Wood maturation of distilled beverages

A wide range of distilled beverages, including whisky and cognac, continue to be matured for many years in oak barrels. During maturation a range of physical and chemical interactions take place between the barrel, the surrounding atmosphere and the maturing spirit which transform both the flavour and composition of the drink. The effects and time required for maturation are highly variable and are influenced by a wide range of factors, particularly the type of barrel used. As our understanding of the process has improved there has been increasing interest in methods of predicting, controlling and simulating the effects of maturation.