Cheating (a little)

[NormandieStill]

I just finished blending last years apple brandy, and poured a little snifter. Clearly it's rough around the edges but still drinkable enough. Then while I was putting away the feints and firelighter, I remembered that I had a bottle of oak tea, from an attempt to strip some of the flavour out of some oak with neutral for use when ageing the aforementioned brandy. I added four small drops to the glass, enough to add just the lightest colour...

...It's still a little rough around the edges, but that's been hidden a little beneath the vanilla and (light) tannins. Hopefully providing a preview of what's to come if I manage the ageing correctly.

[Twisted Brick]

That's not cheating at all.... more like 'creative flavor enhancement'.

[HDNB]

nothing wrong with aging apple spirits on oak.

[NormandieStill]

nothing wrong with aging apple spirits on oak.

I know. But here I just added four drops of oaky neutral to some new make apple brandy!

Need to sort out a container for it, and the new make's going to have a nice long rest on some med toasted french oak... including the "depleted" stuff I used to make the oak tea.

Interestingly, the tea on it's own feels a little like an uncomplicated whiskey, except for the highly tannic aftertaste!