STUFF: News, Technology, the cool and the plain weird

[MIKA27]

The Hunt for Unicorn Bourbon Barrels

So-called unicorn barrels hide in giant whiskey warehouses. But what exactly are they and how are they caused?

A whiskey warehouse is all about the promise of the future.

Inside these giant buildings you’ll find thousands upon thousands of American oak barrels holding whiskies of various ages. (According to the Kentucky Distillers Association, there are currently 7.5 million barrels maturing in Kentucky alone.) A thick film of dust and a constellation of cobwebs cover most of these casks, but don’t be fooled—a complex set of reactions and processes are working to turn the crystal clear spirit into rich, amber-hued whiskey.  

If you start taking barrel samples from a particular warehouse, you’ll usually find most of the whiskey is fairly similar—which is, of course, on purpose. Consistency is the goal of bourbon distillers. Your favorite brand of bourbon or rye should taste the same every time. If most of the barrels used are fairly similar to begin with, any small variations will disappear when barrels are mixed together before bottling.

That’s what’s supposed to happen, anyway. And it usually does. Though occasionally, something beyond explanation occurs. 

I once tasted whiskey from several nearly identical barrels that had been filled with the same spirit on the same day. The barrels sat next to each other for years, exposed to the same weather and temperature fluctuations. Despite all this, they ultimately tasted completely different. If I had been given them in a blind taste test, I wouldn’t have thought they were made by the same distiller. 

While that is an extreme case—like when a rare lapis lazuli colored lobster is pulled out of frigid Maine waters—occasionally a distiller will tap a barrel and taste something that is exceptionally different and unusual.

These so-called unicorn or honeyed barrels can be absolutely delicious but what causes them to develop? It’s an especially puzzling question, since the distillation process is extremely standardized and there are very few differences from spirit batch to spirit batch. Obviously, how long a cask has aged will affect how the whiskey tastes. Its location in the warehouse (on a cooler first floor or on a warmer upper floor) also factors in, too. But if the grain recipe, yeast strain and still have remained the same, there aren’t many variables left to explain the phenomenon. (Yes, some barrels differ in a bad way, but that’s usually due to something dripping on the barrel or a knot in a stave that allows in more air.)

To find a concrete answer, I called Lew Bryson, Half Full columnist and author of Tasting Whiskey: An Insider’s Guide to the Unique Pleasures of the World’s Finest Spirits and Whiskey Master Class:The Ultimate Guide to Understanding Scotch, Bourbon, Rye, and More. He immediately recalled the first time he tasted a unicorn barrel years ago. “I was just like, that’s not really happening,” he said, “but there it was.” Back then in the mid-1990s, no company wanted to talk about the phenomenon. “You want people to think that every barrel is good or the same,” Bryson contended. Traditionally, any barrel that varied in taste was blended with standard ones. “Put that barrel in with a thousand barrels of stuff that tasted normal,” he said.

Bryson believes these unicorns are caused by the wood of a barrel—perhaps a tree had unusual levels of sugar or grew on the slope of a hill without much direct sunlight. “The wood has got to be the most likely suspect,” he said.

Given that, I called Andrew Wiehebrink, director of spirit research and innovation at the Independent Stave Company (ISC) in Lebanon, Kentucky, which has been making barrels for more than a century and works with many leading whiskey brands to develop signature casks. 

Wiehebrink also believes that unicorn barrels are the product of wood, since there is variation from tree to tree and barrel stave and to barrel stave. He pointed out that all 30 staves in a standard 53-gallon American oak barrel could theoretically hail from 30 different trees. A tree’s rate of growth is key and will affect how a barrel’s wood reacts when the cooperage toasts it or chars the interior barrel before it’s filled with liquor. 

But that’s not all. The growth rate can also “have an effect on how the whiskey moves in and out of that barrel,” said Wiehebrink. That process is key to the aging of whiskey, since the alcohol picks up color and flavorful compounds from the wood. He points out that a lot of these unicorn barrels taste as if they are older than they actually are, which could be caused by porous wood that lets in more air resulting in increased levels of oxidation. 

He estimates that 15 to 20 percent of the whiskey samples ISC evaluates deviate from the norm. What’s even more intriguing is sometimes it’s hard to figure out where a particular flavor comes from. You might detect a hefty note of vanilla, but a chemical analysis of the whiskey could show regular levels of vanillin, the compound that produces the flavor profile in a whiskey.

Whiskey companies use gas chromatographs to chart the top 45 or 50 flavor compounds in samples, but there are actually 400 to 500 compounds that contribute to the flavor of barrel-aged whiskey. “Key compounds are a good start but not necessarily the whole picture,” said Wiehebrink. “Obviously, either our minds are playing tricks on us, or there is something in there that’s providing this note, whether through the compound itself or through a combination of stuff that we’re not measuring.” 

Trey Zoeller, founder of Jefferson’s Bourbon, has been hunting for unicorn barrels since he started his company in 1997. “Finding them is pretty damn easy,” he said with a laugh. “Just taste them. There is no other way to do it.”

Back in the late ’90s it wasn’t hard for him to buy these special barrels. The bourbon boom was in its infancy and brands weren’t interested in limited-edition runs of just a few hundred bottles. No market existed for them. “There were only eight distilleries in Kentucky when I started. Most of them had a huge supply that they couldn’t get rid of,” remembers Zoeller. “It was all about consistency. If there was something they deemed outside of their control, they didn’t want it.” Now, these special whiskies are often prized and are sold as high-priced small batch releases.

Jefferson’s has its own distillery today and still distills on contract as well as buys barrels from other producers. Considering Zoeller can now control every part of his whiskey making process, are deliberately created unicorn barrels far behind? “Nope,” he said. “They’re unicorns for a reason.”

[MIKA27]

Found: A Shipwrecked Nazi Steamer, Still Filled With Cargo

It carried soldiers, military vehicles, and sealed crates that divers can’t wait to open.

ABOUT 40 MILES OFF THE coast of Poland, nearly 300 feet below the surface of the Baltic Sea, a beam of light cut through the cold water and fell onto the metal hulk of a ship. As the light panned across the wreck in September 2020, it cast long shadows across the seafloor. For the first time in 75 years, the Nazi-era steamship Karlsruhe had been seen by human eyes.

“It is one of the last unresolved mysteries of the Second World War,” says Tomasz Stachura, the president of the SANTI diving company and a technical diver who dove on the wreck last month. The steamer “carried quite a large load and was an utterly submerged story … This story must be completed.”

