Background: 

Master Cooper American Oak made in America barrels is a premium American Oak barrel brand incorporating Vincent Bouchard’s savoir-faire that are coopered at a premium United States Cooperage. 

Having being introduced on the market since 2015, the style of the barrels reflects elegance and balance. They highlight American Oak’s nuances while respecting and lifting the fruit rather than providing aggressive lactones and over the top oakiness, plankiness, dill and vanilla, which stylistically American Oak can have a reputation for. 

Oak:

Only the highest of quality slow growth American White Oak that is seasoned for a minimum of two years is used. The barrels are available in three different forest selections:

Missouri 

Missouri oak offers sweetness and vanillin notes while filling and broadening out the mid palette. 

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania oak, slightly more tight-grained than Missouri, brings subtle spice notes that accent the barrels proprietary toast. 

Minnesota 

Minnesota oak is the tightest grained of the selection and provides elegance and depth while respecting the varietal’s characteristics.  

Proprietary Toast: 

All barrels are toasted using Vincent Bouchard’s proprietary toasting method that includes toasting the barrel at a very low flame for a very long time and then allowing the barrels to slowly cool down at a consistent rate that is 100% repeated from barrel to barrel to ensure consistency. This style of toasting American Oak optimizes the oak’s essence while minimizing its’ undesirable characteristics. The barrel’s heads are toasted and 225 L / 228 L Bordeaux and Burgundy Export start at $450.00 a barrel. 

If you are looking for Premium American Oak barrels that are not overly impactful and dominant and priced reasonably, the Bouchard Cooperages team invites you to trial some in your 2018 vintage programs.