I've just been skimming: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/j.2050-0416.1995....

Although it says "An increased surface to volume ratio of the miniature cask, and increased oxygen concentration, appeared to enhance both extraction and further transformation of wood components, resulting in the dominance of a single characteristic, sweet, after 21 months of maturation." they go on to mention

"maturation of Scotch malt distillate in miniature casks did not enhance the sensory quality of the final product, nor did miniature casks provide a suitable model of an accelerated Scotch whisky maturation process."