Maturation question?

@JackSkellington This link will answer your question:

legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2009/…

Thanks for link but still not sure it answers the question (or maybe I'm just splitting hairs) but the legislations states "(c)that has been matured only in oak casks of a capacity not exceeding 700 ) that refers to maturation (ageing). Can you still call it whisky if you don't account for the age in another wood?

@JackSkellington The language in the legislation seems pretty bullet-proof to me.

Various whisky commentators are talking up "world whiskies" these days primarily because those distilleries are usually not constrained in the same way, by law, in terms of how a whisky can be matured and what can or cannot be added etc.

Several distilleries around the world are producing "scotch" style malt whisky but are able to enhance or experiment with the finishing process in ways that are disallowed in Scotland e.g. with the addition of wooden staves in barrels to impart various new and interesting flavours e.g. the use of charred cherry wood.

In your example, a 12 year old scotch whisky finished in Pine for a year breaks the rules and would not be allowed to be sold or marketed as scotch whisky - at least not in Scotland, and I believe, elsewhere in the world. It could potentially be sold as a "malt whisk(e)y" elsewhere though. And who knows, you could even sell it as a 13 year old malt whisk(e)y if you're allowed to under the laws of the country where it is produced or marketed.