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Hi All,

I have been wondering if anyone has any experience with toasted Butternut wood for aging your whiskey? I have some air dried, got it from a wood carver as a gift. I think it smells very good, is not toxic like walnut and might make a fine aging wood. Any info would be appreciated.

Thank you
Stilly

The bark is reportedly a cathartic agent (go go bowel movement!). So sure, go ahead, try aging some and report back to me

Sbeghan wrote:The bark is reportedly a cathartic agent (go go bowel movement!). So sure, go ahead, try aging some and report back to me

What fool would include the bark, it harbors dirt, dead insects etc? I have never heard of anyone including bark or sap wood in their aging sticks.

Butternut is a member of the Black Walnut family... Are you sure the wood isn't toxic...??? I'm finding mixed opinions on how safe it is... Considering how many other sources of known safe woods are available I'm not sure I'd be willing to take the risk... I'd rather err on the side of safety, but that's just me...

rad14701 wrote:Butternut is a member of the Black Walnut family... Are you sure the wood isn't toxic...??? I'm finding mixed opinions on how safe it is... Considering how many other sources of known safe woods are available I'm not sure I'd be willing to take the risk... I'd rather err on the side of safety, but that's just me...

I have not found any reports of toxicity other than to horses who come in frequent contact with the sawdust or eating the roots. No human toxicity that I can find. I would definitely be interested in any info you have found that show toxicity for humans.

cheers
stilly

i don't know as it is toxic as at one time it was used for boles, but it does not have any flavor either.
that is one of the reasons it was used.

Butternut is not toxic... however," Butternut is being killed throughout its North American range by an unstoppable airborne fungus blight (sirococcus clavigigneti-juglanda acearum). A similar blight was responsible for wiping out both the American Chestnut and the American Elm"... it has become an endangered species... to the north, up in Canada, it is illegal to cut a living tree... to the south, in the good ole USA, forest-salvage companies work directly with loggers and foresters in order to get them to stop cutting the remaining healthy butternut trees and they pay them a premium to bring out the diseased and dead trees, which then get used for custom furniture and flooring.

Stilly, if you got some, you may as well satisfy your curiousity and try a small amount on a small quantity of neutrals to see what taste effects can be produced over several months... it certainly won't kill you [provided your buddy gave you the healthy stuff ]... let us know if it does anything???

But then again, as Dunder pointed out... once upon a time it was used to make bowls... mostly for fancy salad sets... likely doesn't impart much flavor wise

Hey Rad... judgin from yer avatar... looks like you musta sampled the bark

Just ribbin ya dude... no harm. Just testin the waters to see if yer gonna leave this'n alone

what i remember is butter bowels not to many will know what these are but butternut was used because it would not warp or split
the way some other woods do as well as the lack of flavors.

Liquid_Luv wrote:Hey Rad... judgin from yer avatar... looks like you musta sampled the bark

Just ribbin ya dude... no harm. Just testin the waters to see if yer gonna leave this'n alone

Not aware of anything that runs straight through me but you wouldn't want to be stuck in close quarters with me, like in a vehicle, about 15 minutes after I've eaten anything containing vinegar... Heck, even I don't want to be anywhere near me...

so it is true... you really do have a sense of humor

Peace

PS. Remind me to stay the F_ Away from your backset at this years NZ Annual Still Off ...