Wasmund's DIY Malt Whisky Aging Kit

[Sijan]

Received this email offer today from Pearson's, a DC liquor store:

Picture here:

GIFT IDEA OF THE CENTURY

OWN YOUR OWN

BARREL OF WHISKY

DO IT YOURSELF

MALT WHISKY AGING KIT

DISTILLER RICK WASMUND

AT PEARSON'S WEDNESDAY DEC 17

PLEASE RSVP

Two hours down the road in Sperryville, Virginia . . . somewhere out Rte 211 between Front Royal, Culpepper & Warrenton. . . Rick Wasmund is producing minute quantities of Single Malt Whisky . . . just like they do in in Scotland . . . with a few minor exceptions.

Made from local Thoroughbred barley from his own private grower . . . he malts it in small batches . . . in Scotland they call it "floor malting."

But when the batch is ready to dry, Rick uses no peat. Instead he uses the smoke from an apple, cherry and oak wood fire that he keeps at a slow burn . . . milled with hot water into a sweet smoky mash . . . then distilled in his double pot still.

Rick's final aging and toasting process is secret . . . patent pending, of course . . . involving highly aromatic strains of apple, cherry and oak wood.

August 2006: "Thank you, Steve. You're my first sale," Rick sighed (jubulently) the day he completed his ABC paperwork.

Rick's been at it for more than two years now. Pearson's was the first to carry the stuff (Batch #1). He sells his unique Malt in more than ten states now and he is up to Batch #24.

On Wednesday, December 15 Rick will be at Pearson's to show us the neatest new gift idea of the century . . .

WASMUND'S OWN "AGE IT YOURSELF" BARREL OF WHISKY

It's very simple . . . here's how it works.

You buy Wasmund's CLEAR, UNAGED Virginia Single Malt and a custom made 5 liter oak barrel. You fill the barrel with the CLEAR, UNAGED whiskey. You let it age for four months or so til it gets nice and smooth, bronze and creamy. You sip it for a while and then you age some more.

In Rick's words: "The 5 liter barrels hold 6 750 ml's of spirit. The spirit is 123 proof, which is just about the industry standard for barrel aging proof. Because of the vastly increased ration of charred oak surface area to whisky volume, these barrels work very quickly. Our experiment at 4 months is great."

Wednesday Night, December 17, between 5 and 8 pm

Distiller Rick Wasmund will be here to sample

his own Virginia Single Malt Whisky . . .

Wasmund's Red Top Malt Whisky . . . $34.99 Wasmund's Silver Top Malt Whisky . . . $44.99 Wasmund's Malt Whisky Aging Kit . . . $170.00

6 bottles of Wasmund's Single Malt unaged whisky and one 5 Liter Aging Barrel

quantities are limited PEARSON'S WINE & LIQUOR

2436 Wisconsin Avenue NW

There is no charge for the tasting . . . however we must be prepared.

If you plan to attend, please RSVP to

Steve@PearsonsWine.com

[jburlowski]

These hit the shelves at the Party Source in Northern KY today. I believe the barrel is 2 liter. $99 for the kit of barrel and your choice of rye or single malt white dog.

I'm thinking about trying the rye.

[Lost Pollito]

The rye is fantastic. We're on our second fill with the kit, and it's going very nicely. The first fill lasted about a week, then started getting way to woody. Second time through is going much smoother.

[jburlowski]

Do I understand you to say that you only aged it for a week?

[Lost Pollito]

Do I understand you to say that you only aged it for a week?

[MikeK]

Rick Wasmund was in the Boston area about 2 weeks back for a number of store tastings. I saw him at Federal Wine and Spirits in Boston. He was pouring both the Rye and Malt Whiskey in both white dog and aged form. I was hopeful about the rye but found it very light like Beam's line of rye's. I was hoping for something more spicey and flavorful like Saz or WT. He also had a 5L barrel he had been aging the malt whiskey in for about 7 months I think. He was pouring from that as well. And they were selling the barrel kits.

I very nice and fun guy. I picked up a bottle of the raw malt whiskey to enjoy with my BT white dog