Inflationäres Finishing – Gedanken zu Fake-Fässern und boomenden Geschäftsmodellen
In der Welt der Spirituosen erlebt das Thema Finishing seit Jahren einen regelrechten Boom. Grundsätzlich ist dagegen nichts einzuwenden – wenn es richtig gemacht wird. Eine lange, saubere Vorbelegung über mehrere Jahre hinweg kann einem Fass Tiefe, Charakter und Authentizität verleihen. Doch genau hier beginnt das Problem.
Wenn Vorbelegung zum Marketinginstrument wird
Die Nachfrage nach perfekt aussehenden, technisch einwandfreien Fässern mit möglichst spektakulärer Geschichte ist enorm. Kunden wünschen sich am liebsten ein 30 Jahre altes Fass, vorgelegt mit Portwein, Sherry oder Cognac – idealerweise sofort verfügbar. In der Praxis ist das jedoch kaum realisierbar.
Denn: Solche Fässer existieren schlicht nicht in den benötigten Mengen. Dennoch hat sich aus diesem Wunschdenken ein Geschäftsmodell entwickelt. Vorbelegung wird zur Ware, Geschichte zum Verkaufsargument – oft ohne reale Substanz.
Ein aktuelles Beispiel aus der Praxis
Ich möchte das an einem konkreten Fall erläutern, den ich derzeit selbst erlebe: der Suche nach Fässern aus einer Belegung mit Pineau des Charentes.
Pineau des Charentes ist kein klassisch vergorener Wein, sondern ein sogenannter Likörwein. Er entsteht durch die sogenannte Mutage: Frischer, unvergorener Traubenmost wird mit jungem Cognac (Weinbrand) versetzt, wodurch die Gärung sofort unterbunden wird. Der natürliche Zucker des Mostes bleibt erhalten, während der Alkoholgehalt deutlich ansteigt. Erst nach dieser Assemblage reift Pineau des Charentes über einen längeren Zeitraum – traditionell oxidativ in gebrauchten Cognac-Fässern aus französischer oder europäischer Eiche. Diese Fässer sind somit kein austauschbares Nebenprodukt, sondern ein integraler Bestandteil des Stils, der Aromatik und der Authentizität des Erzeugnisses.
Pineau des Charentes Fässer 1 Den Auftrag zur Auslieferung erhielt ich bereits im Sommer 2025, mit Liefertermin Februar 2026. Der Kunde wünschte 450-Liter-Fässer. Pineau des Charentes ist eine regionale Spezialität aus dem Südwesten Frankreichs, deren Herstellung traditionell auf mehrjährig belegten Cognac-Fässern basiert. Erst nach dieser Reifephase wird Traubenmost zugesetzt und das Produkt assembliert.
Dieses Erzeugnis ist in etwa mit Sherry vergleichbar – wenn überhaupt. Es handelt sich um eine Spezialität mit begrenzter Produktion, keinesfalls um ein Produkt für den großflächigen Lebensmitteleinzelhandel oder Discount.
Ich fand schließlich eine kleine Anzahl passender Fässer: gelagert in einem alten, feuchten Keller, technisch jedoch in einem Zustand, der eine vollständige Überarbeitung jedes einzelnen Fasses erforderlich macht. Der Preis? Hoch – vielleicht sogar überbewertet. Doch der Besitzer wusste um die Originalität seiner Ware.
Das Gegenmodell: industrielle Vorbelegung
Parallel dazu existieren große Kellereien und Bodegas, vor allem in Frankreich und Spanien, die aus der Fassvorbelegung ein industrielles Modell gemacht haben. Sie kaufen LKW-weise gebrauchte Rotweinfässer – gerne aus Regionen wie Rioja, wo diese in großen Mengen anfallen.
Diese Fässer werden dann für wenige Wochen mit Brandy, Sherry, Portwein oder Madeira befüllt und anschließend als „original vorgelegte Fässer“ verkauft. Dokumentationen fehlen meist vollständig. Ob und wie lange eine echte Vorbelegung stattfand, lässt sich kaum nachvollziehen. Auch gesetzliche Vorgaben zu Mindestlagerzeiten – etwa bei Cognac oder Portwein – werden dabei häufig ignoriert.
Über Broker gelangen diese Fässer weltweit an Brennereien und Destillen. Dort dienen sie vor allem einem Zweck: Storytelling. Die Fassgeschichte wird wichtiger als das tatsächliche sensorische Ergebnis.
