Barrel made productsUpdated 10 days ago
All of our barrel made Pappy & Company items are created from the actual barrels used to age our Pappy Van Winkle bourbon. Due to the handmade nature of these products, there are slight variations in every piece. We consider the variations to be a sign of true craftsmanship. It is normal for the natural wood of the bourbon barrel staves to dry out over time. As a result, the staves can shrink and more variations will appear. To avoid overdrying, never soak any of your products in water and minimize overall exposure to water. For our cutting boards and stave bowls, we suggest periodically applying food safe mineral oil to maintain the care and luster.
Given the staves used to make the barrel heads have housed bourbon for years and years, and because our climate in Kentucky is so humid, noticeable drying and shrinking is fairly common as the head dries out and the humidity of the environment changes. Additionally, the barrel head is exposed to different temperatures during transit as well. We have looked into a kiln dried option which could possibly eliminate some of these issues, however doing that would remove the smell of the bourbon and some of the character of the barrel head so we've chosen not to go that route.
Essentially, because the barrel heads are authentic and have housed bourbon for several years there will be imperfections and differences in each one, something we think only adds character and what makes each barrel head feel so unique.