Infused Whiskey

That submerged chunk of wood is a message in the bottle: To customers, it might communicate wider variety, better sustainability, or a new way for them to engage in the aging process at home.

There is immediate marketing appeal in having something—a worm, a bug, a piece of fruit, a sliver of wood—floating in a bottle of spirits. There’s also some history and tradition behind the practice … but there are risks.