Qualität braucht Wissen – und Geduld
Es gibt sie noch, die Betriebe, die sich bewusst und erfolgreich hochpreisig am Markt positionieren. Sie wählen ihre Zutaten – einschließlich der Fässer – mit großer Sorgfalt aus und verlassen sich nicht ausschließlich auf Rechnungen oder gesetzliche Mindestangaben ihrer Vorlieferanten.
Leider fehlt es in vielen Fällen an Ausbildung und Fachwissen. So wissen nur wenige Anwender, wie stark sich Portweine oder Sherrys in ihren jeweiligen Kategorien unterscheiden. Besonders beim Sherry ist die sensorische Bandbreite groß – und wird dennoch oft nicht erkannt oder genutzt.
Gute Fässer sind selten – und bleiben es auch
Zurück zur Ausgangsfrage: wirklich gute, nachhaltig vorgelegte Fässer sind rar. Und sie sind teuer. Daran wird sich auch künftig nichts ändern – unabhängig von der aktuell angespannten Marktsituation.
Der Markt bereinigt sich derzeit spürbar. Viele Anbieter von Fake-Fässern verschwinden von selbst. Übrigbleiben werden jene Fässer mit echter, langer Vorbelegung. Sie werden wieder zur Besonderheit – so, wie es einem guten Finish im Fass auch gebührt.
Woran erkennt man ein echtes Fass?
Ein wichtiger Indikator ist eine nachvollziehbare „Lebensgeschichte“ des Fasses. Wenn diese vorhanden und belegbar ist, spricht das für Authentizität.
Noch entscheidender ist jedoch die Sensorik. Ein Fass muss gerochen, geprüft und bewertet werden. Eine gründliche Aromaprüfung steht aus meiner Sicht über jeder schriftlichen Vorgeschichte.
Ein weiteres Merkmal:
Ein gut vorgelegtes Fass wiegt etwa 10 % mehr als ein vergleichbares neues Fass.
Und schließlich sollte immer die Plausibilität der Holzart geprüft werden: Ein Bourbon-Fass mit einmaliger Vorbelegung besteht immer aus amerikanischer Eiche. Ein Cognac-Fass ist traditionell aus französischer oder europäischer Eiche – niemals aus amerikanischer.
Wer diese Grundlagen beachtet, wird echte Qualität erkennen – und sich nicht von schönen Geschichten blenden lassen.
Vorbelegte Fässer
From selected, freshly emptied, highly aromatic barrels in the original sizes we manufacture the small reclaim barrels in our Wilhelm Eder cooperage. The barrels are made to order. In this way, we ensure that you also benefit from the aroma package of the pre-packaging from the small reclaims. We do not produce the deconstructions in stock! We keep our promise of freshness and produce the ordered barrels once a month in our cooperage for you. For this reason, the production time may be more than 30 days. Content sizes: 30 l - 50 l - 100 l Varietal purity: The respective barrel is exclusively reclaimed from a large original barrel, no other woods are used. Freshness promise: With our freshness promise we guarantee you to rebuild only freshly emptied barrels after we receive your order. Barrel heads: The barrel heads of the rebuilds are made of the bottom staves of the original barrels. Silicone bung: All reconditioned barrels are equipped with a silicone bung. Wilhelm Eder Cooperage: The construction of the barrels is done in our Wilhelm Eder Cooperage by experienced, trained coopers. Amarone: Amarone is a special red wine from Italy (region Veneto), which is produced by a unique process. The grapes from which Amarone is made dry for several months on wooden racks or straw mats in ventilated storage rooms or under roofs. During this time they are turned and layered by hand. Only shortly before the grapes dry to raisins, the pressing begins. The wine then ages for at least two more years in wooden barrels. The result is a heavy, powerful, almost creamy wine with a deep red colour and a great variety of aromas. The wine bears the name because of its slightly bitter note. Bitter means "amaro" in Italian. Supplied without barrel storage or racks.Barrel is delivered with wooden or silicone bungs. You can choose a tap under accessories if required. Pre-used wooden barrels: Notches in the wood, external stress cracks or possibly an uneven bottom are not quality defects, but rather determined by the specific nature of the construction and the previous use of the barrels. The functionality of the barrel is not limited by this. The barrels are very carefully checked for sensory and technical defects during the outgoing inspection. We assume no liability for cracks or fissures that occur during the maturing process. A possible and reasonable repair is not a warranty service. Please note that in case of deconstruction the liter numbers are nominal sizes. During calibration there can be deviations. All pictures are sample pictures and optical deviations are possible.
