Whisky · Explainer
Which whisky do you give as a gift?
Choose a whisky as a gift on three hard points: the country of origin, the age statement and the strength. Whisky from Scotland and Ireland has matured at least 3 years in the cask and is at least 40 percent alcohol. Under European rules, a number on the label always refers to the youngest component in the bottle.
In brief
The key figures
| Age on the label | Refers to the youngest component, Article 13 of Regulation (EU) 2019/787 |
|---|---|
| Minimum maturation | 3 years for Scotch whisky and for Irish Whiskey |
| Minimum strength | 40 percent alcohol at bottling |
| Maturing in the bottle | Does not happen; a 12 year old whisky stays 12 years old |
| Storage | Upright, out of direct sunlight |
| Turned cloudy | Disappears again at room temperature, according to the Scotch Whisky Association |
| Age limit | Geen alcohol als cadeau voor wie jonger is dan 18 jaar, NIX18 |
| Advice | At the counter on the Brink in Bathmen |
What should you look out for with whisky as a gift?
When giving whisky as a gift, check three things that are printed in black and white on the label: the country of origin, the age statement and the alcohol percentage.
Together, those three say more than the packaging. For Scotch whisky and Irish whiskey, the law requires maturation of at least three years and bottling at 40 percent alcohol or more. If you know what the recipient already has in the cabinet, choose something from another country or region. If you don't, just ask at the counter.
What does the number on the bottle mean?
A number such as 12 or 18 on a whisky bottle is the age of the youngest component in the bottle, not the average and not the oldest.
Article 13 of Regulation (EU) 2019/787 lays down that rule for spirit drinks in the European Union. A bottle with 12 on the label can therefore also contain older whisky. For American whiskey, according to the tax authority TTB, only the time in new toasted oak barrels counts. Without a number, nothing can be said about the age other than the legal minimum.
Does whisky get better if the bottle sits for years?
Whisky does not mature further in the bottle: a twelve-year-old whisky stays twelve years old, even if the bottle is kept for a hundred years.
The Scotch Whisky Association says so in so many words. Maturation takes place in the cask, not in glass. Store the bottle upright and out of direct sunlight. If a whisky turns cloudy at low temperature, that disappears again at room temperature.
May you give whisky as a gift to someone under eighteen?
Giving alcohol to anyone under eighteen is not allowed: Article 20 of the Alcoholwet prohibits supplying alcoholic drink to anyone who has not yet reached that age.
De grens geldt voor elke alcoholhoudende drank, zwak of sterk. In de winkel vragen wij om een geldig legitimatiebewijs als wij twijfelen over de leeftijd. NIX18 is geen huisregel maar wet. Zoekt u een cadeau voor iemand die nog geen achttien is, dan denken wij graag mee over iets alcoholvrijs.
How do you choose without knowing what someone likes?
When in doubt, choose a bottle from a country or region the recipient doesn’t yet have in the cupboard.
Wie whisky drinkt, heeft vaak al een voorkeur voor een streek. Een fles uit een ander land geeft iets nieuws zonder die voorkeur te negeren. Kom langs aan de Brink in Bathmen en vertel wat er al in de kast staat; wij zoeken er iets naast. Alcohol verkopen wij niet aan wie jonger is dan achttien: NIX18.
From the shop in Bathmen
Which whiskies of twelve years and older are on the shelf in Bathmen?
The shop in Bathmen stocks 206 whiskies aged twelve years and older from 114 different brands from 8 countries. Prices range from € 35.99 to € 74.99. The alcohol percentage ranges from 40% to 63.5%.
- Aberfeldy 15 Years Old Cadillac Wine Finish 43% · 70 cl · Scotland
- Aberfeldy Whisky 12 Years Old 40% · 70 cl · Scotland
- Aberlour 12 Years Old Non Chill-Filtered 48% · 70 cl · Scotland
- Aberlour 14 Years Old Double Cask Matured 40% · 70 cl · Scotland
- AnCnoc 12 Years Old Highland Single Malt Whisky 40% · 100 cl · Scotland
- Ardmore 12 Years Old Portwood Finish Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 40% · 70 cl · Scotland
- Arran 14Y Limited Edition 46% · 70 cl · Scotland
- Balblair 12 Years Old Single Malt Whisky 46% · 70 cl · Scotland
- Ballantine's Scotch Whisky 12 Years Old 40% · 70 cl · Scotland
- Balvenie 2012 A Collection of Curious Casks 12Y 47.3% · 70 cl · Scotland
Related questions
Which whisky suits someone who is just starting out?Which whisky goes with cheese?Which whisky regions does Scotland have?
Short answer
Short answers to related questions
- Does a higher number mean a better whisky?
- No. The number indicates the age of the youngest component, not the quality.
- Does an opened bottle of whisky go off quickly?
- Whisky does not mature further in glass. Store the bottle upright and out of direct sunlight, even after it has been opened.
- Why is there sometimes no age on the bottle?
- An age statement is not mandatory. If there is no number, only the legal minimum of three years applies for Scotch whisky and Irish Whiskey.
- Is alcohol allowed as a business gift?
- To adults, yes. Article 20 of the Alcoholwet prohibits supplying it to anyone younger than eighteen.
- What do you do with a bottle that has become cloudy?
- Let it come to room temperature. The Scotch Whisky Association reports that the cloudiness then disappears again.
The reasoning
Sources
- Alcoholwet, artikel 20, wetten.overheid.nl (accessed 2026-09-07)
- Scotch Whisky FAQs, Scotch Whisky Association (accessed 2026-09-07)
- Regulation (EU) 2019/787 on spirit drinks, EUR-Lex (accessed 2026-09-07)
- The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009, regulation 3, legislation.gov.uk (accessed 2026-09-07)
- Distilled Spirits FAQs, leeftijdsvermelding op het etiket, Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (accessed 7 September 2026)
This page was written and checked by ’t Bockje Bathmen, wine & spirits shop at Brink 2 in Bathmen. Last updated on 11 September 2026.
Verkoop van alcohol onder de 18 jaar is verboden. NIX18.