Islay Fact File

[wildrover]

For those scotch lovers, and especially Islay lovers, have you ever seen this fact break down on islay distilers?

http://distillers.tastylime.net/library ... tfiles.htm

I thought it was quite interesting seeing the cuts they make and other facts.

[LWTCS]

Really interesting.
Is it me, or is that a pretty comprehensive spreadsheet what with column heights and so forth??

Half dozen or so of them spreadsheets on my favorite types of rum would be just a lovely bit of info.

Thanks for that.

[blind drunk]

Strength of spirit charge - 25-28%.

Thanks wildrover, amazing that all of their "state secrets" are so public.

[LWTCS]

I know right?
why not 27? Or 29?

[Dnderhead]

as you know the charge you put in a pot still will determine the percent you git out.
apparent with a charge of 25-28% they hit the magic number of 63-72%.
now at say a charge of 30% whould give them a spirits of 80% and at witch point loose flavor.
and with a charge of 20% whould give a product of 50% this whould use more barrels and not extract flavors they want..
i dont thank that 63% or 72% is a exsact figure,its more of a mark to hit or try for.

[rtalbigr]

Lots of interesting info!!

I too was surprised that their spirit charge was as low as it was. But I was also some what surprised that they don't list a time for heads. So are the heads a part of the spirits run?

Another interesting point was their ferment temps and duration and that some used two different yeast cultures. Short ferment times and pretty low temps. Obviously they have developed those particular yeast cultures to produce very specific results, but then of course they would. It would really be interesting to see a history of those cultures.

Big R

[blind drunk]

Maybe it's under length of feints run ... Maybe their feints include heads?

[Dnderhead]

heads/fore shots are all the same to them and are discarded, tales/feints are added to the next run

[Braz]

Also found it interesting that they pull the strip run all the way down to 1% ABV.

[rtalbigr]

heads/fore shots are all the same to them and are discarded, tales/feints are added to the next run

Ok, I can see with some: foreshot 40 min, 45 min.

But, "Ardbeg", foreshot 10 min.; "Bunnahabhain," 10 min, "Bowmore," 15 min. There's a lot of heads not accounted for and a lot a katzenjammers.

Ok, all of this is "blended" (bottom line, "Major Blends") but it gets to the point of the difference that we as hobby distillers make. They sacrifice quality, we sacrifice quantity (and with that LOTs of time and money).

Big R

[blind drunk]

Yup, explains alot. Lagavulin's got some interesting time frames. Might have to buy a bottle and try it again. I know my wife likes it I remember not liking it. But I've grown

[rtalbigr]

Yup, explains alot. Lagavulin's got some interesting time frames. Might have to buy a bottle and try it again. I know my wife likes it I remember not liking it. But I've grown

They are certainly the excpetion, tho their fores could be a little longer, and NO contribution to blended stuff. Bet their single malt is worth a try. But....I've been doin some all barley and single malts lately and I just can't justify buyin sumpin.

Big R

[Dnderhead]

they most likely either use or sale the fores /heads ,but iv never seen what they did withe them. maybe vodka or something like that.
most have little wast.then they could be posably ran off for some second rate whisky.
i really dont know.