Old Charter Oak Canadian Oak Bourbon

Along the southeastern border of this megaforest grows Quercus alba, the white oak. It’s a different beast than the American oaks that share the name. Even among the same species—the same forest, even—each tree is unique. And Canada’s massive forests and unique climate have shaped Quercus alba into a tree all its own. To compare: the American white oaks harvested and used in whiskey barrels across the world tend to come from forests that stretch from the Great Lakes to Tennessee, and from the Mississippi to the Atlantic. It’s an area with long growing seasons and hot, humid summers. In those conditions, the oaks grow fast, leading to a wider-grained wood that, when made into barrels, readily shares its flavors with the whiskey that ages within.