Trick is in The Wood

Most of you will know of or would of noticed that whisky, bourbon, brandy and some rums and tequilas are dark in color, whilst gin, vodka and some rums and tequilas are clear in color. Well there is a good reason for this, which is related to whether the product is matured/aged in casks or not after it is distilled, though there is an exception that being Mendis coconut brandy.

All distilled spirits when they come off the still are clear in color, if the liquid is bottled straight off the still it will be diluted with purified water down to its desired proof (alcohol volume) and then bottled. Should the liquid be set aside to be matured, it will be pumped into the distillery's warehouses for aging in casks, this will produce a smoother and more refined product over a non aged one, but the liquid will discolor from contact with the wood. To obtain a more pleasing color to the eye of the final product, distillers add caramel coloring (burnt sugar) to the liquid prior to bottling.

Up to now, oak is the preferred wood used in the making of casks to mature distilled spirits, to be more specific European and American oak or in the case of Cognac, Limousin oak. Different types of oak will impart varying degrees of flavor and body to the final product, with European oak producing a full and rich flavor and American oak delivering a moderate and finer flavor. Products that are matured in oak will use either European or American oak depending on the final characteristics the distillery’s Master Blender is after, a combination of both casks may be used at different stages of the products aging process to create the desired body and flavor in the liquid.

It is through the aging process of the liquid being stored in casks and coming into contact with the oak that results in the liquid becoming discolored. However, Mendis does not use oak for the construction of its hand made casks to mature Mendis Coconut Brandy in, instead Halmilla wood is sourced for its Master Cooper to build its casks. The main reason why oak is solely used up to now it that it was the best wood to allow the liquid to breath and also had tight enough rings in the wood to hold the liquid in and at the same time impart pleasant flavors in the liquid (not wanting to get into technical’s here).

Mendis Halmilla wood casks have the porosity to enable the liquid to breath and mellow the product exceptionally well and at the same time offer the density of wood to contain the liquid, a fine balance of the natural wood. In addition, the wood does not discolor Mendis Coconut Brandy, this enables us to mature our brandy and maintain it’s natural color off the still- clear, a true industry first in producing a brandy this way. This aspect in the production of Mendis Coconut Brandy is just one of several that make it so unique- so as you can see, or read in this case, the trick is in the wood.