barrel aging is a fundamental step in producing great american whiskey where all its elements finally come together and shine.

Our American Whiskey is aged in meticulously crafted 53-gallon barrels made from the high-quality oak that achieved sustainable certification and has been air-dried for up to 24 months. Extended seasoning of our barrels allows natural elements (such as light, humidity and fungal activity) to facilitate changes in the oak chemistry, adding complexity to an aging spirit and softness to the palate. We offer our customers a choice of whiskey products that have been aged in American oak (quercus alba), European Oak (quercus robur) and French Oak (quercus petraea). American white oak is more porous and more assertive then its European counterparts, which allows for the wood properties to be transferred more easily and assertively to the whiskey. American white oak contributes sweet flavors of vanilla, caramel and maple syrup as well as roasted aromas such as coffee, smoke, tobacco and cocoa while French oak adds herbaceous spice, clove, cedar, nutmeg and cinnamon notes due to its higher levels of tannin as well as flavors of toasted almonds and mocha. A key characteristic of French Oak is its tighter grain which allows the spirit to age slowly, with the flavors of the wood being imparted gradually over time. Limited releases of super-premium whiskey with distinct organolpetic characteristics that have been aged in our Fusion barrels are available as well, with unique flavor profiles of these whiskeys derived from exposure to custom barrels combining staves from both American and French oak.

We offer our customers a variety of aged premium American Whiskey with distinct flavor profiles matured in oak barrels featuring custom toast levels and char combinations. Toast levels range from a Medium Toast that imparts delicate aromas of baked bread and butterscotch, to a Medium Plus Toast that produces a complex array of the popular barrel derived flavors such as vanilla and rich caramel, and up to a Heavy Toast, a bold and spice-forward option, with underlying notes of smoke, lactone, and chocolate. Toasted barrels are charred to Level #3 (35 seconds of heat exposure) or to Level #4 (55 seconds of heat exposure), also referred to as an “alligator char” due to the resemblance of the charred barrel’s cracked surface pattern to the skin of an alligator. Depending on the level of char different amounts of wood sugars are caramelized, producing different flavors and aromas in the whiskey: medium char produces vanilla, honey and caramel flavors, while the heavier char provides more color and caramelization with rich robust flavors of espresso, caramelized sugar, tiramisu, roasted nuts and sweet smoke notes. Heavier char levels also release desirable oak flavors into the spirit more quickly, facilitating the aging process.

We age our American Whiskey in government-bonded warehouses in the State of Kentucky where climate and weather conditions provide for the optimal storage environment. Kentucky’s hot summer and cold winters cause bourbon barrels to contract and expand when temperature’s swings, which contributes to the flavor and color of the whiskey and facilitates aging. All our whiskeys are aged in traditional "rick house” style warehouses where whiskey barrels are stored on wooden "ricks" stacked several layers high, allowing for significant airflow between barrels. The increased airflow in a rick house is advantageous for developing complex flavor profile of our whiskey by allowing for more evaporation and oxidation.

Legacy Cask offers to trade buyers premium and super-premium whiskeys aged for 2 years and 4 years, which can be bottled, labelled and marketed as “straight” and “bottled in bond”, respectively. We have available a wide choice of specially selected barrels of particularly well-balanced, nuanced Bourbon, Rye Whiskey and American Single Malt Whiskey that have excellent structure and compelling distinct flavor profiles making them ideal for single barrel bottlings, limited releases in super-premium and luxury categories and special barrel programs.

If you would like to learn more about our American Whiskey products, send us an email at contact@legacycask.com.