Hi Jesse, Luke from Duck Distilling here. We can always tell when you do a video because we start getting a flood of orders from NZ and the US. We really appreciate your comments. We are very proud of our product but its always encouraging for a very small company like us (it's just my wife and I) to have validation from others. Thank you for your honest review. Although I was really hoping we'd beat out still spirits, hopefully when our rum comes out they'll eat our dust :) Keep chasing the craft!
Hi Jess. I have been using still spirits Tennessee Bourbon for the last three years . I put charred oak in the bottle for a month and then filter through charcoal ( not a bad substitute for Jack Daniels ) Still spirits Classic Whiskey is a smooth drop if you age it for three years. Cheers.
I've been using the Still Sprits Tennessee Bourbon for more than a year now I like it My mates like it No ones grizzled ..... Yet However I do find time in the bottle does improve things a fair bit Awesome comparison review Jessie 👍 Maybe you could do something similar with the Whisky Essences. Cheers Pete
Hey dude, another good job. Sometimes I stick a bit of wood in my ffv for a month or so then finish off with essence, tastes pretty good especially if you are like me, not much patience...
Yeah Im thinking thats where these things may actually have a place in my process. To drop a little extra complexity into something I know is not ready. But I really want to drink some anyway.
I totally agree, Rocky. The production quality of these videos are superior. They are well thought through, easy to follow, and always interesting. Big Props to you, Jessie!
thank you for all that you do...and you do it so well... :) I have tried several of the Still Spirits essence based on your videos, and i have been very happy with them... but... it seems that you must like a smoke essence in your whiskey because my only objection to the Tennessee Classic is that it has just a wee bit too much smoke. Keep it up!
Hiya, cheers for the vid. I got a recipe sheet from County Brewer (I'm in Tassie) gives tips on what to blend to get the profile you want. eg, Makers Mark- Top Shelf Classic American Bourbon, 25 ml Mellow Oak, 2.250 Base Alcohol. Lots of others too. ;)
interesting take. I am new to the art, and while you have said that you wanted to learn the art through making Whiskeys first, before you tried using an essence, I have started with a simple bird watchers flavoured with essence (Still Spirit's smokey whiskey and probably won't use it again.) working up through a rum and a brandy to a all grain malted barely whiskey, and then focus which is the opposite. I would appreciate it if next week to did an essence test on rum essences as I intend to add a small amount to the rum batch currently underway to just round it off, and I am not sure which one is the best. I have also found a fantastic use for the foreshots. It is excellent for removing bitumen and tree resin from the paintwork on your car Keep up the good work..
Hey, great video, it does take time for the flavours to infuse and i find a week in the freezer makes a huge difference, oh your number one choice is also my fav drink.
Neat stuff. I think, for me at least, I'll pick some up later on to add to my "Doctoring" kit. Having some essences that I can use to polish the flavor on things seems like a good investment
great video, I use some flavorings essence, I have found that if you let them sit for a couple weeks it does change the flavor profile for the better but with that said they still dont compare to the real oak aging process, thanks for the videos I enjoy them
I agree with the still spirits you chose that is what I use and also do a mix up with the whiskey profiling kit you can buy with all different flavors, great fun for me and mates to find our favourite mix. Also I age mine too which Is better and i also have a higher proof jar of wood staves and chips that i add in and then top back up with raw alcohol from the run.
Good show. This matches my experience that essences just don't taste "real". I had high hopes that at least gin could be done with an essence but all I have tried were just a waste.
I tried two different ones and ...Yuck. Plus I can get 1.75L of very decent gin for $20USD so... If I get around to distilling I may try making some just because, but it's not that cost effective.
@@StillIt I've just finished my first wash in the T500. After filtering my distillate I added 3ml of Glycerine to the SS Classic Gin and it came up 👌👌 I will experiment with botanicals but this will be my "go to". Very happy with the result.
@@StillIt interested to know if you used the same alcohol from the same run on all essences. Also did you allow your spirit to rest before adding the cordials?
I'd like to see 1 vs 7. Seems like you really like Still Spirits as the both shot high up the charts quickly, but competing against each other makes it hard to place. Really curious as to whether it's rank 3 or actually 2, beating out Duck Distilling.
