I know for many this will be taboo and I should go straight to he_ _. I am hopping for some to give me some insight as to how they do it. I start by taking 190 proof from a sugar wash and cutting it to 45% abv then I put 2 IN chard white oak sticks into a qt jar and cap it for 4 weeks. This will give it a light amber color but not much taste and still a lot of kick. After 4weeks I pull the oak out and mix in 1Table spoon maple syrup and 20ml Prestige u p legend Canadian whiskey essence. Cap it and put it back on the shelf.Since I have not been doing this very long my aged stuff is just over 2mo old. It has mellowed allot and for me is becoming very good. As an old time crown drinker I would not say to tastes like crown but it is every bit as good. So is anyone else out there doing anything like this. I am sure some day when I get stocks up I too will start mashing some grain and make some real whiskey until then I am having a good time making what I am.

"If you have the patience, next time try aging it at a higher %, 60 to 70 %.
The higher % will draw more color and flavor from your chard oak, then dillute to 45 to 50% and add what ever flavoring you like.
Cheers!"

Will double dittos what Steve said. Noticed it also. You put some hooch in the bourbon jars at 110-120 it leach out the goodies and get dark quite a bit quicker than 80-90. Dont think I ever broke 120 on it. Prob work the same right on up the scale. Seems like the commercial bourbon folks put it in the Oak barrels no higher than 140. Laws on that maybe. Must be a good plan. Course not much telling what they do when the hooch poleece aint watching..lol.