Toast, Brandy, Grapes and Bourbon

It’s been a big week of flavour-focused posts. Toast, esters, skins and stills. But outside of whisky, it’s a big moment too. In just a few days, I get married. If next week is a little quieter than usual, you’ll know why.

If you're new here, this is The Distilled Edit. Each week I round up what I’ve shared, what I’ve been reflecting on, and what’s coming up next. You can catch up on earlier editions here:

1. Edition 1 – Welcome to The Distilled Edit 🔗 [Link]
2. Edition 2 – Malting, Molasses and Mystery Spirits 🔗 [Link]
3. Edition 3 – Enzymes, Esters and Elderflowers 🔗 [Link]
4. Edition 4 – Awareness, Apples and Aquavit 🔗 [Link]
5. Edition 5 – Roast, Cider and the Chemistry of Scotch 🔗 [Link]

🧠 This Week’s Reflection: Are Tasting Notes Failing Us?

Vanilla. Caramel. Smoke. You’ll find the same three words printed across dozens of bottles. Sometimes they’re accurate. But they don’t tell you much. They don’t help a curious drinker understand what makes one whisky different from another.

And the truth is, no two whiskies are the same. Every distillery has its own approach. Every choice matters. Grain selection, fermentation time, still design, yeast strain, cut points, cask type, ageing conditions. These aren’t just technical details. They shape what ends up in the glass.

The difference between fruity and floral might come from a cooler ferment. The difference between silky and spicy could be down to enzyme activity or the toast level of the barrel. But you’d never know that from the label. Most bottles still offer a short list of tasting notes, detached from the process that created them.

I think we’re underestimating the drinker. People don’t just want to be told what to taste. They want to understand where it came from. They want to see the craft behind it. That’s what builds connection. That’s what helps a person pick one bottle over another.

And this is just as true for sustainability. Consumers are caring more about how their spirits are made. They’re asking questions about raw materials, packaging, energy use and transport. And they’re not just looking for a badge or a bold claim. They want context. They want to know what is being measured and what is not.

Transparency is no longer optional. It is becoming the expectation. And in a world where so many products sound the same, it’s the story behind the flavour and the impact that might just make the difference.

🧪 What We Covered This Week

Toasted Malt and Flavour Formation This post looked at what happens between kilning and roasting. Toasted malt sits in that middle space, typically heated between 120 and 160°C. It’s often overlooked, but it's one of the most controllable steps for shaping the base flavour.

At the lower end of the range, you get maltol and a bit of furfural. At the higher end, 5-HMF starts to appear. These compounds influence flavour directly but also carry through to fermentation, where they interact with yeast. Toasted malt still preserves enzymes and amino acids, which support yeast health and ester formation. It might not get the spotlight, but it deserves more credit.

Apple Brandy and Distillation Shifts Cider and brandy come from the same fruit, but the chemistry transforms completely. The post tracked what changes along the way. How yeast creates esters like ethyl acetate and isoamyl acetate. How the still strips out malic acid and tannins while concentrating the volatile flavour compounds.

Ageing adds another layer. Oak contributes vanillin, whisky lactone, and soft spice, creating baked apple and toasty notes that aren’t in the cider at all. It raised a fun question for me. Could cask finishers like port or sherry push apple brandy even further?

Red vs Green Grapes: Aroma and Structure Even though they come from the same species, red and green grapes show big differences in chemistry. This post broke it down. Green grapes are loaded with hexanal, C6 aldehydes and methoxypyrazines. These give that snap of fresh-cut grass and crisp apple. Red grapes bring anthocyanins for colour, tannins for structure, and sometimes rotundone for peppery depth.

Both types still share things like tartaric acid and esters. But the differences in texture and aroma mostly come down to the skin. And when fermented or distilled, those starting compounds steer the final flavour in very different directions.

Bourbon Chemistry Breakdown Friday’s post zoomed in on bourbon, from the grain bill to the barrel. Corn, rye, wheat and malted barley each bring something different. Corn smooths things out and boosts mouthfeel. Rye brings spice through ferulic acid. Wheat softens the edges and lets the barrel take the lead. Malted barley helps fermentation along and adds some background structure.

Then there’s the cask. New, charred American oak is full of flavour on its own. Charring releases vanillin, furfural and smoky phenols. And because bourbon is aged in hotter climates, extraction and oxidation happen faster, adding intensity in a shorter time. It’s a great reminder of how small shifts in grain and wood completely change the outcome.

🎙️ Podcast Spot Something a little different this week. I was invited onto a podcast to talk about flavour and chemistry in spirits. Still feels surreal. It’s not live yet, but I’ll share the link as soon as it drops.

🔍 What I’m Still Thinking About

How many whiskies lean on the same flavour descriptors. How different toasted malt is from roasted malt in what it gives to fermentation. Why grape skin gets so much attention in wine but hardly any in brandy. And how to tell a flavour story that helps drinkers feel more confident in their choices.

📬 What’s Coming Next

Monday – Malt Comparison Post To wrap up the malting series, I’m comparing malt types. From lightly kilned base malts to darker specialty malts, this one will break down how flavour shifts and what that means for fermentation and spirit character.

Wednesday – Red vs White Wine This post picks up the grape thread. It’s all about fermentation pathways, maceration, skin contact and how red and white wines go through different chemical journeys.

Friday – Champagne Chemistry (and a Wedding) I get married on Friday. So I’m marking the day with a post on Champagne. From primary fermentation to lees ageing and final bottling, it’s a story of CO2, esters and celebration.

If you’re working on flavour storytelling or training, I create visuals that explain spirit chemistry clearly. You can see what’s available or get in touch here:

🔗 https://payhip.com/SpiritChemistry

Thanks again for reading and following along. Next week might be a little fizzy.

John