Is finished whiskey BROKEN or BRILLIANT?

Finished whiskey is a cornerstone of modern distilleries. But are sloppy techniques and unenforceable rules ruining the practice? Click the vessi.com/whiskey and use my code, WHISKEY25 to get $25 off of your Vessi shoes if you miss the Sale! Free shipping to CA, US, AUS, NZ, JP, TW, KR, SGP
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The Crowded Barrel Whiskey Company is the World's first crowdsourced whiskey distillery - and the Whiskey Tribe is that crowd. Join the world-wide community of Magnificent Bastards here: whiskeytribe.com/pages/join-t...
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Learn more about the WHISK(E)Y in this episode:
The Glenrothes bourbon cask reserve - bit.ly/3wrTMMQ
Dewar's ilegal smooth blended whiskey - bit.ly/3fH5Jrr
Jameson Caskmates stout edition - bit.ly/3vmuYpp
Angel's Envy bourbon finished in port barrels - bit.ly/3wChcPX
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Our Whiskey Review Channel:
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[@WhiskeyTribe]

Thanks again to Vessi! Click the link vessi.com/whiskey and use my code WHISKEY25 to get $25 off of your Vessi shoes.

[@TheWhiskeyNerd]

If you want to try a real A/B comparison, West Cork Irish Whiskey have a series where they took the same single malt aged in Bourbon barrels and finished it in Virgin Oak, Sherry, Port, Rum & Calvados casks (so really it's an A/B/C/D/E comparison!)

[@kabel9357]

wish they had half sizes...

[@TheWhiskeyNerd]

@@kabel9357 they actually have mini size bottles of them (50ml) and they sell a pack with all five finishes

[@warrenokuma7264]

A more proper test might be adding fish sauce. Probably Thai to get that fish barrel flavor.

[@jaybird4834]

I tried the vessi link and when ordering shoes it does not take the whiskey discount code. Hey Vessi you just lost a sale. Update, I texted vessi and the person stated they had no info about an affiliate Whiskey Tribe. Since the video came out on Saturday I will check again on Monday to see if discount works. Whiskey guys might want to be sure ad contact is working before using in a video. Anyway, the video was great.

[@styx85]

"aging doesn't have to result in maturing" Rex's philosophy of life 101

[@MrSplic3r]

This needs more votes

[@HeathRS]

I’ve aged but I’ve definitely not matured…. I say this is accurate on many fronts.

[@Hoofler]

Aging is mandatory...Maturing is optional!

[@CheeseBurgerBurglar]

Same tho

[@johnmcdonald7339]

I blame my parents for letting me out of that barrel on my 12th birthday

[@michaeltrollope8048]

Briana did the ultimate mooch ..... Moched the whole frikken channel while Rex and Daniel were bickering over single pours

[@randomfpv22]

The mooch powers are strong in this one

[@Username18981]

Paired with Emma as the more knowledgeable and it's basically the same thing.

[@asaltycrewman8725]

Chess not checkers

[@Tubeserious]

She is the chosen one...

[@benjaminsavage4204]

Rex is an axe-murderer isn't he..?

[@c9inglul129]

This is Brianna's channel now, with special guests Somm and Mooch.

[@c9inglul129]

@@elijahfluw4347 absolutely

[@trevor19qhshe]

I just found this channel, and yes this is very true. Brianna is the main character.

[@urbanwrestlingnw]

She is the fun aspect of the crew.

[@clydekimsey7503]

No, she's still the third wheel

[@yorickgerms7977]

It's what Rex says at 14:40 : Brianna's a stout girl. Een stout meisje. (What translates into 'a naughty girl' in Dutch.

[@NPC514]

I was not prepared for how much Daniel did not look like Daniel with the simple addition of a ball cap. He went from scotch and cigars to Natty Light and Pall Malls in no time.

[@upinair4990]

Lmfao

[@CueVueTV]

*Dan immediately burns said hat*

[@rufusconnolly8489]

Was so not ready for this by comment when I read it, that was indeed hilarious.

[@matthewsawczyn6592]

"It falls on my tongue better" may be one of the most poetic tasting notes ever

[@stuffandwhatnot4401]

I would have thought that Rex would understand that he is the perfect example that aging does not necessarily equal maturing.

[@joshuasasmor6565]

I keep saying that the calendar can make me grow older, but nothing can force me to grow up.

[@drew5334]

Literally LOL'd

[@dumpeeplarfunny]

You win the comment section for this video.

[@CueVueTV]

ZING!

[@AskAScreenwriter]

Rex is talking about 'maturing?' (right before a sponsor bit where he talks about 'beading off.')

