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Wood. Tooth pic chewing, popsicle stick munching wood.
Is what seems to be the path to medal success evidently?
Mind you, I am an amateur bourbon whiskey enthusiast compared to so many others.
But it seems I'll be looking forward to the pendulum swinging back towards a bit more of a balanced approach toward oaking.
I personally had a very hard time identifying any of the other layers of flavor that I personally prefer. In my mind, you have to make more than one thing reveal itself. A beginning, middle and end with all toothpick is not my idea of well crafted whiskey.
I'm confused after that outcome of medal winners in the bourbon category.
StillDragon North America - Your StillDragon® Distributor for North America
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I think it's partially due to a limited number of judges. We do ACSA to get feedback but it's always 2 judges "WOW AWESOME" and one judge "TOTAL CRAP".
Pgh did represent this year though - We (city distilleries, not us specifically) won 3 of the Best in Class awards.
For the toothpick comment - it's American whiskey in new oak. It's kinda the style. Not my thing, that's why I like Scotch and single malts. I like to taste the distillate, not the barrel.
The wood seemed pretty excessive even for bourbon.
Had a rye that was a bit better.
StillDragon North America - Your StillDragon® Distributor for North America
One reason I have never
given up a bottle of one of my creations...correction... paid $500 for the privilege of giving one of my creations to a group of judges for a medal.... not a single one... I am a BJCP beer judge and a beer Cicerone and know what happens at competitions regarding overloading judges and their senses...The sample tables were pretty barren this show too.
Convension fatigue or folks just too busy to attend?
The next ACSA is in 8 months and we were just there in December. Evidently this next show puts them back on schedule. As an aside, I couldn't help feeling like the venders get a bit of "second class citizen" treatment while we are simultaneously encouraged to keep the money flowing into the organization,,,is how it feels.
StillDragon North America - Your StillDragon® Distributor for North America
I think a lot of the heavy wood is driven by the use of 25/30g barrel sizes going towards the 4 year mark.
In our own barrel stock, there is a notable difference between our 30 and 53g, even in batches where the fills were from the same distillation batches.
I'm going to wager a bet that there would be a good market for bourbons aged in even larger cask sizes (euro 63g+ sizes for example), especially if the end result is bottled at higher proofs (which is the general trend these days).
If I was going to make a big bet on laying down bourbon intended to be aged for 20+ years, I'd see if one of the cooperages could make me hogsheads or cognac puncheons in new char oak. Store these in conditioned temp spaces, fund my retirement.
agreed, I have to strip a lot of flavor out of whiskey going into small barrels to get the bad flavors out that won't go away in the first 12-36 months...
I hear you. Its just that operators like Rogue have a deep enough war chest to pull from 53s. The Rogue was definitely woody.
I otherwise have always enjoyed Jake's Dead Guy Whiskey. Though I believe that is just a barely grain bill that may be put down for a second rest in a once used barrel? Can't remember exactly?
StillDragon North America - Your StillDragon® Distributor for North America
Wonder what their entry proofs were as well. High entry proofs are absolutely woodier - and greener - compared to lower entry proofs - given the same barrel and time period.
I want to have a dunnage house with nothing but puncheons filled with single malt. Given that my biggest still is currently 200l that might take me a while...