My family and I were going through my grandmother’s apartment after her passing to get her estate in order. After all was said and done, I got a bunch of alcohol she had for guests mostly, including two types of whiskey (scotch and regular), some gin, and three flavors of vodka. I tried some of the Crown Royal and it didn’t taste too good. Also didn’t taste like the last glass of whiskey I had before. Of course I always hear about stuff aged 4 years or 12 years etc. so I wonder if it’s a “gone bad” thing or a me thing.

  • boonhet@lemm.ee
    5·
    2 months ago

    Explains that one time I had a bottle of disgusting flavoured whiskey, let it sit half-empty for a few weeks or even months, and then it was actually pretty good

    • P00ptart@lemmy.world
      2·
      2 months ago

      Or you already drank what you like and were finally drunk enough that you didn’t taste how bad it was. 🤣

    • voluble@lemmy.ca
      6·
      2 months ago

      Could be! From my experience, high strength Bourbon is better a couple weeks after being opened. From a flavour standpoint, gin also benefits greatly from resting for a few weeks after distillation.

      In fact, one of my favourite Scotch Whisky distilleries will blend a production batch, and then re-barrel the blended volume in casks and let it rest for 6 months to allow the flavours to harmonize.

      There is definitely some magic that happens after spirits are blended/bottled, and it’s not very well understood, but the changes are detectable, and in general, they’re positive.

        • voluble@lemmy.ca
          2·
          2 months ago

          I know Bruichladdich has said they do this for the Laddie Classic (a bottling I really love). Source: just trust me bro. I don’t recall when or where I heard that. Possibly they do it with other bottlings, and surely other distilleries are doing the same thing. Bruichladdich didn’t invent the process. But it’s not a well studied, documented, or promoted element of whisky ageing, because, I think, it’s not as sexy as infusion and evaporation. Among other reasons. If you’re curious, I could spin a yarn.

          Any distillery that chooses to do this, certainly does it for a reason. Disgorging and re-casking a batch is a massive pain in the ass, and holds up warehouse space & production timelines - two things a bean counter with no sensitivities to flavour would be happy to cut out.