First sample from the barrel

Snow is falling, wind is blowing, a perfect night for a wee dram.  My rye whisky has been in the barrel for a month.  Let's see what's been going on in there, shall we?

First we liberate a bit from the cask.  I didn't want to break the seal on the bung, so I just opened the spigot and waited patiently.  Then tipped the barrel a bit when patience ran thin.

It has already picked up quite a bit of color from the barrel.  I would call it a light amber at this point.  Remember this is at cask strength, so the color is a bit concentrated from what we'll expect in the final product.

And the moment of truth.  Step 1: the nose.

And a magnificent nose it is, yes?

The scent of rye is almost overwhelming, and still the dominant aroma.  Hot alcohol follows close on its heels, but this was tamed by cutting it with water.

Step 2: the taste.

Again, the flavor is all rye and alcohol.  However, after diluting and tasting some more, the effects of a month in the cask start to become apparent.  A hint of caramel.  A taste of oak.  Character has begun to develop.

Step 3: glee!

So stay with us, dear friends, and find out what the future holds for our little barrel.