Sturdy. Reliable. Enduring. Oak trees conjure up a feeling of calm. Whether as a childhood memory or the focal point out of the office window, oaks – at least in the UK – usher in a sense of the serene. They change with the seasons, but they remain for centuries, underpinning a grounding stoicism.
Therefore it seems almost discordant that the oak finds itself at the centre of a whisky flavour revolution.
Recent years have seen an uptick in new oak releases. (A quick note: while many producers and brands use the term ‘virgin’ oak, in this feature they will be referred to as ‘new’.) Partly, the trend is due to a shifting market that makes traditional used casks more difficult – and expensive – to procure. But it is also attributable to the increased understanding that different species of oak can impart a wealth of flavours in maturation.
It’s commonly estimated that a whisky – or any maturing spirit – will get 60–80 per cent of its flavour, and all its natural colour, from the cask it matured in. This is because while a cask is
