One of the pitfalls of all forms of alcohol is that its primary ingredients (water and alcohol) evaporate. This can happen either in a cask or in a bottle, though the former is more likely because of the porous nature of oak. When casked, both distilled and fermented alcohols will lose approximately 1-6% of their volume to evaporation. Depending on the environment around the cask, this evaporation may be more water than alcohol. So the evaporation lost in Scotland is mostly alcohol whereas in Kentucky it's roughly equal parts alcohol and water.
As with any longstanding tradition, there is a myth that the volume lost to evaporation was "The Angel's Share" and was their payment to protect the stocks. The Irish myth of the Clurichauns were similar, though the Irish were more likely to see them than an angel.
Bottle loss is a bit stickier and has more to do with improper closures and/or improper storage conditions. The two bottles pictured above suffered both of those fates, mostly from being stored in unfavorable conditions for a number of years. These bottles are from a defunct importing company known as All Saints Brands. Their stocks of Loch Morar and Highland blends sat in a warehouse during bankruptcy proceedings for at least three years. Only recently (within the last 18 months) were the stocks released to the public and you can find some of their dwindling supplies in various liquor stores in Minneapolis.
The company itself has its own level of modern lore, mainly because it was a popular importer of rare European beers. Searches on the Internet come up with a number of websites talking about the company, but no information about what happened. I even tried to reach the principals of the company but they din't return my calls. So this mini-liquor legend continues for now.
As with any longstanding tradition, there is a myth that the volume lost to evaporation was "The Angel's Share" and was their payment to protect the stocks. The Irish myth of the Clurichauns were similar, though the Irish were more likely to see them than an angel.
Bottle loss is a bit stickier and has more to do with improper closures and/or improper storage conditions. The two bottles pictured above suffered both of those fates, mostly from being stored in unfavorable conditions for a number of years. These bottles are from a defunct importing company known as All Saints Brands. Their stocks of Loch Morar and Highland blends sat in a warehouse during bankruptcy proceedings for at least three years. Only recently (within the last 18 months) were the stocks released to the public and you can find some of their dwindling supplies in various liquor stores in Minneapolis.
The company itself has its own level of modern lore, mainly because it was a popular importer of rare European beers. Searches on the Internet come up with a number of websites talking about the company, but no information about what happened. I even tried to reach the principals of the company but they din't return my calls. So this mini-liquor legend continues for now.