Not sure this community is alive, but gotta ask for you guys that are experienced.

At some time ago I’d tried really good whisky. Really really good, I mean, Lagavulling 18 kind good. I didn’t really care for whisky before trying that.

Now a days I’m a big fan of those whiskies, but they are extremely expensive where I live. I’m talking about a month earnings worth.

My question here is: Is it possible to distill that grade of good whisky at home? How close one can get to those whiskies home distilling?

Thanks guys, hope someone sees this and answer.

  • fletcher_bosom
    6·
    6 天前

    “18” is how many years the whiskey is aged (kept under perfect conditions, probably in an oak barrel). How patient are you? Able to maintain consistent temperature and humidity conditions for a couple decades? Even then you might wait that long only to discover that your distillation was crap (or worse, cause blindness of you don’t know what you’re doing).

    • JohniegordoOP
      4·
      6 天前

      I’m sorry, it seems that I failed to explain where I’m at in terms os distilling.

      I’m a long time home Brewer. I’m reading and studding about distilling, I know the cuts and the safety issues, although I don’t fully understand how one could mix heads and tails for redistilling, or even blanding, once heads are basically pure Metanol which is highly toxic.

      My question is more in terms of is it possible to craft a high-end whisky at home, just like I can brew a commercial grade or even better beer?

      As far as I’ve read, it would be similar to a high gravity aged beer, where the outcome will only be discovered years ahead.

      I’ve brewd really good aged beers as well as really crappy ones. The difference is that in 2ich years I could taste the outcame instead of 10ich years.

      You pointed some interesting point here. It’s whey easier to maintain a controlled environment for 2 years than for 10 years, fore sure.

      Thanks for your reply.

      • fletcher_bosom
        3·
        6 天前

        Oh right on… wasn’t sure what experience you have and it seemed prudent to warn a possible novice of the dangers and difficulties. You seem pretty experienced-- respect.

        I think there’s no reason why a person couldn’t craft legendary spirits at home, given enough resources. I’ll let someone who knows more than I, speak to what that would entail specifically for your question about single malt.

  • sicarius
    2·
    6 天前

    I’m pretty sure you can get mini barrels to age your home distilled whiskey in. And it should age quicker by comparison to larger full sized barrels.
    My dad has a still and monitor barrel, I’ll ask him.

    • sicarius
      2·
      6 天前

      Right so here the reply from my dad,
      "It is estimated that a 5l barrel will age whisky in 6 months as opposed to a full keg. I did it once and the results were interesting. Added burnt oak chips and soaked the barrel in port for 2 months prior to keep it fully swelled.
      It was comparable to an unaged Talisker. We did a taste comparison at the pub and while no aficionados the verdict was ambivalent
      5 years.
      Also shuggling the barrel a couple of times a week will accelerate the process ".

      Hope that helps.

      • JohniegordoOP
        1·
        6 天前

        Thank you very much. It actually helps and goes along with my expirence again beer. You gotta keep sampling till it gets where you want in terms of flavour, otherwise it will likely became an undrinkable oak soup. Been there, done that, unfortunately.

        Are you aware of any container that I could age the whisky in and it would benefit of it, before transferring to the barrel to finish it?

          • JohniegordoOP
            2·
            5 天前

            So I’ve done some research, there seems to be a kind of barrel made of inox with only the topside made of wood. Therefore, one can age spirits for longer without getting too Woody.

            Gonna definitely give it a thought.

            • sicarius
              1·
              5 天前

              Cool, keep me posted on how it goes.
              @remindme 2 years

  • PlantJam
    2·
    6 天前

    More likely there is a different spirit that is local to you and thus more affordable. As the other commenter mentioned, home distilling probably isn’t worthwhile.