The message
from "Franz Heymann" contains these words:

Unfortunately, here in the UK it is illegal to concentrate alcohol by
any means without a licence, so don't try this at home folks - if
anyone's watching.

You surprise me. I have always assumed that it was only concentration by
distillation which was prohibited, since at the time the law came into being
nobody knew of any other means of concentrating alcohol.

They've been making applejack since time immemorial in climates like
Canada, Russia, etc., and the principle is used in antifreeze, for a
start.

It would seem to be the most unenforcable law ever dreamt up.

Parliament isn't too bothered if it's enforceable. It kept HM Costumes
and Exercise happy.

If you're really into it in a big way, thoroughly clean a spin dryer.
Put into it a pillowslip or clean woven sack with the mouth ready to
accept your ice.

You have, of course, put several gallons of cider or wine in the
freezer. If it has a decent strength it will freeze down into slush
which you can ladle or shovel into the pillowslip/sack.

Tie the top of the sack and start the spin dryer. Depending on how cold
you can get your freezer to go, you should have a product at about 30%
abv.

Don't try it with beer, as the hops' bitterness comes off with the
alcohol. :-·

There speaks the man with the experience.

blush

Is that how some of the Islays get their soapy flavour?

Soapy? *SOAPY!?* All the Islay malts except Bunnahabhain have a peaty,
smoky flavour, with overtones of sea and Heaven. Some of the reek
(smoke) from the peat used for drying the malt is allowed to flavour the
grains. I would guess that other local plants are added to give a
particular character. Laphroaig, for instance, has a distinct nuance of
TCP: I wouldn't mind betting that some bog myrtle is burnt with the
peat.

The mash is made, rather like smoky ale, and the flavours come over with
the distillation.

--
Rusty Friend Of Laphroaig Distillery.
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