Buffalo Trace Distillery continues its exploration into oak tree varietals with the latest release in its Old Charter Oak collection, Spanish Oak Bourbon.

Harvested from the forests of northern Spain, the trees used in this year’s experiment were made into staves that were seasoned outdoors before becoming the barrels that aged this unique whiskey. Spanish Oak Bourbon joins the four previous releases in the Old Charter Oak series, including Chinkapin Oak, Mongolian Oak, French Oak, and Canadian Oak.

Aged at Buffalo Trace Distillery, this innovative whiskey sits in stark contrast to its counterparts aged in traditional American Oak barrels. While American Oak gives a softer, sweeter taste with notes of vanilla and caramel, European Oak, including the Spanish Oak varietal, is drier, spicier and has stronger wood input.

The Old Charter Oak collection honors and celebrates the role of oak in making great whiskey by exploring the various possible taste profiles of whiskey resulting from barrels created from trees grown in different countries, climates, and soil. The oak trees used each year vary by country of origin, species, or U.S. state with some barrels made from century-old trees that grew between 100 to 300 years.

“A common misconception about the distilling process is that bourbon must be aged in new American Oak barrels,” Buffalo Trace Distillery Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley said. “Though most bourbons mature in American White Oak barrels, federal regulations do not specify what type of oak the barrel must be, only that it must be a new, charred oak container.

“At Buffalo Trace Distillery, we are deeply committed to honoring the traditions of our category but also embracing change and pushing the limits of innovation to see where American whiskey can go in the future. Our Old Charter Oak collection is a superb example of trying new things and offering consumers and fans more ways to enjoy our award-winning portfolio of whiskeys.”

Packaging for Spanish Oak will remain consistent with the other releases, with an upscale look consisting of a glass bottle with a cork finish. Each bottle has an oak medallion on the front depicting the Charter Oak tree.

Bottles are packaged in 750ml and available at a suggested retail pricing of $69.99. Spanish Oak will be available in select markets in the United States beginning Spring 2023. For more information, please visit https://www.buffalotracedistillery.com/.