As one of the more successful and longer-established craft distilleries in North America, Santa Fe Spirits has won numerous awards and ardent fans for terroir-focused products such as its Colkegan line of mesquite-smoked whiskeys. Since its founding in 2010, the distillery also has accumulated a sizeable barrel stock and considerable expertise in getting distinctive character from its barrels and blends.
In the full video course, Sante Fe master distiller Stephen Julander zooms in on barrel-aging to cover a range of topics, including:
- the social importance of the wooden barrel
- the anatomy of a barrel, and different types
- crafting spirits meant for successful barrel-aging
- planning for evolution of character and loss to the angel’s share
- knowing the rules and regulations of whiskey and aging
- barrel maintenance and tips on re-use
- how different barrels impact color and character
- the impact of seasonality, climate, time, and location
- tightening barrels to ensure a seal
- careful stacking and minimal movement
- tasting the stock, blending, and bottling
- Colkegan’s own mesquite-smoked character, and how that affects aging and blending
And much more.