Scotch Ale Barrel Aged - The same Scotch Ale, aged exactly the same amount of time, in three different barrels. A multi-generational team of professional expert coopers make the wooden staved barrels by sanding and tapering the oak staves so that they fit the hoops perfectly without nails and glue. The oak barrel is perfectly charred during assembly. This charring process caramelizes the sugar in the wood and this is what gives the stored spirits the caramel character as well as the essence of sweet vanilla. When the barrel is emptied and then used for beer, the bourbon flavor as well as the wood character are transferred to the aged beer. This barrel had a heavy char and was used for Heaven Hill’s Parker collection. It was filled with Bourbon on 01/31/2008.