Vanhennettu

Vanhennettu is a Finnish adjective formed from the verb vanhentaa. It denotes that something has undergone aging or maturation. In practice the term is used primarily for products where aging is intentional to develop characteristics, such as foods and beverages, but it can also describe materials or objects that have aged over time, including cheese, wine, meat, wood or leather.

Usage examples include vanhennettu juusto (aged cheese), vanhennettu liha (aged meat) and vanhennettu viski or vanhennettu viini (aged wine). In culinary and production contexts, aging is usually carefully controlled by factors like temperature and humidity to achieve specific flavor, texture or aroma. In non-food contexts, vanhennettu may describe items such as wooden furniture or leather goods where aging contributes to patina or quality.

Grammar and related terms: Vanhennettu is the past participle of vanhentaa. Related forms include vanheneminen (aging) and vanhentaminen (the act of aging or, in some contexts, the act of rendering something obsolete). The term is distinct from vanhentunut, which more often means expired or out-of-date, referring to items whose validity or usefulness has ended rather than to a deliberate aging process.