I tried wood chips and used a torch to get a medium char they came a light caramel color so darkened them filled a 1.75l. 1/2 gal jar 1/2 full with chips added a 57% 114 proof moonshine and then heated it in a water bath to 110 F for a few hours then to the fridge to chill simulating seasons and repeat several times daily over 2-4 days tasting each day and the color and taste after 3 1/2 days is surprisingly great that soon
Yeah it will get you a long way fairly quickly huh? As far as I have seen so far there is no substitute for age for that extra 30-40% that makes it great though.
Get yourself some carbonator caps (like these www.amazon.com/Stainless-Carbonation-Pressure-Barb%EF%BC%8CCO2-Carbonate/dp/B01K4GGYT0/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=carbonator+cap&qid=1608311013&sr=8-2 ) and just add PRESSURE instead of HEAT. The heat adds pressure, the cooling reduces the pressure, and what you're after is the pressure to move your spirits into and out of the wood. Skip the slow, tedious, expensive part. Do it faster, easier, cheaper!
hey Jesse another awesome video! just a quick question what spirit did you use to begin this test? i understand its 40% but was it a neutral or something else? a huge thanks for all your videos and the time you put in for us rookies
Did this test myself a couple of months ago and still spirits won for me also but I didn't have the duck distilling example after reading that it's a very small family business I'm going to give them a try out. How about doing one on fruit essence all the ones I've tried taste like cough syrup.
Thanks for a great vid Jesse. I'm new to the game but now make fantastic neutral, much better than store bought Vodka. Still Spirits essences is all I'm using at the moment. They are a great starting point for newbies, especially the Gin, VSOP and Whisky essences. They are also good to play around with by adding extras to improve the flavours even more. They are a very good substitute for those that find it difficult to obtain many of the different ingredients and extras required to produce a decent drop of spirit. All the best from the UK. Cheers
UK Wild Camper South West hi. Try the " original Prestige dry gin essence" from Amazon. It makes 14 x 750 ml bottles using neutral spirit. It's £17 and works out cheaper than classic/still spirits and tastes as good but better in my opinion. I distill using the turbo t 500 and get great neutral spirit.just a thought
@@anthonybarra2391 Hi there buddy. Thanks for the reply. Never tried the Prestige essences before, are they that good. Have you tried any of the other ones. Also use a T500 and have great results. Are you UK based. Cheers.
Thanks for the great video. Curious, were there any surprises? What is it a classic case of you get what you pay for? Where would Jim Beam White label sit with the other 10?
@@StillIt I hope it wasnt a silly question re Jim beam white. Just wanted to gauge where your spirits sit vs cheap bourbon. Woodford reserve although not exorbitant is a $65 AUD bottle of booze.
I’ve been trying to look up how the essence is made and it’s really pissing me off. All I can find is people showing how to use it but never how it’s made. I just want to know exactly what it’s made of.
Did you test them the same day you mixed them? If so, You should re do the test as usually you would want to wait 2-3 days min before drinking after mixed.
Yep only a few hrs. Yeah, they did get a little better after a day or two. But I was testing them all on a level playing field. The idea was to test them exactly as the bottles say to mix em. But yeah very good point. I may give it another go some time.
@@StillIt i mix #8 with stuff I've let sit on some oak chips. Gives it that barrel taste it lacks. Plus I like a little barrel wood taste. I have also used cigars with wood chips. You should try it. It's pretty nice as long as you don't steep the cigar to long. ..lol
@@StillIt depending on the size of the jar. I don't rip it a part. If anything break in half. So many cigar flavors to choose from. It's really nice if you like the woody char style whiskys. It goes really nice with it. Just take it out a little early as the flavor will intence over time as I'm sure you know. You can cut them up in pieces but i don't, and then strain and bottle when I've have a finished flavour. Hear in Canada still spirits is the best seller.
I don't know how long your drinks you made up for this video, sat for... but i hear that like woodchips/staves .. apparently the essences mature** or taste better the longer you leave them sit once mixed together with your white dog.. I do however like the essence you ended up in #1 place.. i use to use it 10-12 years ago
Jesse, why do you dislike still spirits? I see them get shit on in forums a lot too. Is there something about them I'm unaware of? Just asking as I feel you're a trustworthy source.
Hi Jesse, Luke from Duck Distilling here. We can always tell when you do a video because we start getting a flood of orders from NZ and the US. We really appreciate your comments. We are very proud of our product but its always encouraging for a very small company like us (it's just my wife and I) to have validation from others.
