Whisky with natural color
A single, unassuming additive called E150a - caramel colouring - is responsible for many whiskies looking more even and darker than their actual cask maturation would otherwise produce. In most countries, colouring is legal and common practice among major brands, since customers often expect a consistent colour from bottle to bottle. An interesting exception is American straight bourbon: by law, it may not be coloured at all. Here we've put together a selection of whiskies whose colour comes exclusively from the interplay of cask, time and climate - from pale straw yellow to deep mahogany, with no added colouring whatsoever.
Content: 0.7 Liter (€59.99 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€68.56 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€285.70 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€57.13 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€52.84 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€99.99 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€67.13 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€89.99 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€45.70 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€88.56 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€71.41 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€52.84 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€52.84 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€57.13 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€69.99 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€42.84 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€49.99 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€42.84 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€94.27 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€67.13 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€71.41 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€49.99 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Code: PFINGSTEN26
Content: 0.7 Liter (€228.56 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€47.13 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Why do producers add colouring to whisky at all?
Caramel colouring (E150a) ensures a consistent colour from cask to cask - many customers intuitively associate a darker colour with greater maturity or quality, even though this isn't necessarily reflected in flavour.
Why can't bourbon be coloured?
US legislation for straight bourbon prohibits any added colouring - the colour here comes exclusively from maturation in new, charred white oak barrels.
Facts and figures
Additive in question: caramel colouring E150a. Legally banned for US straight bourbon. Curated selection from Scotch, Irish whiskey and international whiskies, entirely without added colour. One recommended representative is Ardbeg TEN 10 Year Old.