One of the most awkward descriptions around might just contain the words "un-chill filtered." Huh? What is un-chill filtering? For that matter, what is chill filtering and what's the difference?

Chill filtering means that the whisky is chilled to around 32 degrees F, then passed through a filter that removes fatty compounds produced during distillation. These can sometimes produce a hazy appearance in the whisky, so removing them ensures that later the whisky remains clear. However, many whisky aficionados believe that chill filtering also removes some of the flavor and character from the whisky.

Un-chill filtered whisky, of course, does not go through this process. It's not necessary at higher proofs, either. To pure whisky lovers, though, the important point would be that the original character of the whisky is left intact, not filtered out.

One of our favorite distilleries, Burn Stewart (Bunnahabhain, Deanston, Tobermory, Ledaig) has recently made the move away from chill filtering altogether. The stock we have on hand is largely still chill filtered, but will be replaced by un-chill filtered whiskies at the higher proof. If you're a Scotch lover, this would be a great time to lay in some stock of the chill filtered whisky, then do a comparison tasting when the new, un-chill filtered whisky is in hand.