Short Par 4 The Magazine Issue #2 October 2020 | Page 30

Course Conditions

There are many factors that influence how whiskey tastes when it comes out of the barrel . The variety and age of the wood used to make the barrel that matures it . The dissolved minerals in the local tributaries and aquifers that are used . The different grains that make up the mash bill for each whiskey . Where those grains came from . How long the distillate stays in the barrel . The biggest factor that informs the aging process and the flavor of a whiskey is the weather . Weather is life . All new whiskey distillate comes out of the still clear as water . The color of a whiskey comes from the grip and release of the charred oak barrel . Some older bourbon labels describe their contents as being “ Aged over ( x ) summer ’ s “. And that ’ s how it goes . During the hot summer months , the whiskey expands outward into the charred alligator skin inside the barrel . When the leaves fall and the temps drop below 45 degrees Fahrenheit , the barrel shuts down and releases it ’ s captive liquid , albeit a little changed . Sadly , the longer it stays in the barrel the more it evaporates . This is called the angles share . Earth and water become sky . The liquid left behind becomes denser and more concentrated . Don ’ t be fooled by lengthy age statements though . Barrel age does not always correlate to quality . That ’ s a mostly American ideal . I ’ ve tasted some 60 + year old single malt scotch that didn ’ t live up to expectations . I ’ ve tasted 9 year old bourbons that outperformed the 15-23 year olds . Once whiskey hits a certain age it needs to be constantly monitored . Any longer in the barrel than necessary and it becomes over oaked . A gum receding , dry tannic mess . A terrible thing to say the least . Don ’ t believe the hype that “ older is better ”.

For this article , I am just going to focus on the Americans . Bourbon and Rye . I will save the rest for another day . Bourbon . What an absolutely lovey beast of a whiskey ! And since 1964 ( Thanks LBJ !), bourbon can only be made in the United States of America