Which Sherry?

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butterpants
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Which Sherry?

Post by butterpants »

I'm attempting to emulate a Sherry cask finish in some UJSSM. It's been on homemade oak charred staves for a bit. I'd like to transfer it to some sherry soaked oak to give me a more complex spirit. Have a couple questions...

1) Wide variety of Sherry out there. Suggestions on a specific brand? If not how about something general like light or dark? I want complementary flavors not a. juxtaposition.

2) When soaking the oak in Sherry should I be using freshly charred / toasted staves or something that's already been in spirits and had a significant amount of its flavor already extracted?

3) How long should the staves be on Sherry to pick up flavor? How long should the Sherry staves be on oak (ball park... I'll taste it)
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zed255
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Re: Which Sherry?

Post by zed255 »

If it is already oaked then why not just add a small amount of the sherry directly and just allow it to marry for a while longer?

I understand some distillers use sherry casks for maturing spirit and some 'finish' product for shorter periods in sherry casks. If I am not mistaken it is also common for a distiller to add a small amount of sherry directly at some point in the process forgoing the sherry cask altogether.
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Expat
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Re: Which Sherry?

Post by Expat »

Assuming you read through der wo's recent thread on sherry casks?

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=70372

As Zed said above, consider adding the sherry directly. Der wo was kind enough to provide some direction on volume in the thread. I actually did this myself on the weekend.

As to which sherry? Find a oloroso sherry which fits the taste profile you're looking to achieve, and that fits within your budget.
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Single Malt Yinzer
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Re: Which Sherry?

Post by Single Malt Yinzer »

Buy a couple and try them. There's this post: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=70372
It basically says that they use crap sherry to make barrels. Anything you use will probably be 1000 times better. I would try the sweeter more complex Sherries - Amontillado or Pedro Ximenez

https://www.nicks.com.au/spanish-sherry ... ry-76.1231" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
Pikey
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Re: Which Sherry?

Post by Pikey »

As Zed et al said just add sherry. I usually use around 25 ml "heavy" sherry to a gallon in whisky, just enough to give a "je ne sais quoi" note.
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der wo
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Re: Which Sherry?

Post by der wo »

Most Sherries for Malt Whisky are very heavy and sweet. So perhaps start with something heavy and sweet. But generally there is nothing wrong to use a "Fino" or "Manzanilla"(very dry, light and only 15%abv). Or normal wine.
The heavy sherries have besides the sweetness oxidation flavors, also the dark color is from oxidation (every Sherry is a white wine before aging). The lighter ones aged under the flor yeast (without air contact) have more aromas from the yeast and are dry but not acidic. In contrast to normal white wine, which would be acidic with such a dryness.

Definetely it's worth it to buy a few bottles with the different styles. Sherry is an interesting drink.
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butterpants
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Re: Which Sherry?

Post by butterpants »

Expat wrote:Assuming you read through der wo's recent thread on sherry casks?

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=70372

As Zed said above, consider adding the sherry directly. Der wo was kind enough to provide some direction on volume in the thread. I actually did this myself on the weekend.

As to which sherry? Find a oloroso sherry which fits the taste profile you're looking to achieve, and that fits within your budget.
I absolutely did not see that.

I didn't even consider direct addition.

Thank you Der Wo
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jonnys_spirit
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Re: Which Sherry?

Post by jonnys_spirit »

I keep a couple mason jars with a bunch of toasted oak fingers soaking in there and also extracting oak into the sherry. I top up with port and sherry as needed. I think worth it to add some red wines on oak to this collection and maybe other similar wines.

I then use and experiment with both a little of the liquid into the aging jug and / or augment with a piece or two of the sherry/port infused oak. I also make wine so usually have oak pieces from my wine aging that I keep in the freezer once I pull them out of the wine so Chardonnay, Cab Sav, Merlot, Pinot, Zinfandel, etc are all available finishing profiles...

I try to stay empirical with it and not too scientific - It's fun :)

I don't remember which sherries I have but jerez sherries which are dry and bitter in this case - a little goes a long way. I'll be getting some sweeter ones.

Good luck and cheers!
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SaltyStaves
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Re: Which Sherry?

Post by SaltyStaves »

I recently lost a 6 month old treatment/experiment with Sherry (and Port and Madeira).

I use test tubes of a similar size to my dominos, which allows me to completely submerge the oak in a very small volume of liqour. That way, if something rare or special comes my way, I can donate a bit to my oak without feeling guilty... Anyways, after around 5 months, my virigin dominos (mix of french and american toasted oak) were all well and truly leeched and bathing in their own tannin, so I removed the cork stoppers, put some fine mesh over them and left them to evaporate over the summer months. The volume was going down and they all smelt better for it, but I had underestimated the mesh covers.
I caught a glimps of something move in one of the test tubes. The remaining wines had all gone cloudy... Uh Oh. Tiny little white maggots were crawling up the staves! All six tubes smelt musty and vinegary. I think it was moth larvae, but thats not important. It was so embedded in the wood, that drying it out and shaving it down made no difference whatsoever.
If I ever smell that aroma in a barrel, I will be running a mile..

It hasn't discouraged me. I think the evaporation is required (but not necessarily to the point of dryness). Next time I'll take much greater care though.

My vote would be for Amontillado. It has a very nutty character that would work well with later generations of UJSSM. Early gens already have the nuttiness from the corn, which may be a bit too dominant and drown it out.
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Re: Which Sherry?

Post by The Baker »

Butterpants said, 'I'm attempting to emulate a Sherry cask finish in some UJSSM.'

I have a fair bit of brandy from old and leftover wine. Would brandy benefit from a little sherry; or any other fortified wine, or anything else for that matter?

Thanks.

Geoff
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butterpants
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Re: Which Sherry?

Post by butterpants »

The Baker wrote:Butterpants said, 'I'm attempting to emulate a Sherry cask finish in some UJSSM.'

I have a fair bit of brandy from old and leftover wine. Would brandy benefit from a little sherry; or any other fortified wine, or anything else for that matter?

Thanks.

Geoff
I can't imagine why not.... long as the original brandy fruit source didn't clash with what you add.
The Baker
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Re: Which Sherry?

Post by The Baker »

butterpants wrote:
The Baker wrote:Butterpants said, 'I'm attempting to emulate a Sherry cask finish in some UJSSM.'

I have a fair bit of brandy from old and leftover wine. Would brandy benefit from a little sherry; or any other fortified wine, or anything else for that matter?
Thanks.
Geoff
I can't imagine why not.... long as the original brandy fruit source didn't clash with what you add.
Thanks. Shouldn't clash as the wine comes from grapes and so does sherry.

I'll experiment a bit.

Geoff
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