Single Malt Whisky Grain Build

[Avalir]

So I'm finally getting around to trying my hand at a scotch-style whisky for the old lady to appease her. I'll be starting that once I've completed the batch of bourbon I'm in the process of.

Some background:
The old lady can't stand bourbon, but has at least recognized my ability to make a great product, so she's asked me to tackle a scotch-style single malt, which is her drink of choice and I can't stand. Sadly, she's one of those people that can't identify specific aspects and traits of something that she likes and dislikes; she either likes or dislikes it as a whole and there's zero other feedback I can get.

This is where I need some advise/insight, as I'm not a scotch drinker, but I've made observations that will hopefully put me in the ballpark of something she'll like (I feel ill thinking about how the material cost will be 4x greater than my bourbon and I'm almost shooting in the dark, burning a lot of time for something I likely won't drink if it doesn't appeal to her taste).
After some tastings, of the scotches we went through, her favorite seemed to be Glenlivet (14 year). She wasn't too excited by Glenfiddich (12 year), though she didn't have anything bad to say about it, she could only tell me she liked the Glenlivet more. There were a number of small names and blended whiskys that were all just bad or not noteworthy. We did have some Johnny Walker Double Black; I loved the smokiness, however she struggled to swallow it.

So, to shorten things up, I've concluded most of what she enjoys comes from the aging (obviously, there's not too many other avenues to differentiate scotch). I feel I could be capable of something with a subtle finish close to that of the Glenfiddich (sadly it's hard to replicate that robust barrel-aged taste without the barrel or the time). And she does not have any interest in something that is bluntly smoky on the pallet (which in my opinion is the only redeeming quality of scotches... but I'm trying to stay focused on this being for her).

I have medium toast french oak for aging--which I think is a good starting point based on the whiskys she seemed to like. I can always go out and harvest american oak and toast to however I want it (I've never tried a blend of toast levels, but I'm not apposed to it). I'm contemplating finishing with my used bourbon wood, but I think its probably going to be easier to see how she likes it aged on just new wood, then regroup and potentially put it on the bourbon wood after she tries it so I don't create too many variables right from the beginning (especially since she won't be capable of deducting that the bourbon added or took away from the flavor/experience).

At this time I'm feeling like my best bet for competing with the store-bought whisky she likes is to play with concocting a blend of barley malt varieties/roast levels. I may not be capable of creating that in your face, robust, barrel-aged quality, but I certainly can beat them out on smoothness and hopefully the underlying grain flavor profile.

I won't be starting for about two more weeks, so I wanna start getting all my ducks in a row and get feedback from people that make and enjoy scotch since it's not my forte/passion and I'd like to avoid wasted money and (most importantly) wasted time with trial and error.

My current grain bill plan:
50% Regular 2-row malt [12.5 lb]
40% vienna malt [10 lb]
6% chocolate malt [1.5 lb]
4% peated malt [1 lb] (I currently have a few lbs and I believe it's heavily peated, but dont quote me on that)

I'm not apposed to picking up more varieties/roast levels. Any and all feedback is welcome. Once again, just want to try to set myself up for success and make the lady happy. Again, I'm very sorry I cant give a better feel for her taste--she's picky and not good at knowing what she's picky about.

[SaltyStaves]

Glenlivet 14 being a US exclusive would lead me to believe that the american oak will be virgin. This is a more recent approach that some of the big producers have taken to introduce Scotch to Bourbon drinkers.
The Sherry and Cognac casks will no doubt give it a wine-forward (grape) finish. I can only speculate as its not available in my market and its not something I'd gravitate towards.

For the new make, I'd stay clear of the peat and heavily toasted specialty grains. You'll want a yeast that gives you plenty of bright fruity notes and a fairly clean heart cut.

[Twisted Brick]

A couple of observations, Avalir:

1. Since Scotch is traditionally aged in ex-bourbon barrels, you can use the leftovers sticks from your bourbon batches with good effect. Just don't tell her. Aging your own oak takes at least 18mo's and you're not assured of a result you will like.

2. Good idea to add 'adjuncts' to your grain bill so your spirit doesn't come out tasting like a bland base pale malt. Chocolate malt carries great weight in the flavor department - I would cut that addition way down (or omit completely) or it may dominate the sweet scotch grain flavor your wife seeks. If its a true single malt you seek, you could always try a maris otter or golden promise 2-row (either some or all).

3. Scotch benefits from aging time so prep your wife on the wait time. You can always go with tighter cuts to get to your spirit sooner, but doing that can rob complexity down the line.

4. Some scotches have a sneaky amount of peat in them. Given enough peated malt to make one batch, you might consider double-distilling a single malt with x-amount of peat in it and either carefully blend it with the wife's, or just drink it all yourself for all your effort and devotion.

[Avalir]

Wow. Ya'll really got my mind firing on all cylinders with those. Took me down a research rabbit hole into overthinking and over complicating. Lol
After a couple train hops in my reading, I was starting to consider tossing botanicals into the whisky, so I needed to snap back to reality... I don't think I had mentioned, but the whiskys that topped her list had very pronounced licorice/anise notes, which of course is result of the aging process; I found myself considering tossing fennel into the whisky and that's when I knew I'd gone too far over the edge and needed to steer myself back to getting a handle on the basics.
I really appreciate the thought provoking and stimulating replies, whether they were intended to be or not.