Two German ships called Karlsruhe sank in the Baltic during World War II—one at the beginning of the war and one at the end. Remarkably, both were identified only this year. In September, the German cruiser Karlsruhe—which was sunk in April 1940—was identified off Norway’s southern coast. The same month, to the east, Stachura’s team dove on the German steamer Karlsruhe, which was sunk in April 1945. At the time, Germans were fleeing the Red Army, which was pushing through occupied Eastern Europe and into German territories such as East Prussia.

The main intrigue lies in the ship’s cargo hold, where wooden crates hint at what may be Nazi loot from Eastern Europe.

Germany’s hasty flight was part of Operation Hannibal, one of the largest sea evacuations in history. During the last five months of the war in Europe, millions of Germans moved westward, as did cargo that was deemed valuable or useful to the war effort—which was looking increasingly grim for Germany. So far, finds from the shipwreck include well-preserved military vehicles, china, and many sealed wooden boxes in the ship’s hold, which require more thorough excavation to unpack and study.

It’s not just in Indiana Jones movies that Nazi crates are cause for intrigue. According to SANTI, Karlsruhe was the last ship to leave the port at Königsberg, the historically Prussian city that is now Kaliningrad, Russia, which has led Stachura to speculate that Karlsruhe may have spirited away the ornate Amber Room of the Catherine Palace in St. Petersburg. Originally built in Berlin at the beginning of the 18th century, the room was an ostentatious ensemble of gold leaf, mirrors, and several tons of amber. In 1716, King Frederick William I of Prussia gifted it to Peter the Great of Russia. In 1941, it was dismantled by the Nazis, brought to Königsberg, and then—like many of the war’s looted artifacts—it vanished.

The ill-fated Amber Room in 1931. In 2003, a replica, reconstructed Amber Room was put in its place in the Catherine Palace

While some say the room’s extravagant panels were destroyed in bombings, some still hold out hope that the room is intact—hidden away somewhere, or collecting barnacles at the bottom of the sea. “We do not have any hard evidence that the Amber Room is there, but nobody has any hard evidence that Amber Room is elsewhere,” Stachura says. “The truth is that the Germans wanting to send something valuable to the west could only do it by means of Karlsruhe, as this was their last chance.”

Diving on the wreck is laborious: Twenty-five minutes on the site requires two and a half hours of decompression, Stachura says, and his team is seeking funding from the Polish Maritime Office to continue its work. The physical exertion of diving and opening the crates at such a depth carries the risk of blackout, and Stachura says that a diving bell would be needed in order to have enough air for the work. For now, the crates have been photographed underwater, and his team can hardly wait to learn more about their contents. “All we have to do is look into them and check,” Stachura says. Perhaps easier said than done.

[MIKA27]

‘The Devil’s Keep’ Is The Most Expensive First Release In Whiskey History

With monks having learned distillation techniques as early as 500 AD, Ireland is often credited with the invention of whiskey. However, in recent years, Scotland has taken its place atop the hierarchy, offering everything from affordable budget buys to ultra-luxe top-shelf treasures. It’s an affront that’s prompted The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. to debut a whiskey unlike any other.

They’re calling it ‘The Devil’s Keep.’ Aged for 29 years and costing €10,000 ($12,000), it’s not only the oldest triple-distilled whiskey ever; it’s also the most expensive first release in the spirit’s history. Beginning with American white oak bourbon barrels, it was then transferred to French oak casks that had once housed a Tawny Port, before being finished off in virgin Hungarian oak. What results is a whiskey that’s deliciously smooth and complex, with flavors of vanilla, caramel, wild honey, and toasted sugar. But that’s not all — each bottle of The Devil’s Keep will come in two custom cases secured by a Japenese-style lock. Furthermore, the whiskey will include a carafe of Irish spring water, as well as an angel’s share atomizer, a jar of barley from the same malting house, two bespoke glasses, and some obsidian whiskey stones. Only 333 bottles will be available. $12K

[MIKA27]

Theory11 James Bond 007 Playing Cards

When it comes to unique decks of playing cards that are actually affordable, there’s Theory11 and everyone else. The same goes for super spies and Bond, James Bond. Almost six decades after Bond first appeared on screen, Theory11 is paying homage to one of our favorite film characters with their latest James Bond deck of cards. Like all their other decks, Theory11 James Bond 007 Playing Cards are made in the USA and pull out all the stops when it comes to print quality.

This particular deck oozes perfectly appointed style and accents with gold foil and embossing, along with completely custom artwork on the court cards inspired by iconic Bond films. Even the box is extraordinary with two layers of gold foil with a sculpted 3D Bond family embossed crest on the back panel. If James Bond was the kind of man that carried around an actual deck of cards for spontaneous games of Baccarat of Texas Hold ‘Em, this is the only one that would match his impeccable sense of style and swagger. Theroy11 $10

[MIKA27]

SpaceX Will Try to ‘Catch’ Its Starship Boosters Instead of Landing Them

Not content to keep things simple or easy, SpaceX plans to catch its upcoming Super Heavy booster rockets at the launch tower, allowing for subsequent relaunches a mere one hour later.

Not to be confused with the Falcon Heavy, the Super Heavy will serve as the booster stage for SpaceX’s upcoming Starship system. The second stage of the system will be Starship itself, which is designed to launch and land on its own. When paired with the booster, however, Starship will be transformed into a formidable launch system, capable of delivering cargo and dozens of passengers to Earth orbit, the Moon, and Mars.

The Super Heavy, like the Starship second stage, is still in development, and specifications are very much in flux. Originally, the Super Heavy booster was supposed to land with retractable legs similar to those seen on the company’s Falcon 9 reusable rocket. But as SpaceX CEO Elon Musk explained in a recent series of tweets, they’ve rejigged the concept.

“We’re going to try to catch the Super Heavy Booster with the launch tower arm, using the grid fins to take the load,” he tweeted in response to an inquiry. “Saves mass & cost of legs & enables immediate repositioning of booster on to launch mount — ready to refly in under an hour,” added Musk.

That SpaceX is designing a system capable of launching Starships at one hour intervals points to the company’s future ambitions. It remains to be seen if these gigantic boosters — which will measure 70.10 m tall (70 meters) and 9.14 m wide (9 meters) — can indeed be caught in this way, but Musk’s impressive track record means we need to take this prospect seriously.

Equipped with over two dozen Raptor engines, the Super Heavy booster will exert over 16 million pounds of force. By comparison, Block 2 of NASA’s upcoming SLS system will provide 9.5 million pounds of thrust.

On December 12, SpaceX performed a high-altitude test of a Starship prototype rocket, which blew to pieces while attempting a landing. Musk described it as a “successful ascent,” adding that “we got all the data we needed.” New Starship prototypes are currently being readied for further testing, but no dates for these launches have been released.