Freshly emptied 225 l Amarone barrels from Italy. Amarone is a special red wine from Italy (region Veneto), which is produced by a unique process. The grapes from which Amarone is made dry for several months on wooden racks or straw mats in ventilated storage rooms or under roofs. During this time they are turned and layered by hand. Only shortly before the grapes dry to raisins, the pressing begins. The wine then ages for at least two more years in wooden barrels. The result is a heavy, powerful, almost creamy wine with a deep red colour and a great variety of aromas. The wine bears the name because of its slightly bitter note. Bitter means "amaro" in Italian. Barrel will be deliverd with a wooden or silicon bung. CultivationAmarone vines are grown north west of Verona – between Lake Garda and Verona – in the vineyards if Valpolicella. Amarone della Valpolicella wines hold the highest Italian quality branding DOCG (Denominatione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) since 1968. Amarone always consists of following vines:- Corvina- Rondinella ProductionAccording to the Appassimento or Recioto technique, the grapes will be air dried in good ventilated storages for 2-4 months. Hence much sugar and extractives will be left and high concentrated wines will be produced. The fermentation stops very soon and is followed by a sweet Amarone with 15 % Alc. Vol.. Some alcohol-resistend yeast will transform the remaining sugar in more alcohol if the mash gets more time to rest. A dry Amarone with 16-17% Alc. Vol. is the result. This technique is called “Miracolo dell’Amarone”. Used wooden barrels: Notches in the wood or, in certain circumstances, an uneven base, do not constitute a quality defect, but stem from the idiosyncrasies of the production method and the prior use of the barrels. The usage of the barrel will not be affected by those! The barrels are very carefully checked by us at the exit control against sensor and technical errors. We assume no liability for cracks or splits that occur during maturation. A possible and a reasonable repair is not under guarantee. Pictures are examples, colour variations are possible
Bourbon barrel, freshly emptied ca. 190 l, from the distillery Old Forester in the USA.Barrels made of American oak, excellent to age Whisky, Wodka, Korn, Jenever, Beer distillate and others The Old Forester Distillery was founded 1870 from George Garvin Brown and has been developed through the years to the longest continous Bourbon making distillery in the US. With the head quarter in Louisville, Kentucky all process is done at the distillery, mashing, barrel making, distillation and aging of the Bourbon. Today Old Forster is the hand crafted brand at Brown Foreman ! By default, the barrels are equipped with a used wooden or plastic bung. If you want a new silicone bung, you can order it under accessories (type standard - C16). Used wooden barrels: Notches in the wood or, in certain circumstances, an uneven base, do not constitute a quality defect, but stem from the idiosyncrasies of the production method and the prior use of the barrels. The usage of the barrel will not be affected by those! The barrels are very carefully checked by us at the exit control against sensor and technical errors. We assume no liability for cracks or splits that occur during maturation. A possible and a reasonable repair is not under guarantee. Pictures are examples, colour variations are possible
Bourbon barrel, freshly emptied ca. 190 l, from the distillery Old Forester in the USA. Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style Whisky is a product whose name says it all. To understand its significance, one must look back to the year 1920 and the “Volstead Act of 1920.” During Prohibition in the United States, only six distilleries in Kentucky were permitted to continue distilling bourbon for medicinal purposes—Old Forester among them. It is also the only bourbon that was sold by the same company before, during, and after Prohibition. What makes it special: during Prohibition, the whisky was only allowed to be bottled at 100 proof (50% ABV). Since the whisky entered the barrel at 100 proof, it reached a barrel strength of 115 proof (57.5% ABV) after the angel’s share. As a tribute to that era, Old Forester released the 1920 Prohibition Style Bourbon at 115 proof. Flavor profile: Cherries, caramel, dark chocolate, and maple syrup Malty, nutty, nougat notes Long finish with toasted coconut, dark chocolate, and toasted marshmallows By default, the barrels are equipped with a used wooden or plastic bung. If you want a new silicone bung, you can order it under accessories (type standard - C16). Used wooden barrels: Notches in the wood or, in certain circumstances, an uneven base, do not constitute a quality defect, but stem from the idiosyncrasies of the production method and the prior use of the barrels. The usage of the barrel will not be affected by those! The barrels are very carefully checked by us at the exit control against sensor and technical errors. We assume no liability for cracks or splits that occur during maturation. A possible and a reasonable repair is not under guarantee. Pictures are examples, colour variations are possible
