Hello,
Without going too much into the specific recipes, I'm trying to determine variable sources of harsh, hot and astringent flavors in gin distilling. What are some adjustments you discovered that made the final product more or less harsh?
Some specific I wonder the relative impact of: character of neutral base spirit, heads and tails cut point, maceration time, temperamental or normally hot/harsh/spicy herbs.
In terms of herbs, I'm curious of which can become culprits for imparting "harshness" if used improperly, some I'm suspicious of: juniper, citrus peel, angelica, cassia, cinnamon, rose, black pepper, cubeb, caraway, cardamom, licorice...
I'd love to hear some experiences.