WHISKY MAGAZINE Numero 50

WHISKY MAGAZINE & FINE SPIRITS - N°50 - Spring 2013
Thanks to the noble wood of oak, our favourite spirits improve with age. However, behind this legendary and majestic tree, which is responsible for part of the aromatic profile, lie different varieties whose characteristic contributions have been forgotten. White oak (quercus alba), sessile oak (quercus robur) and pedunculate oak (quercus sessiliflora or petraea) are among the three most widely used varieties in the spirits industry today. The combination of oak cask and ageing is seen as a guarantee of quality. Yet the different types of oak, cask manufacture and the ageing process are probably among the subjects least understood by the spirits enthusiast. Too technical for some, neglected by others. Wrong, it's absolutely fascinating when you're guided by the best specialists in... the oak reaction.