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Greets all

This will be an unusual question. I store my aging whiskey (and now rum) in my garden shed, to keep the potentially flammable substance away from the house. I have about I keep my fermenter there as well. I have roughly 20 litres aging there, in a variety of glass containers, all with 2 napkins (folded into 4's each) on top of each, with a rubber band holding them on. This is to allow angel share to escape.

Recently I went into the shed to notice the distinctive smell of unleaded petrol. I discovered the petrol can I keep in there for my mower had rusted through the bottom and released the fuel, which had then evaporated. This left a thin sort of white dust on everything in the shed.

Later on while enjoying a UJSSM from this shed, I noted it had unexpected and subtle fruit notes I had not experienced with any of my UJSSM before. I experienced no ill effects from several of these drinks. At some point I discovered this fruit note seemed to be in all my aging whiskey containers, and the rum ones too.

I suspect the leaking petrol somehow tainted the aging whiskey, though I do not know how since all of them were covered with relatively thick napkin coverings.

Is it possible for evaporated fuel to get through napkins, and taint whiskey? Does someone with a chemist background know if an azetrope could be formed?

Regards G

Dont store fuel in metal containers, gasoline had moisture in it which settles to the bottom. This is why we should never ever pour in the last few oz. of fuel. Use a good quality, hi impact (like diesel) fuel container. They are thicker. Also put a lid on ur spirits after airing out. No need to feed them drunken angels.
An ignition would have sent you and all in there to the angels.

"gasoline had moisture in it which settles to the bottom."
sort of,alcohol will mix with gasoline when its 98% or grater.
as it can absorb more water from the air and the alcohol can drop out.
then the alcohol can become acidic eating away at mettle .such as gas cans,carburetors etc.