Start-up company claims it can age your whiskey by three years in just 24 hours

Whiskey Elements are described as a 'redesign' of the traditional whiskey barrel

Time and Oak have developed a product that allows drinkers to customise the flavour and improve the quality of cheaper whiskey (Getty)

A new start-up company purporting to help whiskey drinkers age their favourite tipple in just 24 hours has raised over $130,000 to help make the idea an entrepreneurial success story.

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Time and Oak has developed a product that allows drinkers to customise the flavour and improve the quality of cheaper whiskey by aging it the equivalent of three years in a single day.

The laser-etched, charred wooden sticks, dubbed Whiskey Elements, claim to be a “redesign” of the traditional whiskey barrel and enable a process described as “accelerated transpiration through capillary action”.

Time and Oak claims that Whiskey Elements reduce levels of methoxy-phenyl-oxime and acetaldehyde, making the alcohol akin to top-shelf aged whiskeys. They also come in five flavours: oak, vanilla, maple, smoke and peat.

Founded by Tony Peniche, of Portland, Oregon, the company had hoped to raise $18,000 for their endeavour on Kickstarter - but has so far raised $130,975 from 3,505 backers.

However, there remain reservations over just how effective Whiskey Elements really are. Gizmodo journalist Adam Clark Estes carried out a blind taste-test using the product and concluded that “throwing a burnt stick in a bottle of swill doesn't really work at all.”

Responding on Kickstarter, Peniche said there had been a mix-up and the reviewer had been sent the wrong batch of Whiskey Elements.

Peniche said: “We stand by our claims - with a healthy assist from scientific data culled by multiple labs.

“We understand this review, we are sorry for the results and hope they will give Whiskey Elements another try. We love this product, stand behind it and welcome your feedback.”