If you’ve spent time around whiskey enthusiasts, craft distillers, or cocktail aficionados, you’ve likely heard the term “angel’s share.” Evoking imagery of ethereal beings savoring their portion of the finest spirits, this poetic phrase refers to a very real phenomenon in the world of liquor production. It’s shorthand for the portion of a spirit that evaporates as it matures in a barrel.
But what exactly causes the angel’s share? Why is it significant to the production of whiskey, Cognac, and other barrel-aged liquors? And, most importantly, how does it impact the spirits inside the barrels?
This guide dives into the science and lore behind the angel’s share, offering a deeper appreciation for the complexities of aged spirits.
What Is the Angel’s Share?
The concept of the angel’s share goes hand in hand with barrel aging, a process that gives many spirits—such as whiskey, brandy, and rum—their depth and complexity. While maturing in barrels, a small percentage of the liquid evaporates into the air. This evaporated portion has come to be known as the angel’s share, implying that it’s a gift reserved only for celestial beings.
Chris Morris, master distiller at Coopers’ Craft Bourbon in Kentucky, explains, “Since the vaporization of a barrel’s contents is in the air, it’s described as being available only to ‘angels.’” While the term is embraced across the spirits industry today, it’s particularly rooted in whiskey production.
Interestingly, distillers have used the phrase for centuries, but it became more commonly used in the 1970s as the whiskey industry expanded and marketing embraced its romantic connotations.
A Poetic Yet Practical Reality
The angel’s share might sound whimsical, but its causes are grounded in science. When liquid is sealed in wooden barrels for aging, the barrels are not completely airtight. They “breathe” as they interact with the environment, allowing oxygen in and letting water and alcohol escape in vapor form.
The wooden staves of the barrel expand and contract with changes in temperature and humidity, driving the interaction between the liquid inside and the wood’s natural properties. This process is essential for aging, as it infuses the spirit with flavors while smoothing out harsher qualities.
Yet that same interaction also allows part of the liquid to escape, resulting in the angel’s share.
Why Does Angel’s Share Occur?
To understand the angel’s share, it helps to look at the broader process of making spirits. Whether we’re talking about whiskey, brandy, or Cognac, production generally begins with raw materials like grains, fruits, or wine. These ingredients are fermented and distilled, creating a high-proof liquid that’s placed in wooden barrels for aging.
Once the distillate enters its barrel, the magic of barrel aging begins. Jenna Elie, a whiskey educator, describes the process as the cask “breathing.” She explains, “When things are maturing in a cask, as temperatures fluctuate, the liquid is moving in and out of the cask.”
This movement allows the liquid to interact with the wood, which contributes tannins, vanillin, and other compounds responsible for giving aged spirits their signature flavors and colors. At the same time, some of the liquid evaporates into the atmosphere.
This evaporation—driven by temperature, humidity, and time—is what creates the angel’s share.
The Role of Wood and Climate
Wood is a critical factor in this process. Like a living organism, it responds to environmental changes by expanding in warmth and contracting in cool conditions. This expansion and contraction allow the liquid inside the barrel to soak into and out of the wood, giving the spirit its characteristic maturation.
The climate in which the barrels are stored plays a key role as well. Warm, humid climates speed up evaporation and intensify the angel’s share. Cooler climates, by contrast, slow down the process, resulting in gentler aging and less liquid loss.
How Much Is Lost to Angel’s Share?
The percentage of liquid lost to the angel’s share can vary widely depending on several factors, including the climate, aging period, and even the microclimate of the storage location.
For instance:
- Shorter Aging Periods: Spirits aged for a shorter period naturally lose less to evaporation than those aged for decades.
- Warm Climates: In warmer areas like Kentucky or Texas, the annual angel’s share can reach 5% or more due to higher temperatures and humidity levels.
- Cooler Climates: By contrast, Scotch aged in Scotland’s cooler environment may see only 2–3% evaporation annually.
Elie notes that even two distilleries located a mile apart could experience different evaporation rates due to subtle variations in storage conditions.
The Economic Impact of Angel’s Share
The angel’s share isn’t just a poetic concept; it has real-world implications for distillers. Over the years, the evaporation adds up. For example, a spirit aged for 10 years might lose nearly 50% of its volume to evaporation—all before a single bottle is sold.
“Over time, a whiskey distillery will be able to calculate and therefore predict its angel’s share loss on an annual basis,” Morris explains. Distillers often anticipate these losses in advance, producing more than they need to account for evaporation.
Failing to do so could mean falling short of production targets—and profits.
Why the Angel’s Share Is Worth It
Given the costs associated with evaporation, why do distillers continue to use the barrel-aging method that causes the angel’s share?
The answer lies in the unparalleled quality it brings to the finished product. Through barrel aging, spirits develop complexity, depth, and character that simply cannot be achieved any other way.
The trade-off between losing a portion of the liquid and creating an exceptional product is worth it for distillers and enthusiasts alike.
A Final Toast to the Angels
The angel’s share is one of the most captivating phenomena in the world of spirits. It’s a poetic reminder that some of the finest things in life come at a cost—one that brings unparalleled richness and depth to every barrel-aged spirit.
Every time you sip a well-aged whiskey, Cognac, or rum, take a moment to think of the angels. After all, they’ve already had their share; now it’s your turn to enjoy the rest.
Whether you’re a whiskey enthusiast, a passionate Cognac collector, or new to the world of spirits, understanding the angel’s share deepens your appreciation for the craftsmanship that goes into every bottle.