Barrel for at least two years in new, charred oak containers. Other forms of whisky aged in used barrels cannot be called "straight". International laws require any whisky bearing the label "Scotch" to be distilled and matured in Scotland for a minimum of three years and one day in oak casks. By Canadian law, Canadian whiskies must "be aged in small wood for not less than three years", and "small wood" is defined as a wood barrel not exceeding capacity. Since the U.S. law requires the use of new barrels for several popular types of whisky, which is not typically considered
The Whisky Barrel whiskies aimed at investors. The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009, intended to provide Scotch whisky producers and retailers protection from foreign imitations, came into force on 23 November 2009 and apply to all home nations of the United Kingdom. The regulations apply to production, labelling, advertising and packaging of Scotch whisky. As a direct result The Whisky Barrel company cannot transfer or bottle oak casks of maturing Scotch whisky outside Scotland from 22 November 2012; all single malt Scotch whisky can only leave the country for retail purposes if it is contained within a bottle clearly stating its contents and source.