 The purpose of the last article (Fermentation
& Distillation) was to provide a general understanding as to how a spirit is created. These generalizations, however, do not give the art of distilling its due justice. There are a great many factors that separate one spirit from the next, and ordinary spirits from great ones. The maturation process is just one of these many factors. Cask aging is an art form in itself, and oak is the wood of choice that is used to manufacture these barrels. In the world of spirits, there is no better marriage than that of a distilled spirit with an oak cask.
As bartenders, we have very often encountered symbols, letters or words on labels telling us the "age" of the spirit. The age of a spirit is simply the time it has spent in wood, not the bottle. On Cognac labels we have seen VS, VSOP, XO and EXTRA, even words like Napoleon, Paradis and Cordon Bleu. On Rum labels we have seen GOLD, DARK, 3-Star, 5-Star, VIEUX, TRES VIEUX AND EVEN Hors d'Age. On Tequila we would find Reposado or AŅejo. These are all age designations, letting us know how long a spirit has been aged in an oak. American Bourbon, Irish Whiskey and Scotch Whisky as well, must spend the minimum amount of time in oak as mandated by their respective laws. Simply stated, if they do not oak-age their whiskies for the certain amount of years, they can't use Bourbon, Irish Whiskey, or Scotch on the labels. At that point, we may find numerals such as 8, 12, 18, 25, etc., on the labels, which guarantees us the amount of years that the whiskies were aged. Spanish brandies and the finest Sherries have the Solera System, in short, a series of oak barrels are used for maturation.
Although the complete understanding of oak aging is still a mystery, there are many sources to expand that understanding. My favorite description of the effects that wood has on a spirit is in THE BOOK OF BOURBON by Regan & Regan - yes, as in Gary from "Regan Rants & Raves." He passionately writes, "When whiskey spends time in a barrel, it may seem to be sleeping, but in actuality, it is growing up. Its body gets bigger, its soul develops character and the sharp, childish bite of young, raw whiskey becomes a deep, somber declaration of maturity." What exactly is happening in the barrel that would inspire such a profound analysis? What influence could oak have on a good spirit that would render it a great one?
First, all spirits are clear as water upon being distilled. It is the "time in wood" that gives the aforementioned spirits their color.
Oak is hard and durable yet porous, making it ideal for storage and aging. The porous nature of the wood allows up to 3% of the contents to be lost annually through evaporation. This loss is poetically called the "Angel's share." Upon barrel construction, the staves are heated enabling them to bend. This "toasting" or "charring" process of the interior is necessary as well as desired for it causes the surface of the wood to caramelize. This may be where a spirit picks up notes of "vanilla" or "sweet."
During a visit to the MAKER'S MARK distillery in Loretto, Kentucky, Master Distiller David Pickerell further enlightened me. He showed me a barrel that has been cut in half enabling me to see the inside of each stave-from the charred interior, to the dry-aged exterior.
The whiskey stains amazingly penetrated more than halfway through the staves. Mr. Pickerell explained how the warmer climates cause the pores in the oak to expand, allowing the whiskey to penetrate. Then, as the atmosphere cools, the pores close, pushing the whiskey back out. All the whiskey would eventually enter the wood picking up favorable characteristics, while seemingly leaving undesirable ones in the wood.
As in any successful marriage, both sides benefit from this union and exchange of characteristics. The distillate unquestionably improves, while the used Bourbon, Sherry & Cognac casks have now become suitable for Tequila, Rum & Scotch aging, where other Master Distillers will create their own masterpieces.
Here is a cocktail that I served exclusively at
Windows On The World. It is ideal for the autumn and winter
months:
THE GREATER MANHATTAN
2-3/4 oz. Maker's Mark Bourbon
3/4 oz. Harvey's Bristol Cream
3 dashs Angostura Bitters
Stirred and strained into a pre-chilled cocktail glass; garnish
with a maraschino cherry.
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