[@nadesicond4018]

I just love the energy and happiness that Briana brings to the videos. Her reactions and comments are always top notch. Also, her voice would be perfect for ASMR.

[@johnmcelwain5884]

ASMR Word Cloud read by Briana

[@dumpeeplarfunny]

14:50 Yes.

[@windack768]

13:20 - Its the same way a Bourbon is to Whiskey. Every tequila is a mezcal, not every mezcal is a tequila!

[@tommyg5095]

Not gonna lie,,,, I clicked on because I saw Bri...Her unfiltered honesty is so entertaining. I hope she is never tamed or shamed.. Great content TRIBE.

[@draleigh8881]

No one at all: Daniel: "Agingk"

[@kylepedrick5612]

Ever since they did the drinking”k” challenge about this I can’t un-hear it now.

[@marcmarti5273]

@@kylepedrick5612 so true bro xDDD

[@blackeye5370]

0:57 she’s starring into our souls haha

[@who2u333]

This is great stuff. I have absolutely NO reason to know any of this, and yet here I am every week.

[@Jekkel.]

i dont even drink whiskley

[@lxxwj]

13:26 daniel has it backwards - tequila is actually in the mezcal category. all tequila is mezcal, not all mezcal is tequila. or smoky

[@saint-cetacean]

Came here to say this! Common misconception largely because it took so long for mezcal to enter the US market in a major way. (And this isnt even getting into other closely related agave spirits like raicilla, sotol, pulque, or bacanora)

[@123Laurier]

Jameson Stout is one of my favorite daily drinkers.

[@martekiller]

tasted my first wine finished whiskey today in my 14 years of drinking whiskey and i loved it gave it some real character to a whiskey i would think would be flat wihtout the finish (sorry for the English)

[@portpipe99]

Hey guy', love your show! Very informative 👌 I've been a cooper for 32 years in the Scottish whisky industry, currently working in Yorkshire passing on skills and knowledge to 3 of the only brewery coopers left in England. When you notice the tide mark on your stave, it will mostly soak as far as the depth of the croze then travel along becoming Angels share. Also the staves from half way down the cask to the bottom with the weight of the spirit pushing further into the wood

[@mikemorrissey7928]

I'm a big fan of the Tullamore Dew mentioned in this episode. If you let it settle a bit after pouring that metallic taste goes away...the rum finish is fantastic. It's not a complex Irish whiskey, but generally an enjoyable experience. Thanks as always for the videos!

[@KawazoeMasahiro]

My whiskey experience started with Glenfiddich 14 in a bar... then I got the 15 solera cash... then I got the 21 winter storm edition. That journey really made me realize how much finishing can change a whiskey, and how much flavor is out there in whiskey. As my collection grow and grow, I still keep a bottle of those last two somewhere in there for nostalgia.

[@hjyahi7972]

The advertisements are just as entertaining as the real video lol

[@Hashslingingslasher-]

reminds me of internet historian

[@miclb28]

Wood penetration and beading off! I've learned so much...

[@glennhooper8867]

So when will we have another episode with Brianna in the Vault?

[@ricdotdev]

and Emma

[@DracoOmnia]

Camera guys react at the end is perfect, lmao. W T F

[@delta-KaeBee]

I know right! Perfect 👌

[@bigfudge20]

this video is fascinating! i’ve been watching you guys for about 4 years and i’ve never gotten bored of the content and i’m always impressed! you guys do great work and you interact with your community! we appreciate you!

[@matthewhold2321]

On the flip side of this episode, in Australia, Jacobs Creek is finishing Shiraz and Cab Sav in whiskey barrels , it would be great to see what you guys think of those!

[@LukeBeks]

"Hm, that ad spot seems rather tame... THERE IT IS!"

[@David-xl8zf]

Putting Irish whiskey in bourbon and wine casks was the best idea people ever had. Try Bushmills causeway collection, I have the conac finished one currently and it is absolutely amazing.

[@rossfudd256]

I love that Rex thought up the fish tasting finish, and he's the one that didn't like the taste. Daniel and Brianna are both like huh not as bad as I thought it would be.

[@dageshi]

I feel like Brianna is having a hard time keeping it together whenever the word "finishing" is said at the started of the video...

[@masterv2041]

Love Brianna. Still don't know what she does around there but she must remain... FOREVER!

[@yuckal]

They made a Q&A video or something like that a little while ago, she's a receptionist.

[@girlcrazy7]

she is very cute

[@stillcrazy4023]

I've been looking for fishky FOREVER!

