Esters in whiskey mash....good/bad/indifferent??

[butterpants]

Quick question that I made into a poll. Depending on my yeast pitch rate, I've found that I can control somewhat the production of fruity esters fermenting with US-05 in a bourbon wash. When I pitch close to a traditional beer/ale rate of 1 million cells/ml/degree plato and hold near 70F some significant esters are formed. On the otherhand when I repitch a 2nd generation yeast cake (way, way more yeast cells) and hold closer to 66F for two days then ramp up to 70F the fruityness is virtually undetectable. Neither method produced any traditional off flavors. The science of it revolves around yeast reproduction and how much they do but who wants to be bored with that?

So if you're running a pot still and making whiskey is it advantageous or detrimental to increase ester production? If it's bad should I be striving to eliminate it?