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| Bryan Davis at his new LA distillery. |
A few years later, Davis started promoting a quick aging scheme for spirits. I never tasted those spirits, mostly rums, but I'm generally skeptical of quick aging schemes, having never tasted one that was any good. Originally, he was selling his technology to other companies, but he is now concentrating on using the technology himself. Along with rum, he recently, released two Islay whiskeys that he treated with his system.
Davis is getting ready to open a new distillery here in Los Angeles and, after not being in touch for five years or so, he invited me to come take a look at it and try some of his recent spirits.
Now, I've been on a lot of distillery tours, and let me say, I have never seen a distillery like this one. In his previous career, Davis made theme park rides, and his LA distillery is like a cross between Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean and the boat ride in the original Willy Wonka movie, complete with boat, palm trees, jungle sounds and talking birds. I kid you not.
At one of the boat stops which has a sort of English drawing room aesthetic, Davis showed me a presentation on his system, which seeks to produce the same esters present in aged spirits through a combination of wood manipulation and infrared light (though never with additives). There will always be deviations, but on paper, he claims he is very close to copying the esters present in aged rum. For his Islay whiskeys, the process was less analytical. Rather than trying to mimic a particular ester profile, he just went by taste and smell.
Boats, birds and charts are all well and good, but how does this stuff taste? Tune in on Wednesday and we'll find out.
Just glad to hear you made it out alive, Sku.
ReplyDeleteAre we sure he's made it out? Sku, we need to see a picture of you in an open public space with a newspaper showing the date.
ReplyDeleteExcellent cliffhanger, sku. I'm looking forward to reading your notes on their new stuff. I was a fan of their older (pre-THEA One) rums and thought their whiskeys were very interesting as well, but haven't opened my bottle of their new Navy Style Rum yet.
ReplyDeleteDo you know if their distillery will open for public tours sometime in the near future?
If the whiskey/whisky in question is under 4 years old, doesn't the label have to state the age, to comply with the regulations?
ReplyDeleteIn his interview with K&L's Dave Driscoll, Davis says he doesn't want to reveal how old (young) the whiskey really is. I'm a bit surprised Driscoll didn't counter with, "But if it is less than 4-years old, you are obligated to do so."
You're absolutely right Brian, though of all the unenforced TTB regs, that one be the most unenforced.
ReplyDeleteAnd he told me approximately how old the whiskey was. I'll discuss it in my next post.
ReplyDeleteI know this will never happen, but if reputable retailers (like K&L---one of the best, IMO) refused to products with labels that blatantly violate the regs, things could change pretty fast.
ReplyDeleteOops. Obviously I meant "refuse to carry..."
ReplyDeleteSorry
I believe the age need only be stated if the product is labeled as "straight" and if that age is less than 4 years.
ReplyDeleteIf it just says "whiskey" there is no age regulation.
Sam, that's a common misconception, but the 4 year old rule actually applies to all whiskey, not just straight whiskey.
ReplyDeleteHere's the relevant language:
ReplyDelete§5.40 Statements of age and percentage.
(a) Statements of age and percentage for whisky. In the case of straight whisky bottled in conformity with the bottled in bond labeling requirements and of domestic or foreign whisky, whether or not mixed or blended, all of which is 4 years old or more, statements of age and percentage are optional. As to all other whiskies there shall be stated the following:
(1) In the case of whisky, whether or not mixed or blended but containing no neutral spirits, the age of the youngest whisky. The age statement shall read substantially as follows: “___ years old.”