What spirits are barrel aged?

What spirits are barrel aged?

Spirits that have prominently rich, spicy characteristics (like bourbon, Scotch, and rum) are better served by decades in a barrel, as those notes become more pronounced. Lighter (let’s say “younger at heart”) spirits like tequila and gin don’t gain as much by aging.

What alcohol is stored in barrels?

Rum and tequila, in particular, often see the inside of a barrel. These days, you can find a spirit aged in ex-whiskey barrels in almost every category, from gin and vodka to cognac. These are seven great examples of spirits (okay, one’s a wine) that have spent time inside a whiskey barrel and are better for it.

What can barrels do for spirits?

The wood achieves 2 effects: one, it slowly introduces oxygen to the spirit and two, it imbues the spirit with the natural flavors of the wood. If the barrel has been previously used to age another spirit, a whiskey, for example, that barrel will also carry traces of the whiskey which could be a desirable trait.

What is an aging barrel?

Aging is the process of storing distilled spirits (or wines) in barrels for a specific period of time. The goal of maturation is to remove harsh flavors from the raw alcohol while adding distinct flavor characteristics found in the barrel’s wood. The barrels, or casks, are often made of oak, which is sometimes charred.

Can you put vodka in an oak barrel?

The back story: It seems the vodka makers of the world never fail to run out of flavor ideas. And more technically, it’s not a flavored vodka—rather, it’s a vodka that’s been aged in oak barrels (not unlike a bourbon—or a Scotch, for that matter), which allows it to pick up that telltale oaky flavor.

How many times can you use an aging barrel?

By law, a barrel can be used just one time to distill bourbon in the US, despite the fact that these well-crafted barrels have a “lifespan” of up to 60 years.

Is whiskey aged in a barrel?

While American Whiskey is often aged in heavily charred barrels. From there, time plays a major role in achieving a specific flavor profile relative to the toast or char. The first couple months after a spirit enters a barrel, there is a huge uptick of influence from the wood.

Does Bourbon age faster in smaller barrels?

Small oak barrels can be a great way to quickly age spirits, especially whiskey, rum, tequila and bourbon. The general cause of this is that the volume of small oak barrels increases by a power of three relative to dimensions, while surface area increases by a power of two.

Can you age vodka in a barrel?

New Barrel-Aged Vodka You already love a range of liquors that clock time in barrels—whiskey, rum, brandy and, recently, even gin. But traditionally, straight vodka has always been barrel-free. “It mellows the vodka heat a bit, much like whiskey, and gives you so much more flavor to play with,” Salicetti says.

What kind of spirits are aged in a barrel?

Jonah Flicker is a freelance journalist based in Brooklyn whose work focuses on spirits, food and travel. As anyone who enjoys brown spirits knows, the barrel in which the spirits are aged is one of the biggest sources of flavor.

How long does it take for an oak whiskey barrel to age?

The liquid should cause the wood to expand to tighten the staves and eliminate leakage. If the barrel continues to leak, ensure all the hoops are in place and tight. The length of time for aging is up to the owner of the oak barrel for aging. Spirits require anywhere from a week up to several years.

Is it good to use oak barrel for aging?

Once the oak barrel for aging has been used the specified number of times, it makes a good storage container for the spirit, but the wood has far less impact on aging. Switching the type of spirit aged in a barrel is not a regular practice.

What kind of whiskey is aged in an ex bourbon barrel?

The XO is a blend of rum aged between eight and 15 years in ex-bourbon barrels, giving it a rich, oaky taste that complements the inherent sweetness of the spirit. This is truly rum for whiskey drinkers.