They probably ‘barrel age’ in some sweet liqueur barrels. Like Japanese plum liqueur
Kavalan is starting to do wine. Lowkey interested. Hate whisky with a passion and gaoliang is only slightly better.
I don’t think you’re supposed to drink it straight.
I think you use it to alcoholise (new word invented and copyrighted by me) non-alcoholic drinks for fun!
indeed. That would probably burn holes right through us. we were at a fruit cocktail bar. they used it to make string cocktails.
weird, I remembered a similar label from Poland but 80% before. 96 is next level.
You use this to make gin.
People now drink non-alcoholised (copyrighted by me) drinks for fun
The right word is ‘create’ designer gin.
Really? Basically spiced vodka?
Effectively yes. Spiced, possibly distilled a second time, diluted down to 40%. No wonder everyone and their dog are making gin these days.
This, it’s a rectified spirit (as written on the bottle!), it’s not intended to be taken neat. Rectified spirit - Wikipedia
“Neutral spirits are used in the production of several spirit drinks, such as blended whisky, cut brandy, most gins, some liqueurs and some bitters. As a consumer product, it is almost always mixed with other beverages to create drinks like alcoholic punch or Jello shots or is sometimes added to cocktails in place of vodka or rum.[10] It is also used to make home made liqueurs, such as limoncello or cassis, and in cooking because its high concentration of alcohol acts as a solvent to extract flavors.[11] Rectified spirits are also used for medicinal tinctures and as a household solvent. They are sometimes consumed undiluted; however, because the alcohol is so high-proof, overconsumption can cause alcohol poisoning more quickly than more traditional distilled spirits”
No, because then you need a distillery license. I wrote it up a few posts, ‘create’ designer gin. Steeping anything herby, flowery, spices you like in alcohol for a few days. There is no point in distilling 96 proof alcohol one more time. As a distiller you could do the whole process from the start though. Making alcohol from ‘nothing’ needs government control to levy the appropriate excise taxes. Every time something is distilled the taxman will seal the still and only opened after production. No need for that when making gin from alcohol as you bought already taxed alcohol, just need an alcohol/drinks/food producer/resale license, they can estimate how much gin you made from your high proof alcohol.
Some brewers add alcohol to their brew to get high alcohol beers, but others go the freezing route.
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Basically, vodka can be distilled from any fermentable sugar, starch. It’s distilled to high proof and diluted with pure water.
Since some years there are ‘designer’ gin competitions.
indeed. reminds me of absinthe kits. basically everything flavorful can be added into high proof vodka. except the wormwood due to bitterness. thus the work around in adding wormwood oils and adding it into it to make “fake” absinthe.
I have also noticed a huge boom of gin resellers in Taiwan now. but I wouldnt worry, it will die off soon enough. really nothing special given how distilling really works in Taiwan. Mostly just infused stuff. which isnt bad, but often miss represented.
for sure. used to bump percents and lower margins. The word fake comes to mind to be honest. in regards to say whiskey, rum and so on. the skill is in fermenting, distilling and aging. But infused alcohol can be good too. Just wish they were more honest on the label.
That said, to be honest. we did do half shots near the end of the night. Big mistake. and really ended the night. But, dumb can be dumb sometimes 
The designer gin thing is already going for almost 8-10 years.
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The profit is in distilling as high alcohol as possible and dilute with water, water is profit. Done with beers too, like Heineken and other ‘lagers’, ferment to about 8-9% ABV, then dilute to 4-4.5%.
Yes, of course. Isnt that how all whiskey, vodka, brandy etc is done?
Had no idea specialty gin was a thing here before. Cool. Istill cant drink it haha. I only started to notice more companies the last few years.
What is the most interesting recipe you have seen here? noticed a mint one last week.
Amen to selling water. But the profit margins on coffee and tea are still better than ethanol. Everyone is cool paying premiums for infused water
I put 3 dried chilli in a bottle of vodka one time 3 months later, make a very spicy Bloody Mary.
Really does become firewater 
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pass. unless you are making a rich heavy cream one. For me, being a total wuss to heat, I only use very mild chilis with lots of flavor (usually mexican types) and remove seeds. just the skins. can be quite nice. I like it with cacao, maca, ashwagandha and other earthy type things that suite creamy/sweet.
