WOOD TREATMENT - Ariake Sangyo

TOASTING & CHARRING

When the staves are assembled into a barrel shape, the process with heat impact making the oak compound active will begin. It depends on what kind of flavor our customer wants in their shochu or whisky and the barrel will be toast or char. Heat treatment is an important process to activate the wood components and bring out the personality of the wood. The heating temperature during the treatment will affect the flavor of the alcohol. At Ariake the standard is Medium char & toast however we can toast and char our barrel base on customer’s request. Also, it is possible to re-activate the ingredients of barrels by re char and re-toast to rejuvenate the oak flavor in the old barrel.

CHARRING

When the oak is burning at a higher temperature, it will develop black and have much more ash residue inside the barrel, resulting in a much darker color in the spirits. The hemicellulose will break down into wood sugar, caramelize the surface of the wood. They impart source of sweeter flavors of caramel, honey, toffee, and brown sugar taste to the spirits. Charred barrels also have another effect on the alcohol: the carbon in the ash acts as a filter for the harsher elements of the liquor. Aging whiskey (like bourbon) in charred barrels results in a smoother, mellower flavor. There’s much science around this, but know in essence the darker the char, the more different the flavor profile will be, and the more colorful the whiskey likely will be.

1. Light Char

Light char keeps original flavor or the spirits and add fragrance ingredients derived from oak with a sharp taste. It is suitable for long-term maturation.

2. Medium Char

Medium char is standard practice and the most used type of char among whisky and shochu makers in Japan.

3. Heavy Char

It will be the same type of char with bourbon barrel. Also known as alligator char, as it is baked heavily, smoky flavors like smoked and a dense, dark and sweet scent like vanilla and honey are drawn out. Elution of wood components is fast, and it is suitable for short term maturation.

TOASTING

The barrel is heated slowly, develop a browny color toast rather than burned char surface. Resulting less color impart into the spirit and lighter shade. Toasting degree will influence the flavor profile of the barrel. With longer toasting time the barrel will extract more caramel flavor but also increase smoky and spicy flavor compare to medium toast which provides the most balanced flavor of vanilla, caramel, honey, coffee and smoky. 1. Light toast It brings up the earthy, milder wood characters, complex baked aromas. It develops fresh flavor and reduce vanilla component and eliminate the tannin content in oak. Suitable for wine require minimum of aroma enhancement. 2. Medium toast The longer toasting time brings up more complex aroma profile to the barrel of stronger vanillin, coffee, and freshly baked bread. Offer greater note of oak to the spirits. 3. Heavy toast The wood exposes to the heat long enough to break down the chemical components. Therefore, it will extract a little smoky taste, roasted coffee, less sweet flavors with some coffee note aroma.