Thank you for your honest review. Although I was really hoping we'd beat out still spirits, hopefully when our rum comes out they'll eat our dust :)
Keep chasing the craft!
Awesome mate! Glad it sent a few people your way :)
Post your website would love to give you your products a try
Is there anywhere in NZ we can buy this from? or is it only via import?
Comment just earned an order
Will you still be making a Rum? Would love to see it!
Really comprehensive analysis. Great experiment:-)>
Excellent Whiskey essence next please.
Yeah I think I may need to do a few :)
Hi Jess.
I have been using still spirits Tennessee Bourbon for the last three years .
I put charred oak in the bottle for a month and then filter through charcoal ( not a bad substitute for Jack Daniels )
Still spirits Classic Whiskey is a smooth drop if you age it for three years.
Cheers.
I've been using the Still Sprits Tennessee Bourbon for more than a year now
I like it
My mates like it
No ones grizzled ..... Yet
However I do find time in the bottle does improve things a fair bit
Awesome comparison review Jessie 👍
Maybe you could do something similar with the Whisky Essences.
Cheers
Pete
Hey dude, another good job.
Sometimes I stick a bit of wood in my ffv for a month or so then finish off with essence, tastes pretty good especially if you are like me, not much patience...
Yeah Im thinking thats where these things may actually have a place in my process. To drop a little extra complexity into something I know is not ready. But I really want to drink some anyway.
Hi ! You are doing a great job I look forward to each week.
Cheers mate 🥃
Still It is this really you
I totally agree, Rocky. The production quality of these videos are superior. They are well thought through, easy to follow, and always interesting. Big Props to you, Jessie!
Try comparing the Still Spirits top shelf Bourbon to the Classic.
I soak jack daniels barrel chips in my neutral clear for a couple of weeks then number 7 all the way :)
thank you for all that you do...and you do it so well... :) I have tried several of the Still Spirits essence based on your videos, and i have been very happy with them... but... it seems that you must like a smoke essence in your whiskey because my only objection to the Tennessee Classic is that it has just a wee bit too much smoke. Keep it up!
Essencia Kentucky Bourbon essence is nice to sip, once aged for 2-3 months. The nicest of them all.
Hiya, cheers for the vid. I got a recipe sheet from County Brewer (I'm in Tassie) gives tips on what to blend to get the profile you want. eg, Makers Mark- Top Shelf Classic American Bourbon, 25 ml Mellow Oak, 2.250 Base Alcohol. Lots of others too. ;)
Awesome man!
interesting take. I am new to the art, and while you have said that you wanted to learn the art through making Whiskeys first, before you tried using an essence, I have started with a simple bird watchers flavoured with essence (Still Spirit's smokey whiskey and probably won't use it again.) working up through a rum and a brandy to a all grain malted barely whiskey, and then focus which is the opposite. I would appreciate it if next week to did an essence test on rum essences as I intend to add a small amount to the rum batch currently underway to just round it off, and I am not sure which one is the best.
I have also found a fantastic use for the foreshots. It is excellent for removing bitumen and tree resin from the paintwork on your car
Keep up the good work..
Not seeing any Edwards Essences , Bourbon Essences in the challenge.?
Super informative and helpful. I do love a good blind test
Hey, great video, it does take time for the flavours to infuse and i find a week in the freezer makes a huge difference, oh your number one choice is also my fav drink.
I’m still here lol!! I been trying some of these about 6 months ago I don’t like that rye and southern haze.. great video👍
Ayyyyeeeeee good to see you again mate. Yeah I have not had those.
Neat stuff. I think, for me at least, I'll pick some up later on to add to my "Doctoring" kit. Having some essences that I can use to polish the flavor on things seems like a good investment
Any recommendations for a smoky peated Islay style? Liquor quick has one but I'm not sure if anyone else makes it.
great video, I use some flavorings essence, I have found that if you let them sit for a couple weeks it does change the flavor profile for the better but with that said they still dont compare to the real oak aging process, thanks for the videos I enjoy them
I agree with the still spirits you chose that is what I use and also do a mix up with the whiskey profiling kit you can buy with all different flavors, great fun for me and mates to find our favourite mix. Also I age mine too which Is better and i also have a higher proof jar of wood staves and chips that i add in and then top back up with raw alcohol from the run.
