The most innovative drum storage facility in the world is located in Strohwilen
The premium quality of our distillates depends 40% on the raw materials and the distillation process and 60% on the barrel and its storage. Barrel aging is the supreme discipline of refinement. The characteristics of the barrel, the microclimate in the barrel storage, the temperature, the tuned humidity, but also the time during which the distillate is allowed to mature, influence the taste enormously. That's why Macardo searches for and buys new and used barrels worldwide - and then stores them in the world's most innovative barrel storage facility. It is 40 meters long, 4.5 meters wide, has a volume of more than 1,000 cubic meters and space for up to 450 barrels. Each of them is stored on its own steel girder. Monitored by the cellar master, "Angel's" and "Devil's" - and precise Swiss sensor technology.
"Our barrel storage facility is unique in the world."
Innovation Swiss Made
Our drum storage system: a world first. Innovation, made in Switzerland. We call it "Drum Storage 4.0". It was developed with the Winterthur University of Technology. Each barrel is stored on a steel beam. Each beam is equipped with a force measuring system. Fully automated, the data on barrel content, temperature and humidity are determined daily and transmitted to a central computer via Bluetooth. The measured data shows the cellar master whether all the barrels are tight and how much distillate evaporates per barrel ("Angel's Share"). Based on the accumulated data, he also recognizes whether increased evaporation is taking place in an area of the barrel store. The exact sensor data is also used to record the amount of distillate that remains in the walls of a wooden barrel when it is emptied ("Devil's Cut"). Anyone who owns their own barrel can query the status at any time via a login.
A microclimate - good for the climate
Our barrel warehouse is the treasure trove of Macardo. A perfectly adjusted microclimate prevails here for maturation. Temperature and humidity are controlled fully automatically. Constantly monitored by the cellar master. The microclimate is created by a complex heating, cooling and ventilation system. It is part of Macardo's holistic energy and sustainability concept. This provides the necessary resources for the distillery, premium B&B, Honesty Bar, Cigar Lounge, event location - and for the barrel storage facility. The energy required for this is generated by firewood, solar panels, geothermal energy and water from the company's own source. Thanks to this cycle, no log, no kWh and no liter of water is wasted.
The right barrel is crucial
The finishing, i.e. the maturing process of our distillates, takes place in selected barrels. They give the Macardo noble spirits their exquisite taste. Not only the microclimate in the barrel cellar, but also the barrel itself is of enormous importance. In addition to the type of wood, size and wall thickness, the decisive factor is what was previously stored in a barrel - for example, sherry, port, whisky or wine. We use barrels from all over the world to give his specialties the perfect finish. They come from America, Scotland, Portugal or Cyprus - to name just a few countries of origin. Each barrel has already produced noble drops. And the "Devils Cut" still stored in the wood is passed on. Thus, the composition of a distillate always begins with the choice of the right barrel.
The advantages of the single barrel suspension
Who does not know the great pictures of American, Scottish or Irish "Cask Warehouses". Most of them are narrow cellars with stacked barrels. Atmospheric for the eye. For the care of the barrels and their contents, however, very costly. We know what we are talking about. Because in the beginning, we also stored our barrels like this. In the cellar of an old cheese dairy. However, we dreamed of "Barrel Storage 4.0". With the new building, our vision has become reality. The implemented single-barrel suspension on steel beams offers us many advantages. The girders are equipped with sensitive sensors, and storing and retrieving the individual barrels is much more convenient - as is the sporadic quality inspection of the fires. And because more and more companies and private individuals are investing in their own barrel of whiskey, rum, or brandy, intermediate bottlings or private tastings from their own barrel are no problem.
"Angel's Share" and "Devil's Cut"
The "Angel's Share" is the evaporation loss that is unavoidable during wood barrel aging. It amounts to about 2% per year and depends on the barrel and the microclimate in the barrel cellar. The counterpart to the "Angel's Share" is the "Devil's Cut". It refers to the amount of distillate that remains in the walls of a wooden barrel when it is emptied. While evaporation is irreplaceable, the "Devil's Cut" can be used for finishing the next spirit maturing in the barrel.