Freshly emptied 190 l bourbon barrel from the Buffalo Trace Distillery - Sazerac Rye. Rye 18 yr Specialty / LTD Select American Oak ONCE Sazerac Rye is one of the oldest whiskies in America and part of the annual Buffalo Trace Antique Collection. This bottling comes from New Orleans and dates back to the time when toddies with rye whiskey and Peychauds Bitters were served in the famous Sazerac Coffee House. The resulting cocktail, the Sazerac, is one of America's oldest drinks and gives its name to this fantastic whiskey. It has a pleasantly complex aroma with notes of clove, vanilla, candied fruit and citrus. The long maturation period gives it a unique flavor development and makes it a sought-after bourbon for connoisseurs and collectors.The barrels are fitted with a used wooden or plastic stopper as standard. If you would like a new silicone bung, you can order this under accessories (standard type - C16). Pre-used wooden barrels: Notches in the wood, external stress cracks or possibly an uneven bottom are not quality defects, but are rather determined by the nature of the construction and the previous use of the barrels. This does not affect the functionality of the barrel. We check the barrels very carefully for sensory and technical defects during the outgoing inspection. We accept no liability for cracks or fissures that occur during maturation. A possible and reasonable repair is not covered by guarantee.All pictures are examples and optical deviations are possible.
Freshly emptied bourbon barrel 190 l from the Buffalo Trace Distillery - Stagg Junior. This bourbon is an underrated and excellent Whiskey from the USA. It is unfiltered and comes from the Buffalo Trace Distillery with a 200-year Whiskey tradition. The cask offers warm spicy notes, a balanced vanilla sweetness, brown sugar and excellent grain notes. A fruity undertone reminiscent of juicy cherries rounds out the flavour profile. A winner for your distillate and beer. By default, the drums are equipped with a used wooden or plastic bung. If you want a new silicone bung, you can order it under accessories (type standard - C16). Used wooden barrels: Notches in the wood or, in certain circumstances, an uneven base, do not constitute a quality defect, but stem from the idiosyncrasies of the production method and the prior use of the barrels. The usage of the barrel will not be affected by those! The barrels are very carefully checked by us at the exit control against sensor and technical errors. We assume no liability for cracks or splits that occur during maturation. A possible and a reasonable repair is not under guarantee. Pictures are examples, colour variations are possible
Wild Turkey has a deep auburn color as it’s aged longer in barrels with the deepest char (#4, also known as alligator char) You’ll smell slight tones of deep vanilla and oak with traces of citrus and toffee on top. Wild Turkey is rich with vanilla and caramel with notes of toffee and light smoke It is known for its long, rich, and full-bodied finish. In 1940 Thomas McCarthy, one of the managers of the Ripy Distillery, brought whiskey from his own company to the turkey hunt. His friends liked the whiskey so much that the following year they asked him to bring back some of the "Wild Turkey" whiskey for hunting. This is how the colloquial name became the brand name By default, the drums are equipped with a used wooden or plastic bung. If you want a new silicone bung, you can order it under accessories (type standard - C16). Used wooden barrels: Notches in the wood or, in certain circumstances, an uneven base, do not constitute a quality defect, but stem from the idiosyncrasies of the production method and the prior use of the barrels. The usage of the barrel will not be affected by those! The barrels are very carefully checked by us at the exit control against sensor and technical errors. We assume no liability for cracks or splits that occur during maturation. A possible and a reasonable repair is not under guarantee. Pictures are examples, colour variations are possible