I agree with your presence is the only one I not a fan of is the duck distilling there's just something about that one that's not quite right
I have some great tasting sprites. Corn Cherry. 170 proof. Very smooth. Love the videos. Keep posting.
Good show. This matches my experience that essences just don't taste "real". I had high hopes that at least gin could be done with an essence but all I have tried were just a waste.
Interesting. Gin is the one I assumed would actually be worthwhile as well. hmmmmm
I tried two different ones and ...Yuck. Plus I can get 1.75L of very decent gin for $20USD so...
If I get around to distilling I may try making some just because, but it's not that cost effective.
@@StillIt I've just finished my first wash in the T500.
After filtering my distillate I added 3ml of Glycerine to the SS Classic Gin and it came up 👌👌
I will experiment with botanicals but this will be my "go to". Very happy with the result.
Forgive me Jesse, but I'm not sure what you are comparing everything to at the end (my NZ speak is a bit rusty). LOL Are you saying EJSSM?
WHY didn't you do what you're king of: MIX and BLEND them together to find a better mix of flavors!?!?! Love the channel!
Haha, covering the basics 1st is a great starting point.
Great video Jesse keep up the good work .. I think at times there is no substitute for chuckin it in a barrel And letting it sit ...
Yeah agreed! I won't be pulling the wood out of my jars any time soon haha
Interesting, what did you use for a base spirit? I use Still Spirit Whiskey yeast with great success. Great video, thank you
Wow, hahaha yeah I was supposed to mention that! It's the birdwatchers
@@StillIt interested to know if you used the same alcohol from the same run on all essences. Also did you allow your spirit to rest before adding the cordials?
Thanks great video,would love to see a Brandy essence version.There are some really iffy ones .
Cheers mate 🥃, yeah I may need to do a few of these over time.
The Still Spirits Top Shelf Single Whisky is a worth a try
Awesome job Jessie
Great experiment, Jessie! What was your base spirit? Commercial? Off topic, have you considered doing a brandy? I totally love New Zealand wines.
Should have done it as a bubble sort! Might not be able to stand at end, but at least have them all ranked :)
Good video. Have you ever found any aged rum essence all is white or dark . Love rums but aged are so expensive..
Richard Harris stil spirits has 4 different rums witch are quiet nice. Dont know if you can find them where you live
@@woutelseviers9519 thankyou i would have a look ..
I'd like to see 1 vs 7. Seems like you really like Still Spirits as the both shot high up the charts quickly, but competing against each other makes it hard to place. Really curious as to whether it's rank 3 or actually 2, beating out Duck Distilling.
I wonder if bottle aging the various flavours for 6 months or so would make very much difference in the end results?🥃
Even a couple of weeks helps
Stillspirts essence is available in Canada from Brew HQ. I could not find it elsewhere
I tried wood chips and used a torch to get a medium char they came a light caramel color so darkened them filled a 1.75l. 1/2 gal jar 1/2 full with chips added a 57% 114 proof moonshine and then heated it in a water bath to 110 F for a few hours then to the fridge to chill simulating seasons and repeat several times daily over 2-4 days tasting each day and the color and taste after 3 1/2 days is surprisingly great that soon
Yeah it will get you a long way fairly quickly huh? As far as I have seen so far there is no substitute for age for that extra 30-40% that makes it great though.
Great advice
Get yourself some carbonator caps (like these www.amazon.com/Stainless-Carbonation-Pressure-Barb%EF%BC%8CCO2-Carbonate/dp/B01K4GGYT0/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=carbonator+cap&qid=1608311013&sr=8-2 ) and just add PRESSURE instead of HEAT. The heat adds pressure, the cooling reduces the pressure, and what you're after is the pressure to move your spirits into and out of the wood. Skip the slow, tedious, expensive part. Do it faster, easier, cheaper!
hey Jesse another awesome video! just a quick question what spirit did you use to begin this test? i understand its 40% but was it a neutral or something else? a huge thanks for all your videos and the time you put in for us rookies
From memory I think it was the FFV or TPW
Did this test myself a couple of months ago and still spirits won for me also but I didn't have the duck distilling example after reading that it's a very small family business I'm going to give them a try out. How about doing one on fruit essence all the ones I've tried taste like cough syrup.
