CHESTNUT Chestnut wood shares quite a bit in common with oak, as the two have similar tannic properties. Prida explains that the tannins in chestnut are more or less in the same chemical family as those in oak, though he’s found that there are far more tannins in the former. “This could be interesting for someone looking for very significant tannin extraction,” he says. Additionally, chestnut with the same level of toasting as oak can impart more color to the spirit than the latter. It could be an ideal option, says Prida, for a distiller looking to produce a very dark spirit without having to resort to caramel or other additives. “It’s a very good solution because all of the extraction is completely natural.”
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ACACIA On the visual flipside, there’s acacia, which brings very little color to the liquid. The color it does bring, however, is made up of some slight green tones. “The color is sometimes a little bit weird, it’s not like a regular color of barrel maturation,” Prida observes. “It is a Cognac-like brown color, but there is some greenish tint to it. It’s a bit surprising for customers to see that color.” Flavor-wise, acacia can contribute
THE VERDICT Keep in mind that beyond the experiments of distilleries like Copperfox and cooperages like Seguin Moreau, alternative wood research is relatively limited. That’s something distillers need to remember before they get creative with unconventional varieties. “It’s really important to be objective
some vegetal notes, as well as some sawdust-like elements. “Depending on the concentration, it can be a pleasant or unpleasant flavor,” he warns. At its best, acacia can provide a certain freshness that could be a good match for a spirit like gin. “Gin is naturally fresh and if you bring some freshness from the wood, it could be very interesting,” Prida offers. But it probably wouldn’t be a good idea to age only with acacia. It works best when it’s combined with oak maturation.
with yourself and your taste buds,” advises Wasmund. “If we didn’t like it, we didn’t like it. And if we did, just because no one had done it before, that didn’t mean we stopped.”
Jeff Cioletti is the editor at large of Beverage World Magazine, creator of The Drinkable Globe website, and hosts the web series, The Drinkable Week.
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