whisky review 86 - Winter Scotch (old-time New Year Liquor)

[sharpknifesedge]

Whisky in the jar...:-)

[C5Rigzz]

Ralfy, I have a bottle of this right now but am having problems.

First (to help preparation to others)... I underestimated how much Scotch I'd lose. I could have used two bottles to offset what would have soaked into the fruit.

Anyway, my problem: It's very cloudy after three weeks of having been drained and re-bottled. I've tried coffee filters but after a few hours - the filter clogs and only filtered maybe 10%. Do you have any suggestions for clearing it up a bit?

[ralfystuff]

@C5Rigzz

I take it your fruit has absorbed a lot of whisky which can be the only explanation for loss. Press the fruit to get the whisky back or alternatively, make a delicious whisky cake. You can either leave your fruited-whisky to settle over time or buy some wine-fining gel which will clear the cloudiness quickly. Good luck.

[C5Rigzz]

@ralfystuff Ralfy, as an update: Yes, the fruit soaked up a great deal of whisky and I was only able to reclaim a portion after pressing. However, after 9 coffee filters and an entire morning of letting the contents filter through filter after filter I can now say I have a wonderfully deep, red, aromatic, and clear Winter Scotch! It's about 1/4 bottle but it will welcome a topping-off just to bring the flavor down to more subtle enjoyment. Thanks Ralfy - I'll post a video toast to you with it!

[gwedboi]

hi ralfy.

i tried this and the whisky has become very syrupy will this thin out over time? I had a bit of a taste and all i can taste is sultanas. interesting stuff though

[ralfystuff]

@gwedboi

... too much addition ! .... thin it out a little with whisky and let it settle.

[TheBeebopper]

Nutmeg and ginger are my favourite rich cake spices with or without a heavy dosing of fruit. I've used these with rum when preparing fruit and drank the spare liquor in a month as it was too tasty to leave, but will they work similarly with whisky?

BTW boil your fruit off in some tea for a minute before steeping in the spirit, it removes the sulphur and opens the fruit so the spirit combines easier.

[REDHAWKMAN1000]

Ralfy, do you have a tip on how to remove the labels from the bottles?

Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A.

[busysignal2006]

@REDHAWKMAN1000 i use hot water and a piece of steel wool

[Diddi997]

hi ralfy, wonder if you've tried adding vanilla pods? or might that overwhelm the taste like cinnamon?

[ralfystuff]

@Diddi997

I don't but try it and see, ... but easy does it !

[tonyiommi87]

By the way, i can't find mixed fruits like these you have.

The Orange and Citrons in there, are these the candied peels or really the dried fruits? I also think that i could add some cinnamon sticks but i am afraid that these

will destroy the overall taste, what do you think?

[ralfystuff]

@tonyiommi87

... very very easy with any cinnamon, it will quickly overwhelm a Spirit.

Any decent dried fruits will do.  Take it easy with the proportions. Less is more !

[ralfystuff]

@tonyiommi87

... two weeks !

[tonyiommi87]

Tomorrow i gonna buy some Ballantines finest and gonna "winter " it up! Great video as always, Ralfy!"

[Ungart404]

Ralfy, what's the reason for using ash chips? Is there another wood you might recommend besides ash? Oak, cherry, maple, or perhaps something else?

[ralfystuff]

@Ungart404

... whatever wood adds decent flavour,  ... use it !

[Ungart404]

@ralfystuff I just strained out some of the liquid after a week and it's really syrupy. do you strain it with cheesecloth or some other barrier to remove the sediment or just leave it all together?

[ralfystuff]

@Ungart404

It will be syrupy ! .... strain and leave to settle, pour off from the sediment and leave the bottle to 'mellow' and tone down the syrup. ... A Winter Scotch is sweeter, it is an old-time Liqueur.

I left mine for a year before drinking.

[JohnnyK98k]

Winter's coming along. I'll give this a whizz with my mum & dad, haha. Thanks Ralfy!! :)

[shuboy05]

Hmm, I wonder if using rye whiskey will make it a little spicier?

[toxicteabaging]

Thank you very much Ralfy!

i will definitely try this even though i only have my cabinet full of single malts!

I'll just have to get a blended scotch for this one then eh :)

[Tenkterian]

"Tenkterian's Winter Scotch" was highly appreciated by (almost) all folks on our wee new year's eve party! Thanks for the inspiration! Happy new year!!

[endgiver]

why should I not try to put nuts in with it? Just wondering

[ralfystuff]

if you like it with nuts, do it with nuts, but watch out for bitterness if the nuts are left soaking too long.

[endgiver]

hmm ok. I was almost thinking almonds or macademias with the fruit. Winter scotch is a really good idea, I'm going to have to give it a try.

[ojfraz]

This actually makes me want to try WINTER SCOTCH

[GLACKEN82]

Oh yes ralfy i am so doing this project for chirstmas!!! experimetal purposes of course hahaha, PS do you think my home made winter scotch will taste ok after just one mouth out of the bottle? thanks

[ralfystuff]

.... you can only try ! it will be OK at any time but benefit from time to 'mature'.

[JAllenWood]

Ralfy, once again you've inspired me! Will be trying some small, experimental batches using both Bourbon and Scotch (wife has an old bottle of Chivas that hasn't seen any action....until now).

And you said that two weeks is plenty of time for the infusion to take? Any downside to letting it soak longer?

As always, thanks for the wonderful vids!

Jesse

[ralfystuff]

.... up to two weeks is plenty time, longer, and the result may get too syrupy. Best to taste after 5 hours, and thereafter every second day.

... good luck.

[MarkusWolf]

DAMN! I just sold my Grants blended whisky to a friend of mine! Uuhm, I just might have a Dewars somewher in the back there.....there it is!

Thanks for the tip Ralfy, this will be my next christmas prodject. :D

[nevik9988]

Great video as always Ralf. This has me quite intrigued and I'm wondering what doing this with Jim Beam would produce. I'm also thinking of putting a larger proportion of wood in the jar and storing half of the batch in an empty Ardbeg bottle for the year. I'm unsure how the fruitiness and bourbon character will go with the peat left in the empty bottle but I think it could be interesting even if its bad.

Any opinions on this? Perhaps a small bit of maple syrup with the fruit may balance it.

[ralfystuff]

.... the fact that you are experimenting means your thinking about flavour and how it happens and this is excellent.

I suggest adding 5 to 10% Ardbeg to your bourbon, then bottle mature it to allow settling and marriage, then try your peated Bourbon, or is that 'Bourislay'.

Don't add syrups or fruits to good stuff !!!

It will inevitably spoil a good fusion, so leave syrup and oak sticks for repair jobs.

[ZiGGyMaidEN]

I will bet myself some plain blend and do that ! :)

Would do great for next winter holidays :)

[dustinnop]

i might give this a try : )

thanks for all the great whisky reviews