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What oakwood absolute is

Oakwood absolute is extracted from the wood of Quercus robur, the common oak. This species is native to most of Europe and western Asia. The tree yields a durable, long-lasting heartwood.

Origin and making

The oak used for a French oakwood absolute comes from trees growing in the forests of the Allier region. The hundred-year-old oaks come from certified forests and are grown for the production of barrels and casks that are used to age the finest wines. The wood is stored and dried for more than one year before being cut into staves.

Solubility

The absolute is soluble in 190 proof alcohol and only partially soluble in fixed oil, where the insoluble materials settle to the bottom, leaving a clear oil that can be decanted from the top.

Oak in barrels

Wine barrels are made of oak; these are used for aging alcoholic beverages such as sherry and whisky, giving them a range of flavours, colours, and aromas. Phenols within the wood interact to produce vanilla-type flavours. Toasting enhances the presence of vanillin and of the phenol eugenol, which creates smoky and spicy notes that in some wines are similar to the aromatics of oil of cloves. Heavy toasting dramatically reduces the coconut note lactones, even in American oak.

French oaks (Quercus robur, Q. petraea) give greater refinement and are chosen for the best, most expensive wines. American oak contributes greater texture and resistance to ageing, but produces a more powerful bouquet. The white oak, Quercus alba, is native to eastern and central North America.

Oak lactones

cis-3-Methyl-4-octanolide is a chemical compound of the lactone family with the formula C₉H₁₆O₂. Its 3S,4S isomer, commonly known as whisky lactone or quercus lactone, is an important ingredient in the aroma of whiskey and other alcoholic beverages that have been aged in oak barrels. The isomer is extracted by the alcoholic beverage from some precursor substances in the oak wood. The cis oak lactone has a distinctive coconut-like aroma, while the trans oak lactone provides a grassy, celery-like aroma.

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