For centuries, oak has been the wood of choice for whiskey barrels, thanks to its combination of ideal structure—it’s sturdy yet pliable, and leak-proof—and the appealing flavors it imparts on a spirit. Whiskey (or whisky) styles like bourbon and scotch require the use of oak; it’s as integral an ingredient as grain or yeast, adding notes of vanilla, caramel, baking spice, and milk chocolate. Without oak, the flavors whiskey drinkers love simply wouldn’t exist. But there’s more to maturation than oak. Some distillers are employing alternative woods like cherry, cedar, chestnut, and many more to expand the sensory horizon of their whiskies. They’re moving beyond oak’s familiar sweetness-and-spice to a palette of flavors that can range far wider—and weirder.
Read full article in Imbibe here.