Another New Guy!!!

[rpsharman]

Hello all,

A couple of years ago my girlfriend bought me a small kit to age and infuse whisky at home. Whisky is pretty much my only drink. Mostly Manhattans of some kind, but also neat with a splash of water or a little ice cube. Although I do have tequila on ice in the summer.

The aging and infusions were a great success, using an already decent "moonshine". It was oak chips of various toast levels and origins in tiny test tubes. I made a few different little test bottles.

The next time around I bought 24 x Buffalo Trace White Dog bottles, as I was going to gift them out as gifts. I aged in the little bottles the White Dog came in, but hadn't read up on leaving space in the bottle or anything, but had researched how much oak to use. I bought a few different wood chips on line, and overall it was great. I infused with dry orange peel and birdseye chili at the end. People loved the hit of chili at the finish. I cheated a bit with a few drops of glycerine to take the edge off unaged whisky

Next time was a bottle of crappy 120 proof stuff, just to see what I could do with it. Made 3 different 375ml bottles with chips of different kinds and some little cubes. This was less successful, but drinkable nonetheless in a cocktail when I blended all three together. One bottle I infused with burnt tangerine peel and toasted cardamom. It was interesting, but too much cardamom, even though I used very little.

This time I bought 3 x 1.75L bottle of Everclear 190 and 6 x 1.8L mason jars (Target has the BEST deal on those, by the way). I diluted to about 120 ABV and divided up, putting 1.25L in each jar, stealing the rest for a quick Limoncello gift. I have bought some pre-charred oak sticks, some "raw" cherry wood and crabapple and pear wood, which I plan to toast and experiment with. Smaller amounts, longer time. Wish me luck!!



Cheers,

Robert