Anyone tried aging on Ash (Fraxinus excelsior)?

[rhumbum]

I'm contemplating trying my hand at a rice whiskey. I have plenty of oak lying around the workshop, and it has worked wonders for my rum, but I am thinking I might not want to over do the tannins in a more delicately flavoured spirit. I would try maple instead of oak but I don't have any. I do have some ash wood though. The scent of burnt ash is certaintly pleasing to my nose, I wonder if it would carry over well into a rice whiskey. I am pretty certain ash is food safe as it is used by wood turners to make plates and bowls, but if anyone knows different when it comes to immersing it in strong alcohol give me a heads up.

[Dnderhead]

is this whole rice? if not it will be like a vodka.

[rhumbum]

I've got a supply of Thai jasmin rice - It is a polished (white) rice. I'm planning on using koji to malt the rice and steeping some freshly cooked rice in the low wines to boost flavour before running them again.