[MIKA27]

Watch the Striking Trailer for Ukrainian Sci-Fi Film Atlantis

 

The country of Ukraine is entering a visually striking, politically vibrant science fiction film for this year’s Foreign Film Oscar category. The trailer is something else.

Taking place in a near-future Ukraine, this film imagines the fallout of a terrible war between the Ukraine and Russia. A war that, well, is based on reality, specifically the ongoing conflict between Russia and the Ukraine over the territory of Crimea. In this version of the story, the Ukraine wins. But not easily, and not without consequence.

Distributed by Grasshoper Film and directed by Valentyn Vasyanovych, it’s a visually arresting showing. Taking place in 2025, it’s a story of nuclear disaster, love, and the surreal desolation of life after war. It seems, authentically, really beautiful.

After an impressive international festival showing, the movie is premiering in the United States at the NYC Metrograph Theatre in January 22, 2021. Here’s hoping it also his streaming sometime soon, because it’s worth a watch.

[MIKA27]

What Are Whiskey Decanters & Why Do They Matter?

Few pieces of glassware are as immediately recognizable as is the iconic whiskey decanter. Whether it’s Jack Torrance pouring himself a splash in The Shining or James Bond quaffing a cup in Casino Royale, this versatile vessel has become a regular feature on the silver screen. It provides an instant cue to the viewer that the person before them has an important role to play — one that’s usually central to the plot’s development. More often than not it’s someone as suave as Ian Fleming’s 007, but it could just as easily be a character as crazed as Stephen King’s caretaker. In any case, the decanter is a container chock-full of meaning, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a person who doesn’t have a movie scene associated with its mentioning.

However, for all of its cultural clout, there’s little consensus on what this type of glassware is actually used for. Sure, it’s widely accepted that when it comes to wine, serving your vintage in a decanter is an easy way to elevate your drinking experience. But is there any actual benefit to doing so with a dram of whiskey? Does it make for anything other than an aesthetic upgrade? In short, yes and no. As is often the case, the answer is complicated, but if you’re wondering what a decanter is and what exactly it does, you’ve come to the right place. So kick back, help yourself to a sip, and read on to see why.

What Are Whiskey Decanters?

Despite all of the pomp and ceremony that’s associated with decanters, they’re a very straightforward piece of glassware in principle and one whose purpose can be understood by even the most novice of whiskey enthusiasts. Simply put, a decanter is any vessel that is used to store the decantation of a liquid and its accompanying sediment. As such, it follows that the process of decanting whiskey, wine, or any other variety of alcoholic beverage is merely the act of pouring it from its original container` into the decanter. (Hardly the arduous procedure it’s made out to be then.)

Typically made out of glass or crystal, decanters have grown increasingly decorative in design over time. For though those used for wine were once pretty plain affairs and by and large free of adornment, they’ve since taken on a status unto their own. These days, decanters can be found in all manner of shapes, sizes, and intricacies, with humbler options coming in around the price of a meal and the most expensive alternatives fetching four, five, or even six figures.

It’s worth noting that the key to a decanter’s designation is its included stopper and wide, stable base. While carafes are a similar piece of glassware that is also used for the storage of alcohol, they differ in that they typically forgo these features. In practice, this is because carafes can be used for serving anything from water to juice to wine. So, where a decanter is made to preserve its contents’ flavor and guard against any stray knocks, a carafe is typically made for more immediate serving, with as small a footprint as possible in order to free up any extra table space. Thus, apart from its notable lack of a stopper, you can usually tell a carafe from a decanter because of its elongated body and its relatively modest base.

Where Did They Come From?

Originally intended for wine storage, decanters first saw widespread use throughout England around the turn of the 18th century. At the time, drinkers were spending vast sums on expensive fine wines, and they needed an appropriate container to store and serve their purchases. Because most wines were shipped unfiltered and full of bitter sediment (lees), the decanter was developed in order to fulfill an important need. That is, in contrast to the opaque containers traditionally used to serve wine — such as dark bottles or earthen pottery — the clear decanter allowed the server to see the lees and prevent it from contaminating the glass.

But decanters had another yet another benefit over that which they replaced: aeration. By increasing the surface area of the air content inside, these pieces of glassware effectively oxidized the wine that they were storing. In layman’s speak — wine’s exposure to air triggers a chemical reaction, resulting in the evaporation of individual compounds within the liquid. Given that the most undesirable — or “off” tasting — of these compounds have a tendency to evaporate first, the remaining liquid is typically thought to taste better, with richer, more consistent flavors and aromas. However, it’s worth noting that while some aeration is beneficial to one’s experience of a wine, too much of it contributes to an accelerated aging process, and, as a result, some staleness.

As such, by 1730, British glassmakers had introduced stoppers to their decanter designs in order to prevent the wine within from experiencing unwanted exposure to air. And along with the adoption of the stopper came the implementation of decanters for use with all kinds of spirits, including aperitifs, cordials, rum, and yes, even whiskey. With it being preferable to store wine in glass bottles, public drinking houses and other establishments gradually began keeping their spirits tapped from aging barrels and casks in lead and crystal decanters.

Since that time, decanters have stayed largely the same, albeit with subtle differences in their materials and finishes. However, as the upper class took to serving their spirits in decanters, they became increasingly associated with status. And with their depiction in films and on TV, they’ve become much more significant than a humble crystal container. In fact, even in today’s drinking culture, decanters are typically reserved for social settings where presentation is a primary consideration.

Why Do They Matter?

Appearance: No matter which way you spin things, the main reason for owning a decanter is for its aesthetic appeal. For starters, their elegant glass designs give one the impression of being a character of sophistication, refined taste, and class. While this is primarily due to their representation throughout popular culture, a good decanter does add a certain element of ceremony to any occasion — if only because of the extra effort that goes into the presentation of that day’s druthers. Sure, it’s a bit superficial, but then again, there’s a reason we clean up whenever we’re expecting company.

And their visual benefit isn’t solely born out of vanity. On the contrary, should you decide to serve your guests with whiskey in a decanter, you remove the inevitable bias that comes with the brand featured on the bottle. Granted, it won’t make your garden-variety, bottom-shelf stuff taste like the crème de la crème; however, it will go a long way towards furthering your guests’ appreciation for what’s placed before them. And because you’re displaying your whiskey in a clear, colorless container, you’ll also be able to better judge the spirit for its color and texture — key elements of any serious connoisseur’s evaluation.