Freshly emptied Bourbon barrel 190 l from Woodford Reserve Distillery. Nestled amid the rolling hills of bluegrass and thoroughbred farms sits the historic Woodford Reserve Distillery. One of Kentucky’s oldest distilleries, the present day Woodford Reserve Distillery is built on history, sitting on Kentucky’s oldest distilling site where Elijah Pepper began crafting whiskey in 1812. Double Oak:An innovative approach to twice-barreled bourbon creates the rich and colorful flavor of Woodford Reserve Double Oaked. Uniquely matured in separate, charred oak barrels – the second barrel deeply toasted before a light charring – extracts additional amounts of soft, sweet oak character. Rich notes of dark fruit, caramel and with hints of honeyed apple. Aroma: Dark fruit, caramel, honey, chocolate, marzipan and toasted oakTaste: Full and complex with vanilla, dark caramel, hazelnut, apple, fruit and spices.Finish: Long and creamy with honey glazed apples.Barrel type: American oak and finish in heavily toasted oak barrelsWoodford Reserve Double Oaked was matured in two types of oak barrels. After maturing in the usual Bourbon barrels, a finish was carried out in particularly heavily toasted oak barrels.Woodford is the only American distillery that triple distils its whiskey in traditional pot stills. Pictures are examples, colour variations are possible Good to know: - 500,000 9 l-cases are sold every year- 72% corn in the mashbill- 5,000 barrels are stored in warehouse C- 120.000 “mint Julpes” are served with Woodford Reserve every year at the Kentucky Derby
From selected, freshly emptied, highly aromatic barrels in the original size of 190 l we manufacture the small reclaim barrels in our Wilhelm Eder cooperage. The barrels are made to order. In this way, we ensure that you also benefit from the aroma package of the pre-packaging from the small reclaims. If you order a reclaimed barrel, it will be made especially for you in our cooperage from freshly emptied barrels from well-known manufacturers and pre-stocked. Our constantly changing portfolio allows us to keep our promise of freshness. We do not produce the deconstructions in stock! We keep our promise of freshness and produce the ordered barrels once a month in our cooperage for you. For this reason, the production time may be more than 30 days. Content sizes: 20 l - 30 l - 100 lVarietal purity: The respective barrel is exclusively reclaimed from a large original barrel, no other woods are used.Freshness promise: With our freshness promise we guarantee you to rebuild only freshly emptied barrels after we receive your order.Barrel heads: The barrel heads of the rebuilds are made of the bottom staves of the original barrels.Wilhelm Eder Cooperage: The construction of the barrels is done in our Wilhelm Eder Cooperage by experienced, trained coopers. Aroma: Full of caramel, baking aromas and dusty grain, hot and "oaky", vanilla and nutty flavors. They are perfect for maturing whisky, beer or grain brandies. But you can also experiment with e.g. cherry brandy, plum brandy or vodka.You can choose a tap under accessories if required.Pre-used wooden barrels: Notches in the wood, external stress cracks or possibly an uneven bottom are not quality defects, but rather determined by the specific nature of the construction and the previous use of the barrels. The functionality of the barrel is not limited by this. The barrels are very carefully checked for sensory and technical defects during the outgoing inspection. We assume no liability for cracks or fissures that occur during the maturing process. A possible and reasonable repair is not a warranty service. Please note that in case of deconstruction the liter numbers are nominal sizes. During calibration there can be deviations.All pictures are sample pictures and optical deviations are possible.
Freshly emptied Bourbon barrel 190 l from Woodford Reserve Distillery. Nestled amid the rolling hills of bluegrass and thoroughbred farms sits the historic Woodford Reserve Distillery. One of Kentucky’s oldest distilleries, the present day Woodford Reserve Distillery is built on history, sitting on Kentucky’s oldest distilling site where Elijah Pepper began crafting whiskey in 1812. Tasting note: Oak, rye, dark caramel and earthy nutty notes reminiscent of nougat, sweetness with vanilla, the taste of lemon zest, oranges and dark chocolate to the finish. Some mint and cinnamon can also be tasted. The finish is slightly woody and earthy charcoal with spicy notes of rosemary. By default, the drums are equipped with a used wooden or plastic bung. If you want a new silicone bung, you can order it under accessories (type standard - C16). Good to know: - 500,000 9 l-cases are sold every year- 72% corn in the mashbill- 5,000 barrels are stored in warehouse C- 120.000 “mint Julpes” are served with Woodford Reserve every year at the Kentucky Derby Used wooden barrels: Notches in the wood or, in certain circumstances, an uneven base, do not constitute a quality defect, but stem from the idiosyncrasies of the production method and the prior use of the barrels. The usage of the barrel will not be affected by those! The barrels are very carefully checked by us at the exit control against sensor and technical errors. We assume no liability for cracks or splits that occur during maturation. A possible and a reasonable repair is not under guarantee. Pictures are examples, colour variations are possible
