Category: wood
-
The Weird Exception of Early Landed Cognac (Hine Series Part 5)
I have been writing a series of blog posts about cognac, and I've really been looking forward to this one about "early landed" cognac. This series has been detailed information about cognac production generally, and Hine cognac specifically, as I was able to ask the cellar master Eric Forget a ton of questions. It has…
-
Aging Conditions for Cognac (Hine Series Part 4)
I'm in the middle of a series of posts about how cognac is made generally, with details from Hine cognac cellarmaster Eric Forget about how Hine is made specifically. Hine offers a special blend meant for mixology (H by Hine), other VSOP and XO blends, single vineyard cognacs, and many vintage-dated cognacs. The posts in…
-
Wood and Barrels for Cognac (Hine Series Part 3)
At the end of 2019, I sent a list of 100 questions to the cellarmaster of Hine cognac, Eric Forget. I'm writing up what I learned over several posts. Hine is a small (relative to the majors) cognac brand founded a bit over 250 years ago. The main house is located along the Charente River…
-
Bitter Ingredient Flavors and Use from Martini Vermouth Masters
—
by
A lot of bits and bites of information about bittering agents used in vermouths and aperitivo bitters from some people who know a lot about them.
-
Sulfur Control in Sherry Casks Headed to Midleton Distillery
How the makers of Jameson and Redbreast keep whiskey-ruining sulfur out of their barrels.
-
Why Sherry Cask Whiskies are Aged in Spanish Oak But Sherry is Aged in American Oak Casks
Answering a lingering question about the type of oak barrels used in Jerez for sherry exported to Scotland to age scotch whisky.
-
LASER STAVES! How whisky makers are using barrels toasted with an infrared ‘sun on a stick’
In a post for PopularScience.com I wrote about a technology being employed to toast wine and now whiskey barrels with infrared light.
-
The Science of Barrel Aging on PopSci.com
I wrote a story for Popular Science on the science of barrel aging. The story was inspired by a trip to The Glenlivet where I tasted a 50-year-old whisky without any smoky qualities – but 50 years ago this and most whisky would have been at least lightly peated. So I went into the article specifically looking…
-
A Visit to a Cooperage in Armagnac
We drank tannins out of a puddle at this tiny barrel-maker’s property in Armagnac.