The most comprehensive bourbon experiment ever undertaken

It all started with 96 individually selected American oak trees that differed according to the number of growth rings per inch and growing location. Each tree was cut into two parts - top and bottom - yielding 192 unique tree sections. A single barrel was constructed from each unique section. Prior to construction, we varied the stave seasoning times. The 192 barrels were then charred differently. These single oak barrels were then filled with different recipe whiskeys, at various entry proofs and aged in a variety of different warehouse styles.

We believe that this experiment will allow you to directly compare the impact of 7 different critical variables across 192 bottles for a total of 1,396 taste combinations. None of the 192 bottles in the complete set are exactly alike.

Barrel # Recipe / Flavoring Grain Entry Proof Months of Stave Seasoning Grain Size Warehouse Type Barrel Char Level Tree Cut Rings per Inch
1 Rye 125 6 Tight Rick - K #3 Char Top Half 17
2 Rye 125 6 Tight Rick - K #3 Char Bottom Half 17
3 Rye 125 6 Tight Rick - K # 4 Char Top Half 16
4 Rye 125 6 Tight Rick - K # 4 Char Bottom Half 16
5 Rye 125 6 Tight Concrete - L #3 Char Top Half 17
6 Rye 125 6 Tight Concrete - L #3 Char Bottom Half 17
7 Rye 125 6 Tight Concrete - L # 4 Char Top Half 15
8 Rye 125 6 Tight Concrete - L # 4 Char Bottom Half 15
9 Rye 125 12 Tight Rick - K #3 Char Top Half 16
10 Rye 125 12 Tight Rick - K #3 Char Bottom Half 16
11 Rye 125 12 Tight Rick - K # 4 Char Top Half 17
12 Rye 125 12 Tight Rick - K # 4 Char Bottom Half 17
13 Rye 125 12 Tight Concrete - L #3 Char Top Half 18
14 Rye 125 12 Tight Concrete - L #3 Char Bottom Half 18
15 Rye 125 12 Tight Concrete - L # 4 Char Top Half 20
16 Rye 125 12 Tight Concrete - L # 4 Char Bottom Half 20
17 Rye 105 6 Tight Rick - K #3 Char Top Half 16
18 Rye 105 6 Tight Rick - K #3 Char Bottom Half 16
19 Rye 105 6 Tight Rick - K # 4 Char Top Half 17
20 Rye 105 6 Tight Rick - K # 4 Char Bottom Half 17
21 Rye 105 6 Tight Concrete - L #3 Char Top Half 17
22 Rye 105 6 Tight Concrete - L #3 Char Bottom Half 17
23 Rye 105 6 Tight Concrete - L # 4 Char Top Half 18
24 Rye 105 6 Tight Concrete - L # 4 Char Bottom Half 18
25 Rye 105 12 Tight Rick - K #3 Char Top Half 16
26 Rye 105 12 Tight Rick - K #3 Char Bottom Half 16
27 Rye 105 12 Tight Rick - K # 4 Char Top Half 16
28 Rye 105 12 Tight Rick - K # 4 Char Bottom Half 16
29 Rye 105 12 Tight Concrete - L #3 Char Top Half 17
30 Rye 105 12 Tight Concrete - L #3 Char Bottom Half 17
31 Rye 105 12 Tight Concrete - L # 4 Char Top Half 16
32 Rye 105 12 Tight Concrete - L # 4 Char Bottom Half 16
33 Wheat 125 6 Tight Rick - K #3 Char Top Half 19
34 Wheat 125 6 Tight Rick - K #3 Char Bottom Half 19
35 Wheat 125 6 Tight Rick - K # 4 Char Top Half 17
36 Wheat 125 6 Tight Rick - K # 4 Char Bottom Half 17
37 Wheat 125 6 Tight Concrete - L #3 Char Top Half 16
38 Wheat 125 6 Tight Concrete - L #3 Char Bottom Half 16
39 Wheat 125 6 Tight Concrete - L # 4 Char Top Half 18
40 Wheat 125 6 Tight Concrete - L # 4 Char Bottom Half 18
41 Wheat 125 12 Tight Rick - K #3 Char Top Half 20
42 Wheat 125 12 Tight Rick - K #3 Char Bottom Half 20
43 Wheat 125 12 Tight Rick - K # 4 Char Top Half 21
44 Wheat 125 12 Tight Rick - K # 4 Char Bottom Half 21
45 Wheat 125 12 Tight Concrete - L #3 Char Top Half 19
46 Wheat 125 12 Tight Concrete - L #3 Char Bottom Half 19
47 Wheat 125 12 Tight Concrete - L # 4 Char Top Half 17
48 Wheat 125 12 Tight Concrete - L # 4 Char Bottom Half 17
49 Wheat 105 6 Tight Rick - K #3 Char Top Half 17
50 Wheat 105 6 Tight Rick - K #3 Char Bottom Half 17
51 Wheat 105 6 Tight Rick - K # 4 Char Top Half 18
52 Wheat 105 6 Tight Rick - K # 4 Char Bottom Half 18
53 Wheat 105 6 Tight Concrete - L #3 Char Top Half 17
54 Wheat 105 6 Tight Concrete - L #3 Char Bottom Half 17
