Oak: The variety of wood used as a material for building barrels, as well as a number of other items used during the production of whisk(e)y. Oak is from the genus Quercus and there are roughly 400 species. Oak is native to the Northern Hemisphere. Is quite a dense wood with superb strength. It also has a high tannin content. Present within oak are vanillin, among other flavour compounds, and the effects of ageing in oak upon the finished whisky are very high.
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