Crowd Control: When it comes to hosting, there are also plenty of practical reasons for one to own a decanter, chief among them being the ability to keep your supply in check. Because although your brown liquor is best enjoyed when shared, ultimately, everyone will reach a limit in how much they’re willing to give. With a decanter, you have the advantage of limiting your guests’ intake without the awkward exchange that comes about because of a particularly thirsty drinker. For as far as they know, once the decanter has been drained, that’s all there is for the evening (just be sure not to let your generosity get the better of you).

What’s more, serving your whiskey in a decanter acts as an extra precautionary measure. With their wide, stable base and low center of gravity, these types of glassware are far safer than off-the-shelf bottles in settings that are apt to be crowded. For though a careless gesture or an errant elbow might send a fifth of whiskey flying, a decanter is far more likely to keep your spirit safe and upright, even if a bit of spillage occurs. Chalk it up to overprotectiveness if you’d like, but if you’re sharing scotch that’s old enough to vote, it’s best not to take any chances. Besides, if it gives you even a bit of extra peace of mind, your investment was well worth it.

Preservation: What few people realize is that whiskey doesn’t get better over time. While a nice wine will improve its flavor through the aging process, the same logic does not apply to your favorite brown liquor — in fact, it will only change for the worse. In practice, this is because leaving it in a bottle with extra air (also known as “head space”) accelerates the oxidation process. The more head space that’s left above the whiskey, the faster oxidation will occur, leaving the spirit tasting skunky and stale. Sure, you’re safe to keep an unopened bottle on your shelf for as long as you’d like, but if you’re going to crack the seal, your best course of action is to invest in a smaller storage bottle.

Subtleties: Although decanters are proven to help aerate wine and improve its flavor, the jury’s still out as far as whiskey is concerned. For that matter, even sunlight and temperature have minimal effect on the spirit’s smell and taste. Of course, a whiskey will always be better given some time to air out; however, the reaction is much more immediate than that of a bottle of wine. Because it occurs once it’s poured into the glass, it doesn’t require hours of aeration before serving. There may be a slight difference, but you shouldn’t buy a decanter expecting to drastically enhance the flavor of your whiskey.

That being said, you do have complete control over the contents of your serving vessel. So, while you may not be able to alter its aromas with additional exposure to air, you can create a blend of several different varieties. Whether you consider it a sacrilege or a stroke of genius, you’d be hard-pressed to attempt such an experiment if you were working within the original bottle.

[MIKA27]

You Could Own This 1-Of-1 Porsche Carrera ‘GT-R’ Street-Legal Race Car

When Porsche first unveiled the Carrera GT back in 2000, it was little more than a production pipe dream. Born out of a shelved effort to create a Le Mans-winning race car — the LMP2000 — the supercar concept didn’t actually hit the assembly line until 2004. Even then, it was eventually killed off due to safety regulations.

However, now you have the opportunity to purchase a one-of-one Carrera GT track car. Dubbed the ‘GT-R,’ it’s been outfitted with a host of performance parts to reconnect it with its racing roots. Under the hood, the naturally-aspirated 5.7L V10 has seen a sizable boost from its stock 612hp, now producing an impressive 650hp. And in order to ensure that it has tight handling on the track, it’s been given tailor-made wishbones and push-rod suspension, an integrated air lift system, as well as a set of magnesium BBS rims. Add to that a Motec control unit, an interior roll cage, an automatic fire extinguisher, as well as a homologation-spec fuel system, and it’s pretty clear where the previous owner’s €220,000 ($270,000) went in the conversion. But the best part is that despite its race-ready upgrades, this Carrera GT is still completely road legal. You can own it for $1,043,000.

[MIKA27]

Bugatti And TIDAL Team Up On A Set Of Super-Exclusive Hi-Fi Home Speakers

Widely regarded amongst the car community as the pinnacle of automotive perfection, Bugatti has been careful not to tarnish its name with too many collaborations. So, while the likes of Ferrari and Porsche have home offerings aplenty, the French hypercar manufacturer has shown considerable restraint by comparison.

In partnership with German-based sound specialist TIDAL, Bugatti is producing a limited run of “Royale” speakers for home audio applications. And my what a premium product they look to be. For starters, every single component was developed specifically for the Royale in order to deliver a peerless sound experience. In practice, this means that each unit comes with four subwoofers, a pair of three-way front units, a midrange driver, and, for the pièce de résistance, a diamond tweeter. And when it comes to appearances, Bugatti has spared no expense. Available in Monococque and Duotone colorways, there are also a number of optional exterior adornments, including carbon fiber, leather, dark aluminum, and polished stainless steel. Finished off with a front-mounted Bugatti logo and an art deco design, the Royale makes for quite the stunning speaker. Available in ‘Edition Noir’ and ‘Edition Blanc’, each set will be limited to 15 units. Contact TIDAL for more.

[MIKA27]

This Limited Edition Bock Beer Was Aged In WhistlePig’s ‘Boss Hog’ Whiskey Barrels

Earlier this autumn, WhistlePig announced the seventh installment in its annual ‘Boss Hog’ line: a limited-release Rye inspired by Magellan’s historic circumnavigation of the globe. Aged in three different types of casks and bottled at barrel strength, it made for a fitting homage to the spirit of discovery.

For the second year in a row, WhistlePig is partnering with Harpoon Brewery in order to bring about a beer fit for even the most discerning drinkers. Dubbed ‘The Bock Hog,’ it’s essentially a Harpoon Doppelbock conditioned in the very barrels that once housed WhistlePig’s The Boss Hog VII whiskey. On the palate, it features familiar flavors from the base bock — like toasted rye, toffee, rum raisin, and cacao — making it a pleasant cold weather beer loaded with warmth. However, courtesy of its time spent in Spanish Oak and South American Teakwood casks, the brew now sports an element of added complexity. On the finish, it includes notes of holiday spice, roasted nuts, vanilla, and char. And like its spirit sibling, The Bock Hog is no slouch when it comes to its alcohol content — at 9.0% ABV, it’s quite the stiff sipper. Head over to Harpoon’s website for purchasing information.

[MIKA27]

‘Better Call Saul’ Meets ‘John Wick’ In The High-Octane Trailer For ‘Nobody’

Everyone has a breaking point — a moment when their truest self rises to the surface and takes over. For Hutch Mansell, played by Emmy-winning actor Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul), that comes not after two thieves break into his house and rob him, but rather in the wake of the crime — when his abilities as a husband, father, and protector are called into question. And that’s just the beginning of the shockingly action-packed, ultra-violent trailer for Nobody.

Written by Derek Kolstad (John Wick) and directed by Ilya Naishuller (Hardcore Henry), Nobody — which seemingly dropped out of nowhere onto the early-2021 release calendar — is reminiscent of action-thrillers of yesteryear, like Dirty Harry, Deathwish, and even bits of Taxi Driver. Also starring the likes of Connie Nielsen, Christopher Lloyd, and RZA (of the Wu-Tang Clan), this bloody escapist flick hits all the right spots and doesn’t pull a single punch along the way. Look for it to hit theaters on February 26th of next year.

