cask
Virgin oak
Defined in law
A cask made from oak that has never previously held a liquid; called 'new oak' in US regulation.
Where it is defined
Required as 'charred new oak barrels' for bourbon, rye, wheat, malt and rye malt whisky and most straight whiskies: 27 CFR 5.143(c) Table 1
Worth knowing
Nothing in the Scotch Whisky Regulations prevents Scotch being matured wholly in virgin oak — the frequent claim that Scotch must use ex-bourbon or ex-sherry wood is simply false. The constraints are species (oak) and capacity (≤700 litres).
Related terms
Last reviewed 2026-07-30 · All glossary terms