[@Joe_J-MT_Boy]

Wow. Watch... and learn. The comments and demonstration of how the whisky interacts with the char and the wood of the barrel were super valuable to me in understanding a big part of the WHY I love what I love when it comes to whiskies and scotches.

[@Erik_T_Thompson]

What I LOVE about this channel over others is you all are distillers as well as connoisseurs

[@DerrillGuilbert]

That end. Man I don't even drink and I was like "NO DON'T DO IT PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD YOU'RE BETTER THAN ..." wait no they aren't.

[@bluewonk8910]

The build up with disgusted faces and then "huh, it's not that bad" was the best 😆

[@pfalzgraf7527]

You guys are always fantastic! Thanks for the video which was interesting and cool, including the advert! With the whisky purity ideology I am always reminded of the discussion here in Germany about beer. There is this old German law that says beer cannot contain anything but water, hops, malt (and of course yeast). This law was created because in the 18th century people were poisoned by stuff that was put in beer. These days, I think you should be able to put anything in - as long as you declare it and it is safe for consumption! However, it is also very interesting what kind of huge variety you can already create within the strict confines of the old purity law! So, as with whisky as with beer: Do what you will but be transparent! Thanks!

[@Lite_Fare]

THANK YOU for including Briana!!!

[@swampguy2182]

Excellent video, as always! Now that you mention it, it would be really neat to see some very archaic moonshine-and-flavoring combinations tested by y'all, such as the old-school peach-moonshine, unaged Irish whiskey with herbs and honey, etc., to see which proto-whiskey was tastiest!

[@richl172]

I love the creativity that has come out of finishing. Makers Mark Private Select is great for comparing different stave impact.

[@geoffgaebe8354]

There's a distillery in New York that has a really cool take on finishing their whiskey. Taconic Distillery takes the barrels they use for their bourbon and sends them off to the Catskill Mountain Sugarhouse, which fills them with maple syrup to age for a few months... resulting in Bourbon Barrel Maple Syrup. THEN the Sugarhouse sends the barrels BACK to the distillery, which fills them with their bourbon to finish for a few months. The result is a delightful bourbon with just a HINT of maple sweetness. Worth a try if you can find a bottle.

[@ehrichweiss]

That Jameson Stout is amazing. We love stouts and the stout cask finish is incredible.

[@WhiskyNeighbour]

I wish I was at the table able to talk about this. I appreciate the in-depth knowledge, but as each year passes I lean more toward, "Do you enjoy the whisky? Is it transparent in how it's made?" Than ever. Thanks for your thoughts!

[@caynidar6295]

Yes, keep the Briotic (chaotic Brianna) energy coming! 😁🤣

[@plektosgaming]

I love some of the ones finished in stout barrels - it just gives it a hint of the profile of a boilermaker without actually being one. Jameson did a very nice one recently, which they reviewed here.

[@distlledbrewedreviewed]

Great video and fantastic pours. I love finishing and I promise that genie will never be put back in the bottle. Cheers!

[@quentins5692]

Three of my favorite whisk(e)s ever are finished. Glenlivet Caribbean Reserve (Rum), Jameson Stout Edition, and Glenlivet 14 (cognac).

[@PeterSFam]

The Balvenie Doublewood scotch mentioned has to be my favorite speyside

[@_argent]

Probably one of my favorite episodes of all times, loved the educational stuff (and definitely didn't know the bit about Angels Envy XD)

[@BiO811HazarD]

This was a super interesting way to learn about aging(k). Good stuff as always.

[@steveniemyer9288]

I heard Angels Envy “recharge” the barrels refilling them barrels repeatedly with port wine before they add the bourbon. I’m glad you pointed out that it is a specialty product and not a bourbon or a whiskey.

[@dylanjohnson3941]

Tullamore dew carribean rum cask finish is one of my favorite whiskey purchases recently! That note at the end you guys were talking about I found to be almost kind of grassy

[@MrVomitusdk]

Hi whiskey Tribe. so when you talk about temperature fluctuations in the barrel , hot summer , cold winter. . what do you think the optimal winter/summer difference in celsius ? and same with pressure.

[@chaboii]

Purists are only purists for a period in the product's history Genuinely genius insight.

[@ckpalmeiras1318]

Exactly. And Scotch is as new world whiskey to Irish whiskey as American or Japanese!

