Oak tool makes cheap whisky taste good...From the daily mail.

[MarkLondon]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2814342/The-stick-makes-cheap-whisky-taste-GOOD-Oak-tool-ages-filters-liquor-24-hours-reduces-chance-getting-hangover.html

[Edamski]

Pretty much what our conversation was about over lunch that one time Marc

[MrMaduro]

This makes absolute sense. Aged whiskey is praised for the flavour emparted from the barrel(s) it is aged in. The fundamental design of those barrels is not optimised for that engagement to take place in the quickest time. The article states correctly that the impurities are removed and 'woody' flavours are emparted by this process which effectively constitutes 'aging'. If you offer a larger surface area of the wood grain to the liquid, this process will inevitably happen quicker. I'm not completely sold on the '24 hour' claim but I do not doubt at all that it will speed the process up considerably.

I would love to try some comparisons for myself.

Sent from Tapa Tapa land

[rascal]

Yeah what a pile of crap, age does not turn a crap whisky into good. So cant see how sticking a bit of oak in will make any difference. Some of the most surprising recent whisky's for me have been some 5 year olds that have been truly wonderful.

[ValeTudoGuy]

You can do exactly the same with small chunks of oak or fruit wood. I have had great success with BBQ apple wood chips making "Aged" Vodka.

The science is sound due to liquid volumes and surface area it takes much much less time than ageing a full barrel of whisky at the distillery, but this isn't new tech...... people have been doing this for decades if not longer.

Though as rascal suggests this wont make shit spirit win awards.... but it most certainly can improve spirit and allow it to continue to age.

I would't pay for a gadget cut into a useless shape to do this though.

[ValeTudoGuy]

Some of the most surprising recent whisky's for me have been some 5 year olds that have been truly wonderful.

It shouldn't be too surprising, more Whisky is being matured in small barrels (Liquid volume is smaller while surface area is bigger.) So a 5 year aged Whisky can have similar sugar and phenol levels to 15 year old Whisky from bigger barrels.

[ValeTudoGuy]

I'm not completely sold on the '24 hour' claim but I do not doubt at all that it will speed the process up considerably.

I would love to try some comparisons for myself.

I'm fairly sure that 24 hours is hogwash, but a week is pretty realistic for a single bottle. Try it yourself.... toast some apple wood BBQ chips and put them in half a bottle of cheap whisky and save the other half bottle. Sample them regularly for a week or two and you will notice the wood infused number will be more well rounded and more flavourful.

[Edamski]

I'm fairly sure that 24 hours is hogwash, but a week is pretty realistic for a single bottle. Try it yourself.... toast some apple wood BBQ chips and put them in half a bottle of cheap whisky and save the other half bottle. Sample them regularly for a week or two and you will notice the wood infused number will be more well rounded and more flavourful.

I like the idea of the sample regularly bit