Thanks for a great vid Jesse. I'm new to the game but now make fantastic neutral, much better than store bought Vodka. Still Spirits essences is all I'm using at the moment. They are a great starting point for newbies, especially the Gin, VSOP and Whisky essences. They are also good to play around with by adding extras to improve the flavours even more. They are a very good substitute for those that find it difficult to obtain many of the different ingredients and extras required to produce a decent drop of spirit. All the best from the UK. Cheers
UK Wild Camper South West hi. Try the " original Prestige dry gin essence" from Amazon. It makes 14 x 750 ml bottles using neutral spirit. It's £17 and works out cheaper than classic/still spirits and tastes as good but better in my opinion. I distill using the turbo t 500 and get great neutral spirit.just a thought
@@anthonybarra2391 Hi there buddy. Thanks for the reply. Never tried the Prestige essences before, are they that good. Have you tried any of the other ones. Also use a T500 and have great results. Are you UK based. Cheers.
I think ageing them helps too
hi m8 I always use classic favourite is the dark rum & jack daniels
Nice, Yup I think we will need to do a rum one some time soon.
ive tried the spiced rum also m8 fab results
Thanks for the great video. Curious, were there any surprises? What is it a classic case of you get what you pay for? Where would Jim Beam White label sit with the other 10?
They we're all surprising for me. All pretty similar in terms of price.
hmmm don't know, I don't know white label that well. Cheers 🥃
@@StillIt I hope it wasnt a silly question re Jim beam white. Just wanted to gauge where your spirits sit vs cheap bourbon. Woodford reserve although not exorbitant is a $65 AUD bottle of booze.
Nah mate no silly q. Just not something I have had any time lately. And yeah I hear you, not cheap down under aye!
Woodford double oaked!!!
I’ve been trying to look up how the essence is made and it’s really pissing me off. All I can find is people showing how to use it but never how it’s made. I just want to know exactly what it’s made of.
Number 8 is the only one I buy
Did you test them the same day you mixed them? If so, You should re do the test as usually you would want to wait 2-3 days min before drinking after mixed.
Yep only a few hrs.
Yeah, they did get a little better after a day or two. But I was testing them all on a level playing field. The idea was to test them exactly as the bottles say to mix em. But yeah very good point. I may give it another go some time.
@@StillIt i mix #8 with stuff I've let sit on some oak chips. Gives it that barrel taste it lacks. Plus I like a little barrel wood taste. I have also used cigars with wood chips. You should try it. It's pretty nice as long as you don't steep the cigar to long. ..lol
Thats a great idea. You just lob the whole thing in there?
@@StillIt depending on the size of the jar. I don't rip it a part. If anything break in half. So many cigar flavors to choose from. It's really nice if you like the woody char style whiskys. It goes really nice with it. Just take it out a little early as the flavor will intence over time as I'm sure you know. You can cut them up in pieces but i don't, and then strain and bottle when I've have a finished flavour. Hear in Canada still spirits is the best seller.
Do you like #1 over #7?
Yeah I do :) its so dang close though. Honestly all of the top 3 were super close for my taste.
Why is 6 afraid of 7?
Because 7 8 9.
I want a whiskey starburst now!
Hahaha
Awesome vid brah
Cheers mate 🥃
I don't know how long your drinks you made up for this video, sat for... but i hear that like woodchips/staves .. apparently the essences mature** or taste better the longer you leave them sit once mixed together with your white dog..
I do however like the essence you ended up in #1 place.. i use to use it 10-12 years ago
Yeah I'm sure they do! . . . . But if I have that amount of time I'd just make it for real 👍
Yeah I was surprised, it's not that bad haha
Jesse, why do you dislike still spirits? I see them get shit on in forums a lot too. Is there something about them I'm unaware of? Just asking as I feel you're a trustworthy source.
Yea. I tried encore essence and limited. I think. It wasn’t horrible just not bourbon. Nothing beats the real thing time and big wood.
Yeah mate, that about sums it up lol
He should have put his in the blind test
Yeah, thought about it. But that would fucked the bracket up haha.
Keep the beard my man
iam indian iam realy enjoy youf gidens thank you verry much n god bless u
Thank you too
28 more days and ill be 21 !!
Ayyyyeeeeee, have a great bday mate!
I count 27? 🧐
So a year later after your post was tuning 21 everything you thought it would be?
First! Thanks for the videos in learning a lot
great, what the hell is ujssm?