New vs Used barrels

[Guest]

Didn't we get something like this with the largely panned Woodford Master's Collection rye set? I think there was some real potential here if they had only let it spend more time in the barrel. I don't know what the age of this whiskey set was but it was probably not long enough.

I am not even sure if that rye whiskey was all Woodford produced and of course the mashbill is also a mystery. As discussed in another thread this seems like the kind of thing that really should make the full details of the distillate public rather than keep it a secret. Not like anybody else is likely to make a similar product after all.

Yeh i tried this set at a recent tasting, not very impressive, from memory i think the ambassador said they were four years old? Could be wrong though.

Also had a taste of Woodfords new make at about 130proof, to be honest I preffered this to either of the ryes.

[squire]

Mellow corn I am told has a mash bill of 90 corn, 5 rye, 5 malt.

Tom can you detect the rye when tasting Mellow Corn?

[jaycamm]

Ever had Greenore 15 yo? I would love to see some of the bourbon/rye mashbills aged out 15-20 yrs in used cooperage. I am also surprised someone hasn't tried this (or perhaps they have, and the results aren't worth the price they'd have to charge to hold onto the stock that long?) Maybe try it on the first floor of the rickhouse?

Hirsch currently has a 20 year American Whiskey aged in used cooperage.

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[Yeti]

One of my dream hypotheticals is a BT/ER juice brought to straight bourbon standards then re-barreled in sherry butts for an additional 8+ years. Make it happen BTEC!

[White Dog]

Hirsch currently has a 20 year American Whiskey aged in used cooperage.

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Indeed they do, and it was a Bourbon mashbill distilled at the old Hiram Walker plant in Peoria. It was a stash of lost barrels that were never intended to age that long, but it's a fascinating Whiskey. A touch sweet, but really resiny on the finish.

[White Dog]

Tom can you detect the rye when tasting Mellow Corn?

I pick up a hint of Rye in both Dixie Dew and MC. Not much, but a touch.

[squire]

The MC we get here is 4 year Bonded which might make a decent base for blending with other Bourbons. I know, I know, but sometimes I have to feed the inner geek.

[Yeti]

Just saw somebody post a picture of Indiana whiskey that said "twice barreled in American oak" or something like that.

What would a "twice" matured bourbon be like? Instead of finishing for months or a few years in exotic barrels, what if a spirit of 8 years was dumped into brand new oak barrels again and matured for another 8 years?

[MyOldKyDram]

Or better still a 4-8 yr finished a good long time in an ex bourbon cask.

[ChainWhip]

Or better still a 4-8 yr finished a good long time in an ex bourbon cask.

Like bourbon finished in Stitzel-Weller Barrels? Or maybe even George T. Stagg barrels...

;-)

[tanstaafl2]

Just saw somebody post a picture of Indiana whiskey that said "twice barreled in American oak" or something like that.

What would a "twice" matured bourbon be like? Instead of finishing for months or a few years in exotic barrels, what if a spirit of 8 years was dumped into brand new oak barrels again and matured for another 8 years?

Might be interesting if a bit woody. But the odds are long that the Spring Hill Indiana Bourbon, presumably fresh from MGPI, has a anything close to a total of 8 years between both barrelings.

[sutton]

Reminds me of a wine (French, but can't remember the label) advertised as 200% new oak. Didn't think that was possible, but they ferment red must in a new barrel, and then age in another new barrel. All I could think of was, those poor grapes ... :cry:

[squire]

What would a "twice" matured bourbon be like? Instead of finishing for months or a few years in exotic barrels, what if a spirit of 8 years was dumped into brand new oak barrels again and matured for another 8 years?

Beam did something similar with it's Jacob's Well brand a decade or so back but it works better in theory than in practice. If you have a good Bourbon properly aging in a good barrel there's really no reason to mess with it.

[Yeti]

If you have a good Bourbon properly aging in a good barrel there's really no reason to mess with it.

Hard to argue with that.

[tmckenzie]

Tom can you detect the rye when tasting Mellow Corn?

[Flyfish]

Like bourbon finished in Stitzel-Weller Barrels? Or maybe even George T. Stagg barrels...

;-)

I'm betting the SW and GTS have already sucked all the sumption out of those barrels. Used barrels are rather like used chewing gum. All the desirable flavors are gone by the time you get it.

[Leopold]

It's zinc. Rye has a nice amount of zinc, something barley and corn are short on. Zinc is an often overlooked, yet key component for good fermentations and complete attenuation.

[Leopold]

It's zinc. Rye has a good amount of zinc. Zinc is a key, but sometimes overlooked, component of good fermentation and complete attenuation.