[@delta-KaeBee]

A statement so geniusly genuine in sight 😉🙃

[@misterbondage007]

A lot of us MBs on the Reddit page are discovering the Lagavulin Offerman Edition finished in Guinness casks. You get that classic Laga taste but with some dark chocolate notes and subdued smoke. I still prefer the Laga 16, but the Guinness finish is a great change of pace. It's friendlier to a beginner Islay drinker, and if you like Guinness or stouts, you'll have a good time. And yes, of course the answer is Daniel and Rex have a civil union and have adopted the wonderful Brianna, giving her a loving home full of whiskey and shenanigans.

[@dtdent1867]

Please make Brianna a full time bastard. The Somm, The Mooch, and The Newb! You guys are great but she adds so much fun to each video that she is featured in.

[@willardscott5290]

My experience in whiskey is weak, but I have been experimenting more and more lately. I am finding that I really have been favoring the port,wine, and sherry finished. I would love to see a comparison or favorite finished video.

[@davetbrunner]

Daniel's enthusiasm for whiskey knowledge is so invigorating, I nerd out all the time and wish this were longer 😎 Wait, can I attend classes? But Briana steals the show, who am I kidding.

[@rakseiify]

0:38 Look at how Brianna reacts when the bottle is opened, She was born for this!

[@TomTubbs]

Holy moley - just tried the KZbin app on new TV - 4K Mooching! (Much better than the 480p the website automatically goes to, or only allows you to get to 720p. Hi def Whiskey Tribe for the win! More Briana!

[@KawazoeMasahiro]

About that fish cask thing. In Quebec we have a microbrewery beer that is finished in barrels used to smoke herrings. It's called le Corps Mort from À l’abri de la Tempête. If you ever wanted a Barleywine American beer with Laphroaig notes, that's the one for you.

[@hugodalpe1812]

I for myself prefer the stout edition of the Jameson... Just out of curiosity, if any of you folks are beer drinkers, here we are having lots of craft breweries finishing their beers in casks (mostly bourbon) have anybody else noticed that tendency?

[@chrismcdaniel6035]

a great whiskey I got was Lagavulin finished in Guiness casks

[@mikecrazylove]

"Is there such a thing as pear jeam?" Of course there is! The band

[@lcpholman]

Cinsault is a red grape - were they making white wine from this? (possible) My memory was that it was a red wine

[@fugadores1]

The ads in this channel are single handedly the best ads in youtube

[@michaelb1761]

I love that Dewars Ilegal Smooth. Great value. Of course, I've also loved Laphroaig from the first time I tasted it.

[@ursamines7643]

20:55 Brianna must have been thinking of fava beans

[@surbris]

can you do frezz distilling to remove the water from a mash and then use that as step one fast wash and then take the left over and run it at 145-150 and do a slow run to cut the head off and then cut the heart into 5 to find the 3oz's of the Angeles heart? that's a secret recipe that was handed down and no one but the people reading this chat will know if it. To the WT thank you for making the whiskey tribe and letting us join in your fun times.

[@surbris]

so as a second bit of un asked for info, make a tool used by chefs, get 10 to 20 small gars that only hold 1oz to max 2 oz of solids, glue them to a board side by side and make a (bear plank) then fill with your top 10-20 spices used in brewing and baking. how to use, hold plank in both hnads (remove all lids) put under nose and move down the plank with eyes closed. when you smell that smell stop and flip plank over to see name of spice

[@PhattyMo]

20:50 - I second that WTF?

[@priestofpartagas]

Cinsaut is actually a red grape / red wine varietal from the Southern Rhone (not a white wine, though it is often used in Rose). Great Video, though! Love the channel!!

[@sappercrg]

"Sweet nuts". That's all folks.

[@dyent]

I recently picked up a Glenlivet Founders Reserve, and everything you say about that Glenrothes at the start could also apply to that - though the Glenlivet also has a lot of caramel and chocolate notes on the taste.

[@Dallen9]

My Comment on them doing the Fish thing. Fish Barrels would be used to hold fish for months of end being reused the state of the fish going spoiled in the barrel would be when they would try to get rid of the barrel (cause rotten fish ruins the barrel for any new fresh fish afterwards) and that was what you'd of had to contend with if you used a Fish barrel for whiskey.

[@aner_bda]

I really want to get my hands on that Dewar's Ilegal Smooth. I haven't been able to find it yet.

[@pauldrake4392]

Ok so from a fellow magnificent bastard, if you're looking for beer casks my home town has a brewery that is doing wonderful and totally blowing up Nebraska called kinkaiders. I can't guarantee they have I ton of casks they want or need to get rid of but it would wonderful to see two groups I nerd out over come together!

