What is the correct meaning of the term ‘angel’s share’?

The Angel’s share is the amount of alcoholic drink that is lost to evaporation when the liquid is being aged in wooden barrels. Up to 1% - 2% of the volume of the wooden cask can be lost each year through this evaporation process. Because the liquid would evaporate into the heavens, it was dubbed the angel’s share. Images of drunken angels, have been depicted in some cultures.

The term applies to various alcohol, such as whiskey or scotch. Today, whiskeys are aged in wooden barrels. The wood absorbs some of the more unpleasant aspects of distillate, such as sulphur, and in return, imbues the liquid with flavors unique to itself. The harmony between whiskey and wood has existed for years.

The term was made into a 2012 German-French comedy-drama film titled ‘The Angels’ Share, set in Glasgow, Scotland. The film tells the story of a young father who narrowly avoids a prison sentence.