Dhavall Gandhi designs whisky cask for hot climates
Whisky expert Dhavall Gandhi has developed a cask for distilleries in warmer climates that aims to deliver batch consistency.
The new Solares cask has been created in collaboration with Spanish cooperage and wine producer José y Miguel Martín, following five years of research and refinement in Puerto de Santa María, Spain.
The 225-litre ex-wine barrique casks, which have been sourced from Rioja and Ribera del Duero, use proprietary transformation and seasoning techniques.
Gandhi said the new cask has been designed to help distilleries “scale without comprising on flavour consistency or quality” while delivering “significant efficiencies” in the maturation process.
The cask is said to solve the distillery challenge of “inconsistent supply and variable quality” that cause a disruption to production plans and lead to batch variability.
“Whisky maturation has traditionally been shaped by the cooler climates of Scotland and Ireland,” Gandhi explained. “But in tropical regions like India, accelerated extraction due to higher temperatures often results in imbalance – and the unreliable quality of available casks frequently leads to batch-to-batch inconsistency. Our Solares cask changes that narrative.
“It’s not just about maturation – it’s about creating the foundation for scalable growth, without compromising on quality or consistency.”
Solares comes in three cask types: Dulche (rich and sweet), Medio (balanced) and Seco (dry and complex).
Through the use of ex-wine casks rather than new oak, Gandhi claims Solares reduces deforestation, minimises waste, and lowers the carbon footprint of cask production.
Gandhi described the casks as a “game changer for the Indian whisky industry because until now there has not been any significant cask technology created for maturing whiskies”.
The new casks have already been adopted by distilleries in India, Ghandhi confirmed.
Gandhi is known for his previous work with single malt Scotch brand The Macallan and as the former master distiller of The Lakes Distillery in England.
He unveiled his debut whisky brand, Kandoblanc, in 2023. This year, Gandhi is set to reveal the three-strong Yukari Collection.
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