Cherry boxes made from a tree removed from our Walker Township property, along with some of the mini staves used in processing this barrel aged rye whiskey.
Many of my Shaker boxes are made utilizing lumber from salvaged trees with historic or sentimental interest. Philip Jensen, the head distiller at Big Spring Spirits, in Bellefonte inquired about using scrap pieces from these trees in processing of some of their spirits. Each wood has a distinct smell and every time the lid is removed from one of the Shaker boxes, you get that great raw wood smell from inside.
This barrel aged rye whiskey is the first product where these wood scraps were used in the flavoring process. The following is Philips description of the process: Mini staves of black cherry were toasted in an oven until they had just a light char on the outside, then allowed to air cure for a couple weeks. The one year old rye was transferred from its barrel to a blending tank. The mini staves were added and allowed to soak with a gentle agitation for six days before the product was bottled. The black cherry added depth, a touch of sweetness, and some subtle floral notes to the rye whiskey.
This barrel aged rye whiskey has sold out, but I will keep you posted on future batches utilizing other woods.