For some, sipping bourbon can make a concert or a sailing trip a wee bit more enjoyable.
But what if the opposite were also true? What if live music and time at sea made bourbon more enjoyable? Whoa.
Not content to let bourbon age quietly, innovative distilleries are sending barrels on ocean voyages, exposing them to loud music, and experimenting with other unusual ways to add complexity to their spirits, per Garden & Gun.
Some can be sipped for under $100, others for thousands. But is it just a gimmick?
Yo, ho, ho, and a bottle of... whiskey?
Jefferson's Bourbon founder Trey Zoeller was inspired on a fishing trip to load his barrels on a boat.
- Barrels spend six to eight months aboard ships, visiting 25 ports, five continents, and crossing the equator twice.
- Constant motion and temperature fluctuations increase contact with the barrels' charred oak interior, drawing out natural sugars and mellowing rough edges.
- Increased humidity caramelizes the bourbon, while salt air adds briny accents.
Whisky Advocate awarded a high score to a recent batch of Jefferson's Ocean Aged at Sea (~$80) and notes an increased complexity, mellowed sweetness, and hints of smoke and salt not present in landlubber counterparts.
Talk about good vibrations
Meanwhile, Kentucky distiller Copper & Kings kicks out the jams for its highly rated bourbon (~$30).
- Eight large speakers and five subwoofers in the barrel-aging cellar blast everything from rock to rap 24/7 for "sonic aging."
- Pulses cause alcohol molecules to collide with the barrel, enhancing maturation without the need for barrel rotation.
And they're not alone.
Blackened, a whiskey collaboration with Metallica, plays the band's music at low frequencies during the finishing process. Rye the Lightning, indeed.
Down the hatch
Beyond the sound and the fury of the sea, here are other creative approaches:
- Brothers Wright Distilling Co. stashes bourbon barrels in coal mines as though Prohibition never ended.
- Bottles of French single malt Uisce de Profundis ( ~$500) are submerged 65 feet below sea level.
- Talisker's Glacial Edge uses barrels exposed to sub-zero temps to fracture the wood and increase surface area for whisky that retails for $6k.
While unusual aging techniques can feel gimmicky, most employ time-tested and scientifically proven methods of controlling temperature and movement to shape flavor, aroma, and mouthfeel.
And besides, if the whiskey tastes great, it sounds good to us.
Alcohol