[@saint-cetacean]

I'm always a fan of sherried scotches, but today I picked up Ardbeg BlaaacK (NZ Pinot Noir finished). It's so damn good. A/B-ing this against my beloved Uigeadail is top of the docket for my weekend. Will report back if I remember through the haze of sumptuous whisky.

[@Brunnen_Gee]

I love it when people freak out over sardines. It seems the common thing is everyone thinks they're nasty, but I wonder how many people who say that have ever had them before. I used to be that way too, I'd heard my whole life that they were disgusting, so that was what I believed. Then one day I bought a can to see for myself. IT WAS AMAZING. Sardines are WAY up there on my favorite foods list now. Edit: I went out and bought a few cans of sardines. 😂

[@tolstoy21]

I get captain crunch crunch berries cereal from angels envy in the most wonderful way. This is more so on the nose, but I think that memory the nose brings back also influences how it also tastes to me.

[@willemkilian9563]

I like whiskies that are matured in different types of casks concurrently and then married together before bottling. Seems better integrated and more complex that way. Though I must admit a finish or additional cask enhancement can really work if done properly.

[@jameswright4236]

Hopefully one day we get to see some Eleanor in Europe and the UK. Having tried Angel's Envy with their various cask finishes, this sounds to me like the next step on the ladder.

[@playtester6635]

Briana's tasting notes are amazing. They are as unique as they are descriptive.

[@jasonaycock4690]

Clicked on this thinking we'd see Maker's 46 but loved all the other examples explored. May have a few new whiskeys to try. But...none from fish barrels.

[@dumpeeplarfunny]

14:50 My favorite line from Brianna so far.

[@WhiskeyWars]

Finishing can be amazing. For Instance Phifer Pavitt XO. Review comin soon , spoiler it's Phenomenal !

[@bennytolkienfreund7182]

12:58 One of the most extreme examples of that, that I know, is Mackmyra Grönt Te. They just took old Oloroso Sherry Barrels, put into them new Sherry mixed with fricking green tea leaves. After some time they emptied the Barrels again and then put their whiskys in there.

[@ConcaCon]

Did this end up making sense palate wise?

[@bennytolkienfreund7182]

@@ConcaCon Well, they sell it, so it cannot be a complet failure. I haven't tried it yet, so I cant really tell. But Im quite curious, because I love green tea.

[@modarkthemauler]

@@bennytolkienfreund7182 Technically, surströmming is also being sold. Being sold does not mean it's good ;) . I'm guessing the Grön Te is going after the herbal liqueur market that is popular in sweden and scandnavia in general

[@officialcreatisoft]

I laughed way too hard at the Vessi commercial. 😂 you guys are awesome.

[@davidgottfried5819]

Barrell Bourbon's Seagrass. Talk about finishing! I personally love it... but it's not for everyone.

[@elixwhitetail]

Fun fact: Canada was the first country to require barrel aging. It wasn't the first to do barrel aging but it was the first to make it law.

[@warp.9.scotty]

If I may, I would like to suggest you try the “fish blend” thing with a high quality fish sauce like Colatura Di Alici

[@KurotechInc]

I was wondering when the angels envy was going to come out once you started talking finishes lol I only say that because I may or may not be one of the production guys that makes it

[@RobKinneySouthpaw]

Local brewery here makes a great coffee stout. Don't know if they use barrels though. That'd be a nice cask.

[@michaelcote9156]

I love the angles envy. Brianna is a great addition.

[@BeerBulldog0]

For the full fishky experience I recommend surströmming.

[@natorious314]

Briana makes me genuinely happy. She's such a breath of fresh air.

[@mcFreaki]

one time i was drinking wine, and after i finished a glass i rinsed it with buffalo trace and drank the whiskey. it was really good. red wine casks might be a shout guys.

[@JohnDoe-ff2fc]

So does each of the scotch distillers use the same casks from a preferred bourbon distiller? And do the scotch distillers choose from the same style/version of bourbon for the sake of consistency? Or is it any port in a storm, risking entirely different flavors from each batch? Does the type of wood used to create the fire for charring effect the flavor of both bourbon and scotch?

[@zewhiskeymeizzer9467]

Briana said “sweet nuts” and I immediately got an ad that said “it’s crispy, it’s creamy” lol 😆

[@paveldanek113]

"Purists are never purists for a product, they're purists for a product at a certain time at its history." A great Daniel's comment!

[@deemomusic1982]

Love this episode opens your eyes on how you like your whiskey....there is no wrong way.

[@thomasredden4263]

Dude we have had a recipe in my family for generations for a coconut pear jam and I’m telling you hand on chest god as my witness it’ll change your toast game from here til the end of time.