The downside to cork closures, as explained to me by one Master Blender recently, and something I have experienced on more than one occasion, is that when you fancy a sneaky dram once your wife has gone to sleep, likely from your stash of ‘good stuff’ kept near the bed, you risk waking her up with that aforementioned satisfying sound of the cork being released from the confines of its malty surroundings.

Screw caps are a useful tool; used predominantly in blends, but also some single malts including entry level Glenfiddich products dating back to the early 1970’s, but they still lack the elegance, the romance and the premiumness worthy of the category.

One very important positive for screw caps, as pointed out to me by a different Master Blender last year when getting our geek on speaking about the nuances of packaging substrates (materials) and closures is that they very rarely fail.

Cork closures don’t often fail, it is very rare to have a corked whisky although it does happen and I’ve been on the receiving end of one of those tainted monstrosities. Corks also have a tendency of failing and disintegrating over the years if not stored correctly, as I experienced when opening a very old Port Ellen I had bought a long while ago, and also when opening an 80’s SMWS Glenlivet.

Curiously, some of the most sought after Japanese whiskies have screw caps for closures, including the Yamazaki 2017 Limited Edition which retailed at £250 when launched.

So, whilst the romantic – and the critic in me demands that there be a cork closure when I am buying whiskies, especially single malts, I see the benefit of screw caps – especially when I want that late night dram… BUT without cork stoppers how will I ever fill the barrel table in my office?!