[MIKA27]

Audi Announces Its First Dakar Entry With An EV Rally Fighter Prototype

Despite boasting a long and illustrious history of elite rally competition, Audi has yet to try its luck at the infamous Dakar Rally. Though after recently announcing its withdrawal from Formula-E competition, the Four Rings has revealed that it will be entering the grueling rally raid event for the first time in 2022, campaigning a brand-new, all-electric off-road prototype.

Marking the first major manufacturer to develop a “viable alternative drive concept” for the iconic rally race, Audi appears to be taking its rally re-entry very seriously, diverting funding from its Formula-E program into its Dakar efforts. The German firm already has a wealth of knowledge and experience to draw from in the high-performance EV sector, though applying it to the Dakar will make for an immensely challenging endeavor, with the aforementioned two-week event constituting one of the world’s toughest motorsport proving grounds. Thus far Audi has only revealed a teaser image of the vehicle, though from what we can see of the prototype’s three-quarter silhouette, the rally fighter looks like it will be running alongside the T4.2 class, though only time will tell. For more information on this ambitious endeavor, you can check out the full press release linked here.

[rckymtn22]

Welcome back Mika!

[MIKA27]

Mercedes-Benz Joins With N+ To Create The Ultimate EQ Formula E Bicycle

The adoption of electrified cycling platforms has been at an all-time high this year, with many automotive manufacturers working alongside the industry’s finest builders to create their own unique take on the two-wheeled wonder. Now, N+ has signed a contract with none other than Mercedes-Benz to produce a stunning EQ Formula E Team eBike.

With two of the industry’s most prominent names at its back, it should come as no surprise that the EQ Formula E bicycle stands at the top of its respective genre. Boasting a 20 mile-per-hour top speed, 62-mile range, and 37-pound weight, this unique eBike capitalizes on the brands’ thorough knowledge of the space to implement seamlessly-matched pedal-assist technology (courtesy of a mid-drive, torque-sensing power unit), and 50/50 weight distribution, making it one of the most stable platforms on the market. A carbon fork, Gates Cdx crankset, and Sturmey Archer five-speed drivetrain round out the sleek, road-faring specimen. Head to N+’s website to pick up one of your own for $3,200.

[MIKA27]

5 minutes ago, rckymtn22 said:

Welcome back Mika!

Thanks brother! Happy new year.

[MIKA27]

Travis Pastrana Gets Airborne In The Latest 2020 Gymkhana Drift Video

Since the release of the inaugural installment in 2008, Ken Block’s Gymkhana videos have consistently set the standard for world-class automotive video content, and while Block has previously piloted the heavily-modified featured on the Hoonigan Youtube channel, for its latest entry the Long Beach native has passed the torch to fellow motorsport and adrenaline junkie, Travis Pastrana.

For Pastrana’s Gymkhana debut, the AMA SX and MX champion has been put behind the wheel of a thoroughly-massaged Subaru WRX STI, before being unleashed upon his hometown of Annapolis, Maryland. With 862hp, 864 ft-lbs of torque, and a 50PSI boost, the 2.3L billet block boxer engine creates more than enough power and wheel-spin needed to thoroughly tear up the streets of the east coast hamlet, a feat helped along by the drift car’s active carbon fiber aero kit and race-grade braking and suspension hardware. In addition to plenty of getting sideways, Pastrana also pilots his WRX over various jumps and other obstacles in the roughly 9.5-minute feature. With any luck, this is just the first of many hair-raising Gymkhana videos with Pastrana behind the wheel.

[MIKA27]

Triton’s New 6-Seat Sub Has The World’s Largest Spherical Transparent Hull

Earlier this year, Triton unveiled its Deepview Submarine, a range of commercial models capable of carrying anywhere from 12 to 66 occupants. And while it’s undoubtedly impressive to cram that many people into a can some 330ft below the surface, it’s hard to imagine it being a remotely peaceful experience. Thankfully, Triton has turned its attention back to the luxury sector, releasing a smaller, more family-friendly model it’s calling the 3300/6.

As with its smaller 3300/3, the Florida-based manufacturer makes the submersible’s capabilities abundantly clear in its name; it can dive to a depth of 3,300ft while carrying up to 6 passengers. But housing those 3 extra persons was no small feat — by teaming up with one of the leading acrylic fabricators, Triton has succeeded in creating the world’s largest spherical acrylic pressure hull — a massive dome 100 inches in diameter. And just because there’s room for the whole family doesn’t mean that it isn’t a comfortable experience. On the contrary — inside, the seats are upholstered with hand-finished leather, and every chair ensures a virtually 360° view. What’s more, it comes with plenty of headroom, 6 sets of 20,000-lumen LED lights, and even air-conditioning to keep you comfortable. Check out Triton’s website for more information.

[MIKA27]

Woodford Reserve Just Released Its Oldest Bourbon Whiskey To Date

With a history dating back to the early 19th century, Woodford Reserve has a long and rich history in the bourbon business, including a plethora of noteworthy industry innovations over the American distillery’s more than 200-year-old existence. To celebrate these tipple triumphs, Woodford Reserve has been producing top-shelf, limited edition bottles as part of its Master’s Collection for the last decade and a half. Just ahead of the 2020 holiday season, the Shively-based brand has revealed its latest addition to this elite lineup with the aptly-named “Very Fine Rare Bourbon.”

This year’s entry pays homage to the future of the company, as well as its past, with the VFRB focusing on the Kentucky outfit’s current Master Distiller, Chris Morris. Produced in small numbers, this new drink is composed of several bourbons that date back to 2003, which in addition to being the year that Morris was appointed to his current position at the company, also makes this Woodford Reserve’s longest-aged offering in all of its 208 years of operation. Boasting a 45.2% ABV (or 90.4 proof), the VFRB is described as having a “burnt sienna” hue, a nose of brown sugar, caramel, vanilla-cured tobacco, and chocolate, a taste of honey, apple peel, and cloves, and a long sweet, malty, and fruity, finish. Available now, the Woodford Reserve “Very Rare Fine Bourbon” is priced at $130 a bottle.

 

[MIKA27]

‘The Devil’s Keep’ Is The Most Expensive First Release In Whiskey History

With monks having learned distillation techniques as early as 500 AD, Ireland is often credited with the invention of whiskey. However, in recent years, Scotland has taken its place atop the hierarchy, offering everything from affordable budget buys to ultra-luxe top-shelf treasures. It’s an affront that’s prompted The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. to debut a whiskey unlike any other.