I do have an interest in grabbing some golden promise, it sounds delicious. The logic with the chocolate malt is she does enjoy coffee notes (not sure about in whisky, but when I got that she seemed eager in having in featured).
Just thought to add this also, hopefully it gives more of an idea of what she likes... her favorite mix drink: toasted almond; second favorite: blue Hawaiian/pina colada (I don't think that one is as helpful for figuring out a whisky flavor profile). She also cant resist my rum cake, so sweet, spiced, and I soak in a cream rum (which actually has a licorice/anise taste too).
For a woman who refuses to try black licorice and doesn't know what it tastes like, she sure love things that have licorice notes.

[still_stirrin]

I agree with Twisted Brick’s advice here.....”time will be your challenger”.

Your wife obviously likes a whiskey aged a long time. Sure, recipe will help. But, her paradigm of “good” will require years to satisfy. I don’t believe a single malt recipe even aged 18 months to 2 years will even come close to her expectations. So, I’d try to readjust her tastes a little.

Perhaps the bourbons she’s sampled are far from “top shelf”. And you could even try her palette with a rye whiskey too. I’ve come to enjoy the Knob Creek rye, at 100 proof it has a big flavor without getting too “coarse” with higher alcohols or even the rye spice balance.

Another one of my favorites is the High West Double Rye. Again, very smooth with a gentle rye spiciness.

With a scotch whiskey, the time in the cask helps to “dry” them and give them the crisp finish of a mature spirit. So, if you’re going to target that style for her, then be prepared to age for many years..and no, nuclear aging won’t replace the “time on wood”.

On a side note, “blending” of batches may give you better (more favorable) results. So, brew often and practice, practice, practice. Don’t think you’ll hit a “home run” with your first effort. By repetition and practice, you’ll get better and better. And one of those skills acquired will be the “art of blending”. So, don’t be afraid to try it.
ss

[jonnys_spirit]

Another note: the sherry and port casks used in scotch are generally selected for finishing. In other words they age eg: 12 yrs in once used American oak bourbon barrel then move it to a used sherry or port cask for a couple years or whatever - a different barrel with a different profile. The peat flavors come from the peat they cut and harvest out of the bogs and burn to dry/toast the barley. Since the American oak bourbon is used it’s “neutral’ish” and imparts much less color and flavor than a new charred oak barrel.

“Single Malt” classification refers to the whisky produced by one single distillery and that it uses only barley malt - but can be different barleys blended.

Cheers!
-jonny

[Avalir]

So, just a quick update...
I haven't had a chance to pick up any golden promise, but I figured I'd start a small batch (10 gallon mash) with the malts at my disposal currently.
Grain bill for this batch: 50% pale malt, 40% vienna malt, 6% chocolate malt, 4% peated malt
I'm aging it on my used bourbon wood (medium toasted french oak with level 3-4 char)
I was very liberal with my cuts, especially in the heads, because of my lady's picky nature. But after cuts I had a little over a quart at 125 proof to start aging.
I'm just using up my peated malt, but will likely omit it once it's gone. The pale malt will be replaced with golden promise. I'm debating pulling the vienna malt back to 30% tops and potentially reducing chocolate malt to 4% or less, pending how the lady likes this.

After about a week on wood, it's beginning to get some color. I took a sip, and... well... it doesn't taste like scotch, or at least no scotch I've ever had or could imagine scotch could taste. There isn't any wood notes coming through yet, but it does have a definite milk chocolate flavor, not overpowering, but pleasant, creamy, and melts in your mouth. Theres definitely a good amount of malt flavors (and I mean malt as in the sugar). Those are the main characteristics, theres some nearly unnoticeable side notes that just add to the background complexity, but it's minimal.
I guess that's the long way of saying it borderline tastes like chocolate milk or a chocolate malt.
I want to leave it on wood for several months to fully develop the aged traits and hopefully pick up some wood spices from the french oak. I feel like she will enjoy this very much, however, she very well may refuse to call it scotch just do to the flavors. Overall though, I'm satisfied with the results so far. Definitely a dessert beverage.

[Hambone]

I’ve taken charred sticks and soaked them in sherry for a year or so, to use as a finishing wood. It comes over nicely…

[Yummyrum]

I don’t want to come across a negative , but I don't think you will please her …. I have a wife of similar tastes …. Mines not quite as particular as your’s … thankfully , she’ll drink most store bought Scotch ( Johny walker excepted ) as long as it’s not smokey .

Time in barrel will be your major problem .You can’t make 12 or 14 year old in less time . …, Iff’n you could , the commercial guys would be doing just sayn’

Beauty is in the hand of the beholder . Others will take a while to come around to it .

[Hambone]

Scotch whisky is widely variable in taste. While I agree with Yummy that you can’t duplicate 12 years in a cask, I think you have a very good chance of making something very good.

I know I have made bourbons that I prefer over commercial 2,4, or sometimes many more years barreled. Aged with sticks in glass for one year.

You can’t duplicate. But if that’s what you want, just buy it.