What is the secret to making delicious bourbon?

Most folks talk about the mix of grains it’s made from, the type of still it’s produced on or even the calcium content in the water used by the distillery. Finally, the humble barrel that the whiskey is aged in is mentioned.

Perhaps, that’s because the barrels used by most distillers are fairly standard. But, to put it bluntly, you can’t make bourbon without oak trees. Wood is an essential part of the whiskey making process and few brands understand this better than Angel’s Envy. It has pioneered the technique of finishing American whiskey, using former port casks and even a very rare Japanese Mizunara oak barrel.

This should come as no surprise, since one of the brand’s founders, hall of fame master distiller Lincoln Henderson, was an expert at getting the best flavors out of a cask. Lincoln’s understanding of the interaction between whiskey and wood is today shared by his son Wes (also in the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame) and his grandsons Kyle, Andrew, Connor and Spencer, who operate production at Angel's Envy.

The company’s name is even a play on the historic term for the amount of whiskey lost to evaporation during aging. Read on to learn more about the incredibly important role oak plays in the production of bourbon and how you can help Angel’s Envy ensure that there are plenty of oak trees (and American whiskey) in the future.