They’re calling it ‘The Devil’s Keep.’ Aged for 29 years and costing €10,000 ($12,000), it’s not only the oldest triple-distilled whiskey ever; it’s also the most expensive first release in the spirit’s history. Beginning with American white oak bourbon barrels, it was then transferred to French oak casks that had once housed a Tawny Port, before being finished off in virgin Hungarian oak. What results is a whiskey that’s deliciously smooth and complex, with flavors of vanilla, caramel, wild honey, and toasted sugar. But that’s not all — each bottle of The Devil’s Keep will come in two custom cases secured by a Japenese-style lock. Furthermore, the whiskey will include a carafe of Irish spring water, as well as an angel’s share atomizer, a jar of barley from the same malting house, two bespoke glasses, and some obsidian whiskey stones. Only 333 bottles will be available.

[MIKA27]

Wrensilva’s Loft Is An All-In-One Hi-Fi Media Console For Small Spaces

Wrensilva’s unique audiophilic platforms have helped the company carve a swathe through the world of at-home entertainment, and with an emphasis on rustic design, it’s no wonder that the brand’s lauded pieces are highly sought after. The only issue is that the majority of its offerings are too large for small, compact spaces, including dorm rooms, office areas, or apartments. Now, the brand has addressed that issue with its very own Loft console.

Designed as a more versatile counterpart to the company’s larger consoles, the Loft Stereo has been devised in such a way as to encompass all of the timeless character, tech, and poise that has made Wrensilva so popular, without having to worry about the amount of free space within your room. The brand’s lauded solid-state preamp, two-way bass-reflex speakers, and premium drivers allow for high-fidelity streaming from your favorite, Bluetooth-savvy MP3 device, as well as any apps or music services that you frequent on a regular basis. Since it also includes a fully-decoupled Pro-Ject turntable, you’ll even be able to throw on your favorite vinyl records. Of course, this is all housed within Wrensilva’s beautifully-contrived enclosure, which calls upon North American Walnut and Ebonized Oak for an air of vintage rusticism. Head to the company’s website to pick up one of your own for $4,999.

[MIKA27]

HAMILTON KHAKI NAVY BELOWZERO LIMITED EDITION

Hamilton is no stranger to the big screen. The watchmaker has created pieces for Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey as well as Christopher Nolan's previous film Interstellar. For their latest starring role, Hamilton reconnects with Nolan for a custom-made watch for Tenet. Inspired by the prop watch for the film, the Khaki Navy BeLOWZERO features a lightweight titanium case with a blue or red-tipped secondhand, referencing key colors in the movie. Each color is limited to 888 pieces, a homage to the palindrome title, and arrives in a special packaging designed by the film's production designer Nathan Crowley. While the film has already made its theatrical debut, Tenet will be available on DVD, Blu-ray, 4K, and VOD on December 15, 2020.

[MIKA27]

The Motorcycle

This new book by Phaidon is here to prove that motorcycles are more than just a mode of transportation, they are in fact a masterpiece of exquisite design. The Motorcycle: Design, Art, Desire is an essential and compelling exploration of the design, history, and culture of the motorcycle. This colorful and in-depth celebration traces the exciting evolution of the motorcycle over the past 150 years, highlighting a carefully-curated collection of 100 truly iconic bikes. This is a well-crafted book that will prove compulsive reading to design lovers and motorcycle fans alike.

[MIKA27]

ALBERTA PREMIUM CASK STRENGTH RYE WHISKEY

Alberta Distillers has been making some of the best rye whiskey on earth for years, and are finally getting worldwide recognition with this release. The 100% rye is distilled from the finest Canadian prairie grains grown by local farmers and glacier-fed Rocky Mountain spring water. The result is nearly 130 proof beast that has already garnered a Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition as well as being honored as the 2021 World Whiskey of the year Whisky Bible author Jim Murray.

[MIKA27]

This Is Not a Sci-Fi Movie: This Guy Makes 3D-Printed Hyper-Realistic Masks Using Real Faces

At first glance, the photo above can look like a still from a science fiction movie, but rest assured: The guy and his face mask are very real. While the first thing that came to my mind was, “oh wow that’s creepy,” I was then immediately intrigued.

The guy in the photo is Shuhei Okawara, owner of the mask shop Kamenya Omote in Tokyo, Japan. The mask he’s holding, meanwhile, is a hyper-realistic replica of his own face, 3D printed to a size that’s 105% of the ratio of his actual face so it that could fit almost anyone who decides to wear it. And that’s not the only face he has.

The Project Is Called “That Face”

Okawara has started a project called “That Face,” which makes realistic human masks based on photographs using a mix of a “special technology,” in the owner’s words, and 3D printing. Per Okawara, he uses the special technology to print high-precision photos on a plastic base made of 3D-scanned facial data. The masks are made with extraordinary attention to detail, and include facial hair, eyebrows, moles, and eyelashes.

“The details of the process are a trade secret,” he said in an interview with Vice last December.

Changing the Traditional Definition of a Mask Shop

You may be asking, what on Earth was Okawara thinking when he decided to sell these lifelike masks? In the interview, he said that he enjoyed creating and shifting the image of what people think a “mask shop” is like.

Nonetheless, even though it is a creepily cool concept, Okawara, who is a theatre mask teacher by training, says his masks can be physically difficult to wear. The masks’ basic structure narrow a person’s vision and make it harder to breathe. They are also made of plastic and not silicone, which means you can’t move your eyes, nose or mouth. Okawara still thinks people will buy them, though.

“[E]mbracing that difficulty creates new movements and characters,” he said. “People don’t necessarily want their ideal face, they just want a transformation. People can accept the pain of transformation. Just like a tattoo.”

Buying and Selling Faces

Making the masks is one thing, but Okawara is also in the business of buying real faces to use on his masks and sell later. After he announced that he was buying faces for the project in October of last year, he ended up receiving more than 100 applications, per Reuters.

“Buy and sell faces. A story like science fiction has become a reality. No one yet knows what will happen to a world full of the same faces as you,” the store wrote on its website, according to an English translation provided by Google.

He paid the selected applicant 40,000 yen, or almost $520 for the right to use their face on his masks. Kamenya Omote does not disclose the identity of the people whose faces who are selected for the project.

Humans Still Can’t Look at Themselves Without a Mirror

Okawara said it was very interesting that his project had garnered more than 100 applications. Nonetheless, he doesn’t plan to buy all of the faces people send him. Okawara states that a lot of people don’t want money for their faces, they simply want to donate them. He insists on paying for them, though.

