White Lightning

By Jeff Topping
Photo By Ventre Photo Illustration

Whether you drink Bourbon, Scotch, or American Rye there are set guidelines as to how long it must be aged in wood before it can gain one of those coveted titles or it is just clear spirit, white lightning, white dog, or just – whisky!.

So, what happens if you have no wood?  First, there will be no bungs to pound and no barrels to fill but you could try it old school and just go naked.  Second, it is a great opportunity to see why good wood is important to making great whisky of any kind. The wood imparts flavors and colors directly into the clear spirit in addition to filtering out certain impurities from the distilling process.  Some of these flavors and aromas come directly from the wood, its charring process and its previous occupant – all providing character to the taste.

Our friends a Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky and Copper Fox Distillery in Virginia provide us with raw spirit straight from the still.  This could defiantly be your great grand-pa’s whisky or just the guy with the illegal still down the road.  Either way too much of either and you will be found naked in the streets.

Buffalo Trace White Dog Mash #1 (corn, rye, and malt) at 62.5% alc.vol.
Noses of corn flakes, sugar, with hints of hay,  slightly herbal taste with a light short finish.

Washmund’s Single Malt Spirit at 62% alc./vol.
Noses of wood sap, wood chips, and burlap with slight copper taste and herbal finish.

Washmund’s Rye Spirit (rye and malt) at 62% alc./vol.
Noses of cinnamon and grain bin followed by tastes of wet rye and barley grain.

For a bit of extra credit take a look at the Copper Fox Distillery web site and buy a small barrel, which are perfect for aging these clear spirits.  Every month you will notice a slight change in nose, taste, and color.  When it gets just right, call me. I’ll  bring the cigars.