When it comes to wine and whiskey – especially bourbon – the oak barrel reigns, not just as a container, but also for the magic that the wood gives to the whiskey.

Metal, plastic and cardboard long ago eclipsed barrels for the shipment of most items, but when it comes to wine and whiskey, especially bourbon whiskey, the oak barrel still reigns. Demand for ...

One of the most essential requirements in the bourbon-making process is aging it in charred oak barrels; otherwise, it does not qualify for the label.

Distillers must age bourbon in new white oak barrels that are charred inside. But the barrel supply is running low, and new, small craft distillers are having trouble getting any barrels at all.

From the remote forests of Japan to the rolling hills of Kentucky, Bardstown Bourbon’s Hokkaido Japanese Mizunara Oak Barrel ...

Bourbon barrels: The U.S. definition of “bourbon” requires spirits labeled as bourbon to be aged in newly charred oak, although distilleries are free to choose from a variety of barrel sizes ...

Industry-standard oak barrels are made from trees between 60 and 80 years old. ... Swing by for a taste of how a single bourbon barrel keeps on giving, adding flavor to everything it touches.

The popularity of bourbon will soon outpace the growth of white oaks across Kentucky and the Midwest. Since it takes about 80 years to grow a white oak, we must begin working on this challenge now.

Bourbon's Flavor Comes From The Barrel There are over 600 varieties in the oak tree family, but the most commonly used for barrel staves is American (or white) oak.

Distillers must age bourbon in new white oak barrels that are charred inside. But the barrel supply is running low, and new, small craft distillers are having trouble getting any barrels at all.