StillSmart

Hi all you home distillers, you are ALL legends!
I\'ve just finished my second wash (I made vodka, kaluah, scotch, burbon, and drambuie (Edward\'s Wee Dram- yummo) with the first one), I used Samuell Willard\'s 48 with 6kg of white sugar (20%). Costs $15 all up ($10 for yeast and $5 for 6kg sugar). It comes out of the smartstill at 65% initially. I found it\'s better to do \'stripping runs\' with the wash and then double distil it. Comes out at about 80% initially on the second run and much cleaner - no smell at all and GREAT for vodka (i love vodka, straight, i keep it in the freezer). This time I\'m going to filter it also. I have the nano filter so it\'s all going through after I dilute it back down to 40%alv. This time i\'m gonna make some brandy, ..love brandy (any suggestions?). My mate loves burbon (mixed with coke) so i made some for him with a NZ \'Country Squire\' bourbon. He liked it a lot.. especially when I gave him two bottles of it..I made the Country Squire vodka.. very nice, drink it straight or mixed.. it\'s good.
Anyway.. I\'m happy, love the smartstill, love mixing up new creations, and wish I could meet you all and have a drink with you one day..

Between the various brandies I\'ve tried (SS and Prestige/Ambrosia brands), none of them really come out too brilliantly.....
The best I\'ve found flavour-wise, is the Still Spirits Classic range VSOP one.
Of course, it might be that I\'m biased as from choice, I\'d always rather drink an Armagnac than a Cognac......
The SS Classic VSOP one tastes, to me, like \"Supermarket\" Brandy, fine for cooking and mixing but a waste of space for drinking straight.......

The Classic Whiskey in that range is pretty good. I\'ll get that one again for sure. I might ask at the LHBS for a good brandy then.

As an addendum to the brandy discussion, the \'Edwards\' brandy essence (I add 5ml glycerine too) is a nice and easy to drink brandy which I can enjoy drinking straight. It\'s rich, slight-fruit, and full flavour, is pleasant, and tastes great with dark chocolate! Armagnac it is not -Phantom.. but it\'s not too bad!

Have you got a link for the Edwards brandy essence ? As I\'m happy to try anything..... (just found a place to get the esscencia Sapphire gin.....
It\'s mainly the Still Spirits and Prestige/Ambrosia ranges that seem to be available here......

http://www.edwardsessences.com.au/
I just get it from my LHBS. The \"Wee Dram\" was the nicest one I tried so far -it\'s great. The Scotch is average, the brandy is not too bad... sometimes I love it and other times I\'m not too sure... anyway it\'s worth a shot.