55 Wheat 105 6 Tight Concrete - L # 4 Char Top Half 16
56 Wheat 105 6 Tight Concrete - L # 4 Char Bottom Half 16
57 Wheat 105 12 Tight Rick - K #3 Char Top Half 17
58 Wheat 105 12 Tight Rick - K #3 Char Bottom Half 17
59 Wheat 105 12 Tight Rick - K # 4 Char Top Half 18
60 Wheat 105 12 Tight Rick - K # 4 Char Bottom Half 18
61 Wheat 105 12 Tight Concrete - L #3 Char Top Half 19
62 Wheat 105 12 Tight Concrete - L #3 Char Bottom Half 19
63 Wheat 105 12 Tight Concrete - L # 4 Char Top Half 17
64 Wheat 105 12 Tight Concrete - L # 4 Char Bottom Half 17
65 Rye 125 6 Average Rick - K #3 Char Top Half 12
66 Rye 125 6 Average Rick - K #3 Char Bottom Half 12
67 Rye 125 6 Average Rick - K # 4 Char Top Half 12
68 Rye 125 6 Average Rick - K # 4 Char Bottom Half 12
69 Rye 125 6 Average Concrete - L #3 Char Top Half 12
70 Rye 125 6 Average Concrete - L #3 Char Bottom Half 12
71 Rye 125 6 Average Concrete - L # 4 Char Top Half 13
72 Rye 125 6 Average Concrete - L # 4 Char Bottom Half 13
73 Rye 125 12 Average Rick - K #3 Char Top Half 11
74 Rye 125 12 Average Rick - K #3 Char Bottom Half 11
75 Rye 125 12 Average Rick - K # 4 Char Top Half 14
76 Rye 125 12 Average Rick - K # 4 Char Bottom Half 14
77 Rye 125 12 Average Concrete - L #3 Char Top Half 13
78 Rye 125 12 Average Concrete - L #3 Char Bottom Half 13
79 Rye 125 12 Average Concrete - L # 4 Char Top Half 13
80 Rye 125 12 Average Concrete - L # 4 Char Bottom Half 13
81 Rye 105 6 Average Rick - K #3 Char Top Half 14
82 Rye 105 6 Average Rick - K #3 Char Bottom Half 14
83 Rye 105 6 Average Rick - K # 4 Char Top Half 14
84 Rye 105 6 Average Rick - K # 4 Char Bottom Half 14
85 Rye 105 6 Average Concrete - L #3 Char Top Half 14
86 Rye 105 6 Average Concrete - L #3 Char Bottom Half 14
87 Rye 105 6 Average Concrete - L # 4 Char Top Half 14
88 Rye 105 6 Average Concrete - L # 4 Char Bottom Half 14
89 Rye 105 12 Average Rick - K #3 Char Top Half 12
90 Rye 105 12 Average Rick - K #3 Char Bottom Half 12
91 Rye 105 12 Average Rick - K # 4 Char Top Half 12
92 Rye 105 12 Average Rick - K # 4 Char Bottom Half 12
93 Rye 105 12 Average Concrete - L #3 Char Top Half 14
94 Rye 105 12 Average Concrete - L #3 Char Bottom Half 14
95 Rye 105 12 Average Concrete - L # 4 Char Top Half 14
96 Rye 105 12 Average Concrete - L # 4 Char Bottom Half 14
97 Wheat 125 6 Average Rick - K #3 Char Top Half 13
98 Wheat 125 6 Average Rick - K #3 Char Bottom Half 13
99 Wheat 125 6 Average Rick - K # 4 Char Top Half 12
100 Wheat 125 6 Average Rick - K # 4 Char Bottom Half 12
101 Wheat 125 6 Average Concrete - L #3 Char Top Half 13
102 Wheat 125 6 Average Concrete - L #3 Char Bottom Half 13
103 Wheat 125 6 Average Concrete - L # 4 Char Top Half 13
104 Wheat 125 6 Average Concrete - L # 4 Char Bottom Half 13
105 Wheat 125 12 Average Rick - K #3 Char Top Half 14
106 Wheat 125 12 Average Rick - K #3 Char Bottom Half 14
107 Wheat 125 12 Average Rick - K # 4 Char Top Half 14
108 Wheat 125 12 Average Rick - K # 4 Char Bottom Half 14
109 Wheat 125 12 Average Concrete - L #3 Char Top Half 12
110 Wheat 125 12 Average Concrete - L #3 Char Bottom Half 12
111 Wheat 125 12 Average Concrete - L # 4 Char Top Half 11
112 Wheat 125 12 Average Concrete - L # 4 Char Bottom Half 11
113 Wheat 105 6 Average Rick - K #3 Char Top Half 13
114 Wheat 105 6 Average Rick - K #3 Char Bottom Half 13
115 Wheat 105 6 Average Rick - K # 4 Char Top Half 12
116 Wheat 105 6 Average Rick - K # 4 Char Bottom Half 12
117 Wheat 105 6 Average Concrete - L #3 Char Top Half 14
118 Wheat 105 6 Average Concrete - L #3 Char Bottom Half 14
119 Wheat 105 6 Average Concrete - L # 4 Char Top Half 12
120 Wheat 105 6 Average Concrete - L # 4 Char Bottom Half 12
121 Wheat 105 12 Average Rick - K #3 Char Top Half 12
122 Wheat 105 12 Average Rick - K #3 Char Bottom Half 12
123 Wheat 105 12 Average Rick - K # 4 Char Top Half 12
124 Wheat 105 12 Average Rick - K # 4 Char Bottom Half 12
