Cheaters "Peated" All Grain

[nzbourbonguy]

I have been playing around with a few different methods of imparting peat/smoke into new make without relying on peated malt barley.

In a previous experiment, I attempted to infuse irish peat into low wines with a smoker gun. Using this method, I got a mild smoke flavor when I did the spirit run. Nowhere near what I had with a peated bourbon using 60% corn/40% heavily peated malt.

Until now, this was my best method at imparting smoke into any all grain spirit. Here is my new process, baring in mind that it won't be peat, but will be very close.

Start by add 1250ml all grain whiskey white dog (83% white corn/17% wheat) @ 71% ABV to a glass jar with 25g Lapsang Souchong tea leaves, or 2% of the volume in weight.

Let this macerate for 7 days, shaking it once a day. I noticed that the smoke intensity began to fade on day 7, so I felt it was ready to run. When charging the still, strain the solids out and add an equal portion of water to proof the spirit down.

Treat this like a spirit run for a peated whiskey, if you are familiar. After pulling heads (120ml), I saved 600ml of a healthy heart cut, before switching to tails, saving an additional 200ml. From there, I save the following 120ml of deep tails that had a clean, sweet flavor and a rich smokey body. I added this deep tails cut to the hearts that had a moderately smokey body and they balanced out beautifully. There was a rich, deep smoke presence, it was accompanied with a dark fruity backend, once you get past the smoke. The final ABV was 66.6% and that was measured with a digital alcoholmeter. It has earned the nickname of "The Devil".

To take it to the next level, I added a small stave of sherry seasoned french oak. Going to let it age for a few year, sampling along the way.

For those who are unaware, Lapsang Souchong tea is dried with pine smoke. While the tea itself has a distinct pine resin aroma, it disappears when infused in the spirit. If I didn't know any better, I would say it's a dead ringer for a peat alternative.

The possibilities are endless. I may do a 100% rye that gets the "Peat Tea" treatment for a one-of-a-kind peated rye whiskey that will knock the socks off of anyone.