As for why people want to sell their faces, Okawara has a few theories.

“Have you ever fantasised about what it would be like to have twins? Humans still do not have the opportunity to look at their faces without a mirror,” Okawara said. “It’s about the possibility that there is another self somewhere, leading a completely different life. The story of the doppelganger is born of such human desires.”

The Masks Do Not Protect the Wearer from the Coronavirus

It should go without saying, but just in case there are any doubts, we’ll say it anyway: These masks are not meant to protect against covid-19. Just take a look at the nose area: It has holes. The U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people wear masks that fit snugly around the nose and chin with no large gaps around the sides of the face.

Can the Masks Be Used To Carry Out Bad Deeds?

Remember how we said this story resembles a sci-fi movie? Well, it also wouldn’t be out of the ordinary for characters in said movie to use the masks to do bad things. (I currently can’t think of a sci-fi movie like this, please let me know if there is one, dear readers). Yet, Okawara said that he doesn’t think his masks can be used to carry out crime effectively. In his opinion, if people abuse the masks, they’ll get caught immediately. Okawara also doesn’t think it makes sense to blame him for any crime committed by people who wear his masks.

“Would you regulate the sale of balaclavas because of the image of bank robbers?” he asks. “The social responsibility of the people who make the clothes may be related to the issue of environmental pollution, but it would be nonsensical if the producers of the clothes were accused of the possibility of the wearer committing a crime.”

It’s Not a Cheap Mask To Make

Making the mask itself is not cheap, which is why the final products have hefty price tags. The store explains that this is because the mask is a made-to-order product, or a customised product, according to a Google translation of the store’s announcement. Kamenya Omote said that because it had already paid the price of the first production, it would now be able to offer the mask at a lower cost.

If You Want a Mask, Okawara Is Taking Pre-Orders

Okawara told Reuters last month that initial inquires suggested the demand for the masks would be high. The masks based on his own face have already sold out once. If you’re interested in buying a hyper-realistic face mask, Okawara is selling them online. His shop currently features his face, priced at about $970, as well as another, called “No.1,” which sells for roughly $1,225. Pre-orders received during the first week of February will start shipping in March, according to the store.

Over time, Okawara plans to add new faces, including possibly from people outside Tokyo, to his lineup.

Be Responsible With the Masks

Curiously, the store includes a note of caution on the masks’ product pages. It reminds people that this is a real face, and it does deserve a degree of respect. The advisory also asks customers to notify Kamenya Omote immediately if they wish to give the mask to someone else after buying it, and to provide that person’s contact information.

“This product is modelled after a real person. The purchaser may use the product of their own free will. However, please use the product with full understanding of the special nature of this product, including the fact that it is a mask modelled on a real person, and that the mask itself has a personality, and act in a manner that respects that personality and does not damage it,” the advisory reads.

Basically, it seems to be a polite way to say, “don’t do bad things with the mask.” Wise words.

[MIKA27]

You’ll Be Drinking this Whiskey in the Near Future

These barrel innovations will create a whole new generation of North American whiskies that will be on store shelves in the next few years.

It’s a general rule of thumb in the whiskey industry that up to 80 percent of the flavor of bourbon (or rye) comes from the new oak barrel it must be aged in. So it stands to reason that if you want to get some new flavors in your whiskey, the best way to go about it is to fiddle with the barrel.

To get a sneak peek of what we’ll be tasting in a few years, I talked to some of the leading North American wood specialists about new barrel innovations.

My first call was with Andrew Wiehebrink. He’s the director of spirit research and innovation at Independent Stave Company (ISC), the outfit that makes barrels for much of the American whiskey industry. I started by asking him about something we’d talked about before: how hard it is to extend the aging of bourbon without getting too much wood flavor? “We tried to introduce this concept of ‘pre-aging,’” he said, and I think he was serious. “Put [the spirit] in a new barrel for a year, and then finish it in a used barrel. It’s still legally bourbon.” That’s still just a theory, but someone may try it soon.

One thing he has worked on that is being used is the “flash char” technique. Contrary to popular belief, using a new charred barrel for bourbon is a relatively modern idea. “The char system wasn’t even set until the 1950s,” Wiehebrink said. “I read a 1908 American Chemical Society paper about aging whiskey, and there wasn’t a mention of char, not one. For such a ‘traditional’ industry, it’s really not!”

Coopers generally burn the inside of an unused barrel creating a thick layer of char. The charcoal helps filter out impurities, brings out the wood’s innate vanilla flavor and sweetness, and gives the spirit its gorgeous amber color. But it takes years for all of that to happen, since the heat moves “the sweet compounds deep into the wood,” Wiehebrink said. “It takes a long time for whiskey to work into the wood that deep. You get smoke, then spice, then sweet spice, and then finally you get into the caramel and vanilla. But toast it for 45 minutes before you do a really quick char and that puts all the sweet extractives right up front in the oak.”

This process allows you to jump start the flavoring process; Wiehebrink suggests transferring the whiskey to a used barrel after two years, which would allow you to age it for possibly two decades without getting too much oak. During the last year, he has worked with a number of brands experimenting with this technique, including Louisville’s Buzzard’s Roost.

But that’s if you want to create an extra-old whiskey. Most distillers are looking for ways to get flavor in more quickly, or to get better flavor. The search for better flavor has led some to allow the wood to air dry for a longer period after the staves are cut from oak logs. I talked to one small cooperage who was extending this so-called seasoning period to four years and another that was going for seven years.

Maybe they should have talked to Wiehebrink first. “It’s a great story, seven-year-old wood, but I don’t know how much difference it really makes,” he told me. “Seasoning does nothing a proper toast or char can’t do. They’re both breaking down cellulose and such. An aged stave will give you more extractants, but a toast will give you a lot more.”

Wiehebrink works closely with Jane Bowie, the master of maturation and director of innovation at Maker’s Mark Distillery. If you’re familiar with the bourbon brand’s history, you’ll get a chuckle out of the idea of Maker’s Mark having a director of innovation. Until the launch of Maker’s 46 in 2010, it famously had just one product, at one unspecified age (around seven years). I brought that up to Bowie and she laughed.

“We had to have an intervention at Maker’s,” she said. “We never had innovation before. It’s still a four-letter word to a lot of our employees.” She says second-generation Maker’s employees are particularly puzzled. “They ask, ‘why are we doing this?’”

I noted that she works very closely with Wiehebrink and his employer ISC. Maker’s went to ISC with the idea for its Maker’s 46 project—a whisky already aged that is finished in a barrel that has additional toasted staves hung inside of it. Maker’s Private Select expanded on that idea by adding additional types of staves that could be selected by individual customers who want to create a unique “private selection” bourbon.

