World's 1st Van Aged

[B.B. Babington]

Buddy o' mine produced something spectacular.  I'm biased toward age, but people do get 3 year old Garrison for $130 and love it.  My bud bought a bunch o' Copper Fox high proof distillate and through it in a 11+ gallon fancy barrel.  Barrel has some fancy char and is applewood and oak?  He put the barrel in the back of his work van where it sloshed around, got hot in summer and cold in winter.  Rapidly changed temp some days, go from 0 degrees to comfy with the heat on.  As he and the angels pulled drams he'd add more distillate.  For grins I'm calling this solera.  Angels greedy as 11+ gallon barrel has greater relative surface area.  He'd sample occasionally for couple years and found it unsuitable to share.  3 years in he liked it, and I like it.

 

Call it cask, unfiltered.  1st sip a little hot but less than I expected for higher proof, heavy wood.  Has a hint of woodford flavor.  Of course since a youngun not very complex, but way more complex than its age would suggest.  If I had it blind, I might call it an 8 year.  Wood very pronounced but not bitter.  Wood very interesting, distinctive, reminded me of mesquite.  Aftertaste was sweet but short lived.  I seek out distinctive and this does it.  If on the shelf (and since I spend too much on whiskey) I'd buy two bottles for $80/per.  Incredible. 

 

Proof in the pudding.  I followed with ECBP C921 and ECBP paled in comparison.

 

In a backyard way, my bud's "3" year punches a lot o' tickets: "solera" treatment, "ocean" agitation, hot and cold aging, cask, unfiltered, fancy barrel, good quality initial distillate