When I moved into my first apartment, I bought most of my furniture from a nearby IKEA. IKEA makes great furniture as long as you never have to move it! My general rule is that if the furniture as moving parts, like drawers, then it’ll survive one move. If you try to move it again, it’s going to fall apart unless you reinforce it with some extra hardware.

The furniture works great though, it’s just not going to last forever. It has it’s role to play and does it just fine.

That’s how I feel about this whole new accelerated aging talk. I’d heard about Cleveland Whiskey and their “disruptive technology” before but it re-entered my mind when I read this article on accelerated whiskey aging on The Whiskey Wash.

I won’t go into the science but my feeling on this is that:

1. The technology is cool but just like my thoughts on IKEA furniture, speed aging has its place. I don’t believe it’ll be as good as the old school methods but I don’t think it should be compared to old school methods.
2. Legislation needs to be introduced so that labels are accurate. I want to know it’s been speed aged/
3. It’ll be fun to see what adventurous mixtures they come up with!
4. I know there’s a heavy dose of marketing and business involved in all of this. Speed aging will be cheaper than storing barrels for many years. It’ll also help satiate some demand,
   which might mean the older stuff isn’t as expensive!
5. It’ll never replace the traditional methods. I’m not worried about that…

I’m not an old curmudgeon who thinks the old way is always the best way. But it might be. 🙂

I’m not clamoring to get a speed aged whiskey just because it’s a cool technology.

I will welcome new flavor combinations and profiles because it’ll only make the enjoyment of whiskey more fun!

Here’s what some folks in the Facebook had to say about it:

• Joel A. – Interesting stuff
• Wayne B. – I wouldn’t waste a nickel on it…no clone or android whisky for me ????. … To buy it is to render support to it. I think it’s well-established – the right to buy of one’s own choosing…and to each his own opinion. The more NAS & android whisky bought and consumed, the dumber the palate and it encourages more of same to be produced.
• Nathan L. – The worst whiskey I’ve had by far was from Cleveland with the “accelerated aging” BS. Worse than the Hudson Baby Bourbon…..
• Bill B. – You may be able to mimic to an extent, but there’s no way to mimic the effect of years of aging and mellowing in a barrel.
• Bruce B. – This is similar in nature to what has ruined fine vinegars. Ignorant consumers are responsible for much by accepting crap because it’s cheaper. Gmo veggies that look pretty with longer shelf lives that are less flavorful and less nutritious… people are idiots. Look at the average tomato: very pretty, very uniformly red, and yet has so much less flavor. I refuse to buy them. I buy heirlooms.
• Joseph L. – Go to the grocer’s and get a bottle of Liquid Smoke. Add a few drops to a young scotch and there you go!

What do you think?