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Craft Distillery

Barrels Old and New:

Make Crafting Spirits a Careful

Balance of Art & Science

By: Cheryl Gray

D istilleries are as selective about the barrels Brown-Forman is the only

they use as they are about the ingredients spirits company in the world
that go into crafting their spirits. In fact, to handcraft its own barrels.
the right barrel plays an integral role in the entire Michael Nelson is Director of
process. Brown-Forman Cooperage.

Experts say that new barrels impart the high- “The barrel plays an import-
est wood impact into a spirit, giving it color and ant role in the making of
emphasizing characteristics exclusive to the wood. whiskey,” said Nelson. “With
On the other hand, older barrels play a very differ- more than 50% of the flavor
ent role and are used in a variety of ways by the and 100% of the whiskey’s color coming from the
spirits industry. barrel, it is a key ingredient, not just a storage ves-

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