Double barrel matured, Double Oaked, Twin Oaked, Toasted Barrel. Are we talking about the same thing? Pretty much. But I’ve never met a toasted barrel whiskey (or any of the above) I didn’t like!
You see, that second barrel delivers a deepness and richness you just can’t quite get with only one barrel. Let me explain…
First, understand that all whiskey gets 100% of its color and 60-70% of its flavor from the wood. (the balance is the mashbill or grain recipe, the water used for cutting and last but not least, the yeast strain involved). And with that, 50% of that flavor and color comes in the first twelve months a whiskey sits in the barrel!
So when you give a whiskey that has aged four, six or however many years in one barrel a new life in a brand new second barrel, naturally all those delicious caramels, vanillas and other flavors become deeper, richer and even more enhanced!! The depth of flavor is simply hard to match!
By law, the first barrel must be flame charred charcoal black on its interior for bourbons. With the secondary barrel, however, there are no rules! (We like no rules! Warren Bar is famous for that! lol). Usually the second barrel is “singed” rather than burned on the inside. That simply means that the flame never hits the interior wood but rather is close enough to turn it a brown, dark brown color rather than the charcoal black of the first barrel. That’s what gives you that beautiful toastiness!
Secondary finishing is a hot trend in whiskey these days as port barrels, cognac casks, old wine barrels, sherry casks and all kinds of previously soaked woods are gaining new life and adding delicious flavors and complexity to more and more whiskeys on the market!
At Warren, your spiritual advisor is here to take you on a tour of these whiskeys and help you understand how each secondary barrel impacts the profile and what exact flavor notes they bring!
Which brings us back to the toasteds! Still my favorite! And not adding new flavors to the spirit but simply enhancing those classic flavors from the original oak! Elijah Craig, Woodford, Michter’s toasted, anyone?
Come see me and I’ll taste you on it and tell you all about it!
Cheers!
Fitz