Back in December of last year, I picked up an 'Age Your Own' whiskey kit from Woodinville Whiskey. I've always been a fan of good whiskey and bourbon, and this seemed like a good chance to experiment a little and see what it would be like to age my own bourbon. Granted, it's a novelty item, but a fun one.
I started with two bottles of Woodinville Whiskey's "White Dog" un-aged whiskey. It's a clear, un-aged bourbon mash at 110 proof (what's called "barreling strength" - basically moonshine in a bottle). The included mini oak barrel is designed to hold both bottles of White Dog, plus about 12oz of water. Adding the water is supposed to bring down the proof of the final/aged bourbon to about 85 proof.
On December 29th, 2011, after swelling the barrel with water for a few days, I filled it up with the whiskey, topped it off with water, corked it up and let the magic start to happen. About three weeks later I tried my first taste from the attached spigot on the barrel. At that point the bourbon had a bit of color to it, but was still mostly clear and still tasted much like the pure 'moonshine' I'd put into the barrel. Small, periodic tastings in the following weeks showed progress over time and an improvement in both color and flavor.
Today, March 29th, 2012, is the three-month mark. Three months ago today the bourbon went into the barrel. Today, it's coming out. Part of the fun with the age your own kit is that you decide how long you want to age your bourbon. You can age it for as long or short a period as you like depending on how much color and oak character and flavor you want in yoru bourgon. Based on my tastings and the progress I'm seeing, three months seems about right for this particular batch. I'll know for sure tonight.
I'll update this post later tonight or tomorrow with photos and perhaps a video of the bottling process. So be sure to check back here soon.
UPDATE:
The finished product came out quite well. It has a nice sweet and slightly floral scent, with a nice oak aroma and flavor and a slight vanilla scent in the background. It's still a bit 'hot' on the finish - I'm wondering if I actually hit the desired 85 proof (the 'white' whiskey started out at 110 proof - barreling strength). However, it's quite enjoyable, and I'm sure I'll be picking up a few more bottles of the White Dog 110 proof, so I can age some more. Cheers!
To see all of the photos click HERE. Cheers!
Drink responsibly and stay safe out there.
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