• Whiskey

  “Solera: The Art of Aging and Blending”

  Posted by pa_joedistiller on February 11, 2015 at 5:10 am

  Hey everyone,

  Lurker and first time poster. I was wondering if anyone has any tips on a solera batch? Does it have to be a 3 barrel system? Or could it be two or even just one? I’m trying to think of a way that will maximize output and flavor.

  Thanks!

  nick jones replied 9 years, 10 months ago 5 Members · 8 Replies
• 8 Replies

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  jeffw

  Member

  February 11, 2015 at 4:46 pm

  I think the answer would depend on what you are making. You could definitely have 2 or more for anything I can think of, but if you want bourbon, for instance, it needs a new barrel so a 1 layered solera would not work.

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  mott hill

  Member

  February 11, 2015 at 9:16 pm

  Isn’t a one barrel solera just a barrel?

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  pa_joedistiller

  Member

  February 13, 2015 at 2:15 pm

  I think the answer would depend on what you are making. You could definitely have 2 or more for anything I can think of, but if you want bourbon, for instance, it needs a new barrel so a 1 layered solera would not work.

  Not a bourbon, though we do use new barrels. With a 2 barrel (or even three), the barrel that contains the mix always stays, but the upper barrel(s) are always replaced correct? Thank you for the help, I wasn’t able to find many actual technical details online as to solera barreling.

  Isn’t a one barrel solera just a barrel?

  Haha you’re right, I had an idea in my head but realized no, that’s not possible.

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  jeffw

  Member

  February 17, 2015 at 2:10 pm

  I run a solera where the first new oak barrels are all replaced but the next two layers only get halfway emptied (for my bourbon). For a classification that requires new oak dumping and not reusing the first cask (at least for the first layer of the solera) would always be a required step.

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  mdh

  Member

  February 17, 2015 at 9:40 pm

  Generally, I would recommend that no addition to any solera cask is less than two years old at the time a product is released.

  While I haven’t tried the Solera system with Whiskey, it works exceptionally well with pear and apricot brandies, though again, the youngest contents are never less than two years old.

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  nick jones

  Member

  March 10, 2015 at 6:59 am

  It’s hard to go wrong with the Solera approach, assuming that you’ve got the product and the time to keep going at it.

  I know of a 10 liter barrel that has been neither empty nor full for many, many years.

  It has been topped up with:

  – smoked malt whiskey

  – malt whiskey

  – sugar shine

  – rye whiskey

  – bourbon whiskey

  and a host of other delectables. It may be a stretch, but this barrel might be called a “one barrel solera”.

  It sounds like you have a specific idea that you’re considering, yet you don’t want to reveal it to the internet. I say go for it! Worst case scenario: you blend it into your solera batch that actually does end up tasting good.

  Nick

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  pa_joedistiller

  Member

  March 10, 2015 at 6:53 pm

  Thanks for all the tips and tidbits everyone, really helpful!

  And Nick Jones thanks for that, how does that “one barrel solera” taste now haha, seems like a real smorgasbord of whiskeys.

  Thank you again for the input

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  nick jones

  Member

  March 13, 2015 at 4:01 am

  She tastes pretty damn good, but that’s a fairly common thing.

  The unusual thing is that she tastes unique.

  Nick

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