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I have both whiskey and rum on a couple of charred oak sticks. Now ponder this, the sticks in the whiskey have sunk to the bottom and the ones in the rum are floating to the top. The rum has been on the oak a week longer than the whiskey, so it's not a time thing. Any guesses why? BTW, same treatment of the sticks, baked and charred.

One's whiskey and one's rum?

I know...not very helpful.

tp (maybe close to the truth but don't know why)

ABV the same in both?

I would think its a difference in ABV also. You'll see the same with color too I've found. Higher ABV will color faster/more than lower. More water (lower proof) = more bouyancy, More alc (higher proof) = less bouyancy.

It will also penetrate the wood differently. Alcohol would soak in faster. I've had some float and some not. But generally by the time I'm ready to take the wood out. It has sunk to the bottom. So I have never really worried it thought about it.

By God gentlmen, what a trove of information you all are....the rum was 110p instead of 120p like the whiskey. I must have sampled a wee drop while doing the rum.

sltm1 wrote:I must have sampled a wee drop while doing the rum.

You're forgiven although NONE of us have ever done the same...

tp

I was thinking it had to do with why Pirates prefer rum.....as in it helps keep those ol' boats floating. I guess science wins though...