125 Wheat 105 12 Average Concrete - L #3 Char Top Half 14
126 Wheat 105 12 Average Concrete - L #3 Char Bottom Half 14
127 Wheat 105 12 Average Concrete - L # 4 Char Top Half 11
128 Wheat 105 12 Average Concrete - L # 4 Char Bottom Half 11
129 Rye 125 6 Coarse Rick - K #3 Char Top Half 7
130 Rye 125 6 Coarse Rick - K #3 Char Bottom Half 7
131 Rye 125 6 Coarse Rick - K # 4 Char Top Half 8
132 Rye 125 6 Coarse Rick - K # 4 Char Bottom Half 8
133 Rye 125 6 Coarse Concrete - L #3 Char Top Half 9
134 Rye 125 6 Coarse Concrete - L #3 Char Bottom Half 9
135 Rye 125 6 Coarse Concrete - L # 4 Char Top Half 9
136 Rye 125 6 Coarse Concrete - L # 4 Char Bottom Half 9
137 Rye 125 12 Coarse Rick - K #3 Char Top Half 10
138 Rye 125 12 Coarse Rick - K #3 Char Bottom Half 10
139 Rye 125 12 Coarse Rick - K # 4 Char Top Half 10
140 Rye 125 12 Coarse Rick - K # 4 Char Bottom Half 10
141 Rye 125 12 Coarse Concrete - L #3 Char Top Half 8
142 Rye 125 12 Coarse Concrete - L #3 Char Bottom Half 8
143 Rye 125 12 Coarse Concrete - L # 4 Char Top Half 9
144 Rye 125 12 Coarse Concrete - L # 4 Char Bottom Half 9
145 Rye 105 6 Coarse Rick - K #3 Char Top Half 10
146 Rye 105 6 Coarse Rick - K #3 Char Bottom Half 10
147 Rye 105 6 Coarse Rick - K # 4 Char Top Half 9
148 Rye 105 6 Coarse Rick - K # 4 Char Bottom Half 9
149 Rye 105 6 Coarse Concrete - L #3 Char Top Half 9
150 Rye 105 6 Coarse Concrete - L #3 Char Bottom Half 9
151 Rye 105 6 Coarse Concrete - L # 4 Char Top Half 9
152 Rye 105 6 Coarse Concrete - L # 4 Char Bottom Half 9
153 Rye 105 12 Coarse Rick - K #3 Char Top Half 10
154 Rye 105 12 Coarse Rick - K #3 Char Bottom Half 10
155 Rye 105 12 Coarse Rick - K # 4 Char Top Half 9
156 Rye 105 12 Coarse Rick - K # 4 Char Bottom Half 9
157 Rye 105 12 Coarse Concrete - L #3 Char Top Half 9
158 Rye 105 12 Coarse Concrete - L #3 Char Bottom Half 9
159 Rye 105 12 Coarse Concrete - L # 4 Char Top Half 8
160 Rye 105 12 Coarse Concrete - L # 4 Char Bottom Half 8
161 Wheat 125 6 Coarse Rick - K #3 Char Top Half 9
162 Wheat 125 6 Coarse Rick - K #3 Char Bottom Half 9
163 Wheat 125 6 Coarse Rick - K # 4 Char Top Half 9
164 Wheat 125 6 Coarse Rick - K # 4 Char Bottom Half 9
165 Wheat 125 6 Coarse Concrete - L #3 Char Top Half 8
166 Wheat 125 6 Coarse Concrete - L #3 Char Bottom Half 8
167 Wheat 125 6 Coarse Concrete - L # 4 Char Bottom Half 8
168 Wheat 125 6 Coarse Concrete - L # 4 Char Top Half 8
169 Wheat 125 12 Coarse Rick - K #3 Char Top Half 7
170 Wheat 125 12 Coarse Rick - K #3 Char Bottom Half 7
171 Wheat 125 12 Coarse Rick - K # 4 Char Top Half 9
172 Wheat 125 12 Coarse Rick - K # 4 Char Bottom Half 9
173 Wheat 125 12 Coarse Concrete - L #3 Char Top Half 9
174 Wheat 125 12 Coarse Concrete - L #3 Char Bottom Half 9
175 Wheat 125 12 Coarse Concrete - L # 4 Char Top Half 10
176 Wheat 125 12 Coarse Concrete - L # 4 Char Bottom Half 10
177 Wheat 105 6 Coarse Rick - K #3 Char Top Half 8
178 Wheat 105 6 Coarse Rick - K #3 Char Bottom Half 8
179 Wheat 105 6 Coarse Rick - K # 4 Char Top Half 10
180 Wheat 105 6 Coarse Rick - K # 4 Char Bottom Half 10
181 Wheat 105 6 Coarse Concrete - L #3 Char Top Half 9
182 Wheat 105 6 Coarse Concrete - L #3 Char Bottom Half 9
183 Wheat 105 6 Coarse Concrete - L # 4 Char Top Half 9
184 Wheat 105 6 Coarse Concrete - L # 4 Char Bottom Half 9
185 Wheat 105 12 Coarse Rick - K #3 Char Top Half 8
186 Wheat 105 12 Coarse Rick - K #3 Char Bottom Half 8
187 Wheat 105 12 Coarse Rick - K # 4 Char Top Half 10
188 Wheat 105 12 Coarse Rick - K # 4 Char Bottom Half 10
189 Wheat 105 12 Coarse Concrete - L #3 Char Top Half 8
190 Wheat 105 12 Coarse Concrete - L #3 Char Bottom Half 8
191 Wheat 105 12 Coarse Concrete - L # 4 Char Top Half 7
192 Wheat 105 12 Coarse Concrete - L # 4 Char Bottom Half 7
In honor of Ronnie Eddins and Leonard Riddle
After 4 years, 16 releases, 192 different bourbons and 5,086 whiskey reviews…the winner is

