‘60 Minutes’ takes a deep dive into Kentucky bourbon — or at least into the barrel
The award-winning CBS news show “60 Minutes” apparently spent some time recently in Kentucky.
Were they digging into corruption? Or putting their hard-hitting journalists to work uncovering a big scandal?
Not exactly. Instead, correspondent Bill Whitaker spent some time exploring bourbon barrel making.
According to a clip shown in an advance piece, Whitaker visited with barrel makers and bourbon makers, exploring the way the wood influences the flavor of Kentucky whiskey.
Kentucky is home to several cooperages, or barrel-making factories, that often work directly with specific distilleries to create custom barrels that enhance elements of bourbon.
Why the barrel is important to bourbon
The depth of the charring on the inside, the degree of toasting of the wooden staves, even the amount of surface area exposed to the newly distilled spirit can be adjusted to change the end result.
The deepest char, known as “alligator char” for its resemblance to gator hide, comes from burning the inside of the barrel for nearly a minute and results in intense, smoky flavor and deep color.
How many barrels are made every year? Millions.
In 2023, a record 3.2 million barrels were filled with bourbon in Kentucky, joining more than 11 million already aging in warehouses across the state.
And bourbon makers can’t reuse them: To qualify as bourbon, it must be aged in new barrels, although Scotch, rum and tequila also age in used bourbon barrels for extra flavor.
Bourbon barrels can be made only from white oak, which has been the focus of increasing efforts from the industry and from Kentucky researchers to protect the species and replant diminishing forests.
