.
By: Lew Bryson