What is “The Angels’ Share”?

That is the question.

Part One

The definition is:- the amount of spirit/whisky that is lost due to evaporation.  When the liquid is being matured in porous oak casks up to 2% of the volume can be lost each year. Romantically we like to think that the angels within each distillery warehouse enjoy this evaporation hence the name “The Angels’ Share”

With casks being matured for longer, then the loss through evaporation is greater and this can drastically affect the price of the bottled whisky. A cask maturing for 10/16 years may only lose 20/25% of the casks total volume. A cask that is has been matured for 40 years may only have  60% of its original volume left in the cask.

Another effect that The Angels’ Share has is the black mould you see on trees and inside warehouses. This is Baudoinia Compniacensis. This whisky fungus is very common around and near distilleries as it uses ethanol to feed its growth.

There are some staggering figures regarding the loss of spirit/whisky. There are about 23 million casks currently maturing in Scotland and The Angels help themselves to the equivalent of approx. 470,000 casks per year. There must be a lot of very happy Angels out there.

Part Two

The Angels’ Share is also a Scotland based comedy/drama movie directed by Ken Loach. Set in Glasgow, Edinburgh and three well-known distilleries (Glengoyne, Deanston and  Balblair).

It stars Paul Brannigan, John Henshaw and William Ruane. But, for whisky lovers, the star was the one and only Mr Charles Maclean as the Whisky expert, obviously he really just played himself.

Nicola and I have known Charlie for many years and a year or so ago we were given an impromptu tasting in Charlies own tasting room at his home, a pleasure and a delight.

A fabulous movie that I have watched on many occasion and paired each scene that showed one of the three distilleries with a dram from that distillery.

This movie has many dramatic moments and some outstanding comedy and one scene that had many in the cinema scream out loud if you have not seen the movie the scream moment will become obvious when it happens.

This is an award winning movie winning The Jury Prize at Cannes when it was released in 2012.

Part Three

The Angels’ Share is also a Scottish company (Angels’ Share Glass) specialising in handmade Whisky gifts and whisky glassware which includes their famous Angels Share Whisky Angel.

The founders of Angels’ Share Glass are Tom Young MBE (Master Glassblower Tom was awarded an MBE for his services to the glass industry in the Queens New Years Honours List 2017) and Karen Somerville (Managing Director) who are also father and daughter. They have a very tightly knit team with Tom having been a glassblower since his teens.

I first met Karen many years ago at The Scotch Malt Whisky Society when we were both on the Scottish Field’s Readers Whisky Challenge

I have several pieces of glassware, but, my favourite is a Limited Edition Rosebank Glass Angel which contains a rare single malt distilled at Rosebank Distillery in 1981. My little Angel is also depicted holding a solid silver rose, quite a piece.

You will have to visit their website to see all the wonderful gifts and glassware available.

Angels’ Share Glass details are:-

Please note that we do not have a physical shop and are not set up for visitors in person. All sales are online only. Thank you.

Angels’ Share Glass ®
Ground Floor (Castle View Group Building)
4 Steuart Road
Bridge of Allan
FK9 4JX  
Tel: 01786 835005 / 835004
Mobile :07990 067 000
Email: info@angelsshareglass.co.uk

For a limited time, they are offering FREE standard UK P&P on all orders over £40 – Get Shopping!

Go to Angel’s Share Glass to view their comprehensive selection of whisky gifts and wonderful and unique glass products, enjoy your shopping.

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