learning cuts

[dom187]

So I had 2 x TPW that were distilled once, which I watered down to %35 and double distilled them again as I only have a reflux still. I had 11 x 250ml jars, 2 x 300ml, 1 x 1L jar. next time I will hopefully have more of the smaller jars.
I threw the first 400Mls fores away to be sure and was left with about 4L of 92% over the 14 jars. man I struggled to tell the difference between them, I had aired the jars for 24hrs. Was this long enough?
I could definatly smell the very start of heads, very kinda sharp burn your eyes kinda smell / feel. but I really struggled to tell where to cut them. I ended up keep 1.8L @92% for a 4.2L at 40% ( which was more just like ill take the middle of the jars to be sure???) when watered down ( its currently sitting @60% on bourbon staves to age) and the rest is 2.2 L 92% is now just under 5L 40% feints.

I did water down a teaspoon from each jar to try and tell the difference spitting it out and washing the mouth out with water between taste. Im hoping I can start to pick it up better with practise. and maybe not do it after all day in the iron factory

[The Stig]

It’s easier once you start running “other” wash’s.
Once you’ve got your pot still and start running CFW etc it will be much easier

[dom187]

It’s easier once you start running “other” wash’s.
Once you’ve got your pot still and start running CFW etc it will be much easier

will have to make a BWKO and see if that helps :music-deathmetal:

[The Stig]

Not a lot will help with the T500, its too smeary to define the cuts

[Doubleuj]

:text-+1: on what The Stig said, flavoured washes are easier to pick cuts from.

What I do, with any wash, is I use 3 wine glasses.
Label one “control” or “hearts”
Second one “heads/Tails”
Third one “taster”

Then I add one teaspoon of absolute hearts (middle jar) to the first wineglass with a teaspoon of water
Then repeat for second glass but this time use 1 teaspoon of heads (jar 2) and water
Swirl these around like a red wine and have a sniff of each. Try to identify the differences between hearts and heads.
Taste them, can you taste the difference?
Now that you’ve got a benchmark in your mind and senses, grab jar 4, or 5 or 6, somewhere that you think heads might stop and add a teaspoon of this to glass 3 with a teaspoon of water.
Swirl and sniff/ taste, and compare it to the other wine glasses, is it more like heads or more like hearts.
Take your time and go up a jar or down a jar depending on what you smell in your taster glass.
Once your happy with the heads cut, rinse out glasses 2&3 and repeat for tails. (Sometimes I use 1:2 spirit: water for tails)
Be paitient and enjoy the process.
Ps. Rinse out your taster glass thouroughly between jars and keep the jar you’re tasting out of alignment as it’s easy to forget which one your tasting

[MaKa]

:text-+1: on doubleuj's method!

I like to keep notes of the flavour and smells so I can see as my palette develops I note new flavours.

[woodduck]

Agree with doubleuj as well.

Take note of where on your tongue you feel the burn, front or back? This can sometimes help also.

Practice makes perfect mate. I think you've done the right thing in being harsh to start with.

Good luck :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[db1979]

I think you've done the right thing in being harsh to start with.

:text-+1: wise words

[dom187]

ok well thanks for all the replys everyone, at least I got being harsh to being with right :handgestures-thumbupleft: . i will continue to do this same method until my sensors develop and try the suggestions above too.. and i cant wait to start on this BWKO, im hanging for something that dosnt require HBS cordial.

[tipsy]

I threw the first 400Mls fores away to be sure and was left with about 4L of 92%

I like to collect my fores/heads in smaller fractions (guessing 100 ml) while you still throw it all away, it's good to smell and taste the difference.

Wednesdays run (that I blended today) I kept a couple of jars that would normally be heads.

Once into hearts your jars can be a lot fuller.