With the rise of no-age-statement (NAS) scotches, there’s been some hand-wringing and whingeing online about the death of whisky, and of Scotch in particular. But those who actually know what they’re talking about are quick to point out that the spirit is merely entering a new age.

• Matt Chambers of Whisky For Everyone offers a well-reasoned defense of the continued vitality of Scotch, pointing out that NAS bottlings are common in other whisky categories. (See also the list of recently announced Canadian Whisky Award recipients.) He aligns Scotch’s plight to that of Old World wine in the 1990s, suggesting that we’ll ultimately see not the decline of Scotch, but a leveling of the bar across regions. Greater selection of widely available, well-crafted whiskies? Now that’s a future I’m anxious to see!
• Adam McDowell was similarly optimistic in the most recent installment of his National Post “Fix My Drink” column. Taking that controversial Jim Murray pick as his point of departure, McDowell draws on whisky history and basic supply-and-demand, ultimately making a case for blended whiskies. He does recognize what’s lost when an old single malt is no longer available, but he’s ready to embrace the new frontier: “Today we live at the time of peak whisky, poised between two eras. The age statements and old standbys remain relatively plentiful for now, while a new era of youth and product variety are dawning… The drinker’s life after Peak Whisky won’t be all bad, just different.”
• For those whose drams are half empty, though, there’s science! Via a gadget known as the THEA One Reactor comes the world’s first “flash-aged whiskey,” Rattleback Rye. I wouldn’t call barrel aging “doomed” — I think the verdict’s out, Food Republic, at least until after the spirit’s release — but if the result is a good one, perhaps this development will take some of the pressure off distillers who are struggling to keep up with consumer demand?
• Finally, if you’re a DIY type who happens to be dissatisfied with your youthful whisky, the folks who brought you the Carry On Cocktail Kit have a new toolkit just for you: The Barrel Aged Spirits Kit. This kit operates on the same premise as Whiskey Elements, which I mentioned in a previous Tasting Flight, but comes with a bonus guide to aging. If nothing else, it may give you a greater appreciation for coopers!