Working with ISC gives Bowie a huge toolbox to play with, though sometimes it can be overwhelming. “It’s fun, and consumers want it,” she said of the constant whirl of new ideas. “But I would say 95 percent of the stuff we do isn’t in line with what we want. I tasted a whiskey last week that tasted like pickles on pumpernickel; all from the wood finishing. It was interesting, but not us.”

What drives the program, then, if you’re looking for flavors that are new, but also recognizable as Maker’s Mark? “For a lot of it,” she said, “we don’t rely so much on the science as we do on sensory. We just tell Andrew what we want in flavor, don’t say anything about what wood or process, and he goes off and experiments. He’s insanely smart. He’s been a huge help.”

When Wiehebrink comes back with ideas, they test. “We don’t do full barrels, we start off doing bottle soaks,” she said, describing putting small pieces of the staves in bottles of new-make whisky. “We taste all blind, because if I know something’s French oak, for example, I’ll start thinking what the taste ‘should’ be. We taste it, and sometimes I can taste the toast, taste the process, and to me, that’s failing.”

But not all of Bowie’s job is trying new things. “We spend 50 percent of our time studying our own processes, what we’re already doing, to understand that,” she said. “We did a seven-year study on entry proof. We still go in [to the barrel] at 110. We did different entry proofs from 110 up to 125. Changing it just a little made it something you wouldn’t recognize. It wouldn’t be Maker’s. You know entry proof matters, you just never knew how much. Now that we have a department that has the time to look at this stuff, we’re looking at all of it. We want to make sure we’re not doing something for tradition’s sake...just for tradition’s sake.”

So why does Maker’s Mark continue to reevaluate and rethink its process and approach? “Every distillery probably has a different philosophy on innovation,” she said, after thinking a bit. “For us, the customers had been asking for something new for a decade, and we kept saying no. We had to get more responsive. And when we did, we found all these flavors and all this agriculture we didn’t know about! Let’s go learn!”

That changed the whole culture at Maker’s, not just the portfolio. “For years, it was about finding customers and not screwing up that one product,” Bowie said. “We were doing all the work, we just weren’t sharing it with people. 46 and Private Select gave us the confidence to share. That’s it, in a nutshell. This is the right time, I guess, and I was just lucky enough to be here nagging them.”

Dr. Don Livermore, the head blender for Wiser’s in Windsor, Ontario, (still technically a North American whisky maker) has always told me he felt lucky to be able to play with everything he has at his disposal. It’s his contention that Canadian whisky affords more opportunity for innovation than any other whisky...and yet he feels constrained by the market.

“Probably a lot of us are doing the same experiments,” he guessed. “Wiser’s Seven Rebels used the same kind of barrel inserts as Maker’s 46, and burning the barrels to get a sense of smokiness. Put some of that into the blend, and people just adore it.” Then he noted that Seven Rebels, a collaboration with the British Columbia Liquor Stores, was a one-off, “more like an experimental release.”

Seven Rebels has been so well received, he’s now “playing with different woods.” He’s experimenting with inserts made from maple, hickory, mizunara Japanese oak, beechwood and red oak. While flavor is one thing, there’s also a practical concern about these barrels leaking more than ones made from white oak. “That’s hard to justify.”

Livermore noted a few other things he has to be concerned about as a blender, as a planner and as the one responsible for the long-term flavor and availability of the Wiser’s brands. “I worry about swaying away from tradition, about the long-term taste of a brand,” he said, which is something Bowie also brought up to me. And for these more exotic staves, “coopers can’t always guarantee long-term wood supply,” he said. “It has to make sense for them. If I make ‘Lew Bryson’s Whisky’ with red oak inserts, I don’t know if they can keep supplying me.” (He still teases me for not liking one of his red oak aging experiments he did years ago.)

“If I had the budget to have mizunara all the time, I think that would have longevity,” he said. “I’ve got a Lot 40 in barrels grown around the Black Sea, Russian oak, and it’s very tasty. I did some Pike Creek in Hungarian oak, and I thought it was good, but it was hard to get people interested.”

He’s doing some finishing experiments as well. “I’ve started putting Lot 40 into peated casks, and that might have some longevity,” Livermore said. “We put Pike Creek into a Canadian cabernet sauvignon cask. That was a surprise that went well. But how long are we from the consumer challenging us: ‘I’ve seen that before, a port barrel finish, everyone has that. What else can you give me?’”

Then Livermore said something tough about the whole idea of innovation. “I bet a lot of them are niche products, and they just do it to halo their main brands with these new things. It puts pressure on liquor stores and on distillers to have new stuff all the time. People want exclusivity at their store. And the amount of work it takes to do these things, the barrel picks and the three-barrel blends. And then they don’t want your standard brands. I’m sure companies sit down every year at the innovation meeting, and there’s someone who asks, ‘Why are we doing this again?’”

Greg Roshkowski is the general manager of the Brown-Forman Cooperage in Louisville, where they make barrels for Woodford Reserve, Old Forester, and Brown-Forman’s other brands. (Jack Daniel’s has its own cooperage in Alabama.) Roshkowski jokes that his title should actually be vice-president of wood. He has an extremely practical outlook on the whole thing, probably from being on the barrel side rather than on the whiskey side.

“With COVID, we’ve seen a retrenching in innovation,” Roshkowski told me. “We just made a $50 million investment here in Louisville in equipment that makes a tighter barrel. We’re focused on the yield of the barrel; from a sustainability point, getting the most of the tree into the barrel.”

Roshkowski and his group have also had success with a grooved barrel technique that was used for its new Coopers’ Craft brand. Plus, they’ve experimented with new woods and new species of oak, like chinquapin.

“But the innovation that was prevalent a few years ago,” he said, “that’s gone dormant. We might play with charring profiles, toasting profiles, but that’s about it. In the pandemic, people are buying, they’re not shopping. In and out, I want my Jack, thanks, bye.”

He sees it from other distillers as well. “The small guys who wanted something different in barrels, that’s slowed down. We’ve seen a lot of the craft breweries that were buying used barrels back off. People aren’t experimenting. It’s got people back to fundamentals, like yields in our mills. We’re basically hunkered down.”

Innovation in the whiskey industry is a blend of science, tradition, experimentation, economy, sustainability and practicality. People are looking for new flavors and how to sustain the tried and true, while getting the most out of finite resources.

The thing I like the most about all of it is that the ultimate benefactors are you and me—the drinkers. Whether it’s trying a new idea in barrel construction, or making sure there’s enough wood for the future, or even paring percentages off the next price increase, it’s to our benefit. That makes a good pour better. I’ll drink to that!