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'Whisky Elements' - a New Quick Aging Tool


Gillman
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http://timeandoak.com/

I read about this outfit in an online English newspaper. The story claimed that chemical analysis post- and pre-usage of the stick showed significant reduction of certain congeners associated with young whisky taste.

Of course, prolonged oxidation of some congeners couldn't occur in a day, but still, the story claimed significant improvement after use of the sticks.

If I read the story right, none of the sticks are charred, which seemed odd to me, but maybe that would interfere somehow with the function of the fresh wood (or maybe the company didn't think of it).

Sounds kinda cool, if any readers have tried this, please report results.

Gary

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Not this tool specifically, but I do have some experience to share.

I made some homemade apple pie bourbon. I found the whiskey becomes really smooth after steeping in apples. The apples themselves are inedible until you cook em down in a syrup to put in apple pie. So maybe the same thing is going and why putting something such as apples in a whiskey can soak up all the congeners as claimed. As I say, just my anecdotal experience but the similarities to what is claimed could be something.

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Just pledged $10 for two sticks on Kickstarter. Figure I've spent more on bottles I've thrown out, so why not. I'll report back after I get them and try them out (looks like shipping will be in December).

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went in for six at 25. Using EWB as their base shows good taste, and I figure turning EWBIB into ECBIB for $4 is a good deal. They are one use, but reusable to less effect. That's ok, just let it steep longer. Plus it can always absorb toxins even after the wood sugars are gone?

If you're look at their beta set on their ks, you can see some heavily charred ones. But since the standard ones seem to be formulated for bourbon, I'll stick with those atm.

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I remember reading an article somewhere of a group who tested them. They said it didn't do much besides add a huge woody note to the bourbon and that in a blind tasting, most preferred the bourbon without the stick. I'll see if I can find it.

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If anyone wants to send me money, I'll happily send you some wood sticks that I hand select and char in my fire pit. I have a nice selection of pine, dog wood, and oak in my yard. Please specify which flavor you would like when you send me your money. :cool:

Edited by petrel800
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If anyone wants to send me money, I'll happily send you some wood sticks that I hand select and char in my fire pit. I have a nice selection of pine, dog wood, and oak in my yard. Please specify which flavor you would like when you send me your money. :cool:
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Well I dunno (regarding the Gizmodo thing), I wouldn't call Jim Beam (any age) or Jack Daniels cheap whiskey. This limited polling isn't definitive ....

The clear photos do suggest the sticks are charred, or some of them.

I am dubious, but not completely convinced there isn't some value in it.

A good whiskey to try is AA, the regular label which is 36 months old (or was last I looked).

Gary

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I tried toasting a birch stick and then soaking it in some rum, and then putting it in some value whiskey (using Ralfy's technique). I'm not sure I followed everything exactly right, but it did make the whiskey more interesting. "Better" is subjective, and it might have been the same if I just threw a thimble of rum into the bottle :lol:

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Fwiw the product creator said the gizmodo sample was a beta version. We shall see how they turn out.

Cheers

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I think you may just get the same results by using oak chips purchased from a home brew supplier. Probably cheaper too.

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  • 4 months later...

Ok - I read a few reviews on this, most of which said it was a waste of time. I had forgotten that I got two sticks in before Christmas, and hadn't yet done anything with the one I kept (the other I gifted to my Dad to play with, since I know he likes playing with his whiskey). After reading this review, I opted to try it with a very inexpensive single malt.

http://scotchnoob.com/2015/01/12/review-whisky-elements/

I used Shieldaig Highlight Single Malt - a Total Wine private label that runs $20. Honestly, first/only $20 single malt I've tried that I thought was decent enough to spend $20 on - which isn't to insist it is fabulous. I guess I'd say that it tastes like as much if not more than you could hope for in exchange for $20 :) Only having one Whiskey Element stick, I broke it in half, tied a string around the edge, and hung it in a 200 mL bottle that I filled with the Shieldaig. I left it alone for two days (didn't mark the exact time, but give or take a couple hours from 48). I did agitate it right after filling it the first day, and again a couple hours later - but that was it.

I went in quite skeptical, expecting it to have no improvement or make it worse. Happily, I was to be disappointed in that! I setup a blind sbs, although the color difference was stark. There was a marked improvement on the nose and palate. It is peaty, with a light, dry sweetness ordinarily. The whiskey which had 2 days of the Whiskey Element inserted was much richer and deeper, without losing the peat or sweetness (it wasn't quite as dry). On the palate, I found more wood (which isn't noticed at all ordinarily; as a NAS whiskey I suspect it isn't very old), and it seemed to be less acidic. My experience was definitely in line with what Scotch Noob found. I intend to buy a couple more of these to try with other value single malts. For $17 for two sticks, I think it definitely adds enough to cover $8-9 to a bottle. I'm looking forward to trying to leave it sit longer, although the reviews all remark that the bulk of the difference is done at the start.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I did a second experiment with this, filling a 200 mL with some Glenmo 10yr and left a half of a Whiskey Element in it for 2.5 days. I'm not a big fan of Glenmo 10yr (and bought it mainly for the chance to get the other 50mL Glenmo samples included in the "Discovery Pack"). Again, I was impressed. For me, it added a depth to both the nose and palate, and rounded it out quite nicely. Does it "add age"? Of course not. But for me, it improved the bottle enough to offset the cost of the stick.

I'm definitely buying some to use on single malts that I might acquire only to learn I'm not a big fan (and I'd intentionally buy the Shieldaig again to throw one of these in - for a total investment of under $30, I think it is definitely well worth it).

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