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I am fortunate to know the (now) former GM of the big old Seagrams distillery in Lawrencburg IN. They are the largest drinking-alcohol distillery in the world. My wife and I were out socially with him and his wife last Saturday evening at a local (N. KY) bourbon bar. He knows what I do, and likes to answer questions.

One thing struck me as important for everyone to know.

He's a GM, so not a taster by trade. But being the GM, the tasters invite him down to get his opinion on what they think. Here is the huge revelation:

When ever they taste anything, they cut it to 40 proof, or 20%. Then they begin their noseing. He said that anything higher proof and the alcohol by itself can mask the underlying flavors, and fortunately, off flavors. Anything higher and it will dull the olefactory (sniff) senses.

I will never stop learning...

Yep it helps a bunch. I dilute to 20% to 30%. Somewhere in there? You can find flavors you didn't even know were there.

so why do people drink it at 40-50 %. wouldn't they loose flavor?

it would be a good test to try,
mix them into four or five different % and try them lower to higher,

Whenever I'm sampling out of my barrels to see if it's ready I always cut it way down with water. It's the only way to get a true picture of the flavor profile.

Big R

Prariepiss, he says 20%. Easier to pickup the nuances. That's where I'll be sniffing my UJSSM from now on

so i was just proofing and blending jars from a previous UJSSM and tried this technique...it really helped to put a little bit in a shot glass and dilute...even better was using the dilution calculator with .003L haha but it does really help and especially with the sniff test to eliminate that overpowering nasal burn..thanks for the info bagman...def helped alot

I find that most of my stuff, that being sweetfeed whisky, UJSSM, and some rye, all sugar heads taste better around 60%abv then when diluted to 40%.
Most of this was made with only one pass through my pot still. I generally make close to 2 gallons from 50 liters of beer. Maybe its just my taste buds or the way I run it.

I am still learning how to do some oaking, just using JD chips now. have to find some white oak and some larger containers for aging.