Barrel #80

The Single Oak Project bourbon aged in barrel #80 was rye recipe bourbon, entered into a barrel made from oak harvested from the bottom half of the tree with staves seasoned for 12 months. The grain size of the wood was considered average and the barrel received a number four char inside. The whiskey entered the barrel at 125 proof and was aged in a concrete floor warehouse.

We are now making plans to start producing the winning formula from Barrel #80, for future batches of Single Oak Bourbon. The oak must be harvested, staves dried for 12 months, and then the bourbon must be aged for eight years. Mark your calendars for the year 2025!

"The knowledge gained from conducting this research experiment is priceless," stated Mark Brown, president and chief executive officer of Buffalo Trace Distillery. "We can now compare and confirm how each of these variables in the bourbon making process affects the finished product, which will only refine our experimental program and help us create even better whiskeys in the future."

Many thanks to all the whiskey enthusiasts who have participated. Although the winner has been determined, please continue evaluating these whiskeys. After each review, you will see all the “DNA” of each particular bourbon and gain a better understanding of your taste preferences. You can read more about the Single Oak Project results here.

"This year they concluded their extraordinary experiment, by far the most important commercially undertaken in whisk(e)y history…. Picking out the differences was almost certainly the most fascinating project of a career covering a quarter of a century."
– Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2016 Close