Jefferson’s Wood Experiment was purportedly designed as an experimental aging program inspired by a visit to a wine barrel cooperage. It’s an interesting concept. Wine barrels are almost exclusively toasted oak, and many wineries favor older used barrels for a more neutral flavor. This approach is almost diametrically opposed to bourbon’s pursuit of a high-oak flavor profile using charred, brand-new barrels.
Here’s how Jefferson’s explains their experiment: they took four-year-old straight bourbon whiskey and aged it in one of 13 different experimental aging environments, from toasted extra-large barrels to standard charred bourbon barrels with stave or cube inserts. Read more here
