Aging for the first time

Ruoris

I'm off the grog for a bit, and I'd like to prepare some scotch for storing away for six+ months in an oak cask. I already have the first run distilled from a few weeks ago, but haven't got to 2nd cut yet. I'm wondering, if I distil a 2nd cut at around 75%, should I store that as it is on oak, or should I water it down first to 40% and then store it? And if I'm flavoring it, should I do that straight away, or later?

Sporacle

For ABV I'd go around the 62 - 65 mark, that's where my runs end up roughly. By flavouring do you mean essence or aromatics? If it's aromatics be very careful about amounts, it is easier to add a little here and there at the end but very hard to remove it.
Personally the cut spirit and the oak has served me well on its own

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" you can pick your nose and you can pick your friends; but you can't always wipe your friends off on your saddle" sage advice from Kinky Friedman

Ruoris

Ok, thanks. Yeah I would add a little essence. Nice to have a target. Appreciate it.

Dougmatt

I hear the 62.5% a lot as that’s what most of the big houses age at.  I was also doing it for awhile, but in the spirit of “question everything” I began to research. Turns out that that high proof is more about regulation, storage space and reduction in barrel cost versus achieving the best flavors which surprised me.   I always heard the higher the Abv, the faster the flavor transfer, but the latest evidence suggest that may actually be incorrect and the opposite is true.  
The current craft trend is to age lower.  The theory goes that the water in solution is actually what draws out the wood sugars amd flavor, not the alcohol. Several craft distilleries I’ve been to recently say closer to around 100 - 110 proof is ideal for aging.  You are supposed to get a faster aging, more / sweeter flavors, and less loss to the angels!   
Here’s an article to start the journey of review if interested:   https://bourbonveach.com/2015/12/21/bar ... nt-page-1/
I’m adjusting my aging entry point down to 51.5% (michter’s is 103 proof), but haven’t finished a cycle for comparison yet.Last edited by Dougmatt on Fri Oct 28, 2022 3:57 am, edited 1 time in total.

Sporacle

Very informative, thanks Dougmatt. I've got a batch of UJSSM that will now be split, one at 62 and the other at 52

" you can pick your nose and you can pick your friends; but you can't always wipe your friends off on your saddle" sage advice from Kinky Friedman

Dougmatt

Great test case.  Would love to hear the results. I don’t make enough in a batch to fill 2 barrels

Sporacle

I'll actually split a 5L demi that I've just put down into smaller glass vessels, will try to remember to do a taste test in about 6 months and more importantly post the results

" you can pick your nose and you can pick your friends; but you can't always wipe your friends off on your saddle" sage advice from Kinky Friedman

Saltbush-Bill

Finding this kinda confusing , maybe Ive had to many Rums?......Your terminologies seem a bit out of wack.
What ABV have you got the first run stored at ? What do you mean by "but haven't got to 2nd cut yet" ?.....you havnt done a second run ?
Hang on....does the first run mean a strip run......and second cut mean spirit run ?

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No don't do that..it needs to be aged at around 62-65%.What recipe exactly did you use that makes you think that adding some kind of essence will improve the outcome?
I think you will find that most here aim for making the real deal, adding essences is kinda like a microwaved TV dinner , using proper ingredients will result in something more like grandma's home cooked meal.
Having said that I have experimented with essences at times .....Ive found a couple that I would use again ....to make things like Sambuca and Cointreau.......but I doubt that you will ever make a good whisky using them.

Ruoris

This is great information. Thanks for that! I look forward to hearing how the taste test goes.

Ruoris

No don't do that..it needs to be aged at around 62-65%.What recipe exactly did you use that makes you think that adding some kind of essence will improve the outcome?
I think you will find that most here aim for making the real deal, adding essences is kinda like a microwaved TV dinner , using proper ingredients will result in something more like grandma's home cooked meal.
Having said that I have experimented with essences at times .....Ive found a couple that I would use again ....to make things like Sambuca and Cointreau.......but I doubt that you will ever make a good whisky using them.Yes I am an amateur, not a great deal of experience, and even less terminology. I've been distilling for a couple of years quite happily at a hobbyist level, but since I'm not drinking right now, I just wanted to know what ABV was best to store at. I had a stripping run I did a while back sitting in some glass carboys (at around 30%), and just wanted an idea what would be the best ABV to store it at once I did the spirit run since I wasn't planning on drinking it any time soon.
I'm no purist. I use essences for a whole bunch of things, sometimes odd liqueurs, sometimes to imitate a favourite scotch (for instance, quite happy to add peat flavouring to a bottle and a little glycerine for mouth feel) I'm not interested in creating my own special house blend, it's just for fun. So that's the context. Thanks for your input, and sorry for confusing you with my original post.

jonnys_spirit

If you're after a scotch and going to leave it for a while in an oak cask I'd recommend not adding any flavours, and storing it in the 55%-60%abv range (in the cask). Six months or a year later see how it's going before adding any flavours - you may be very pleasantly surprised

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Cheers!
-j————
i make stuff i break stuff
water into whiskey into water
just getting started in home distilling - been drinking for decades
16g copper pot still, 10l alembic, and a column or two
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FL-Brewer

Let it go at least a year.... it's even better after two years, and really, really good after three.Everyone has to believe in something. Me?  I believe I'll have another drink......