// innovation + expertise //
The cornerstone
of our success
We are oak experts dedicated to learning all there is to know about the relationship between oak and spirits. Our global R&D teams conduct experiments to unlock the flavors waiting in the oak and partner with distillers to create new cooperage products that push the industry forward.
Our experimental whiskey library demonstrates how the controllable organoleptic factors of the barrel (oak species, grain, seasoning, heat treatment, etc) can influence a distillate.
Using the library, we developed tasting kits designed to assist customers in fine-tuning their barrel choices.
// customer driven //
Product & Process Innovation
We focus on both product and process innovation to create unique barrel solutions.
Our research and development team works closely with our in-house engineering division to design and build proprietary, computer-controlled equipment that is utilized in our production processes.
Chemical & Sensory Evaluation
We conduct chemical and sensory evaluation on current and potential new products. Using UV-Vis, GC-MS, and HPLC equipment, we analyze product attributes, quality, and consistency with immediate results.
In addition, sensory panels are conducted over the life each experiment to give our researchers additional qualitative and quantitative data.
Global Research Centers
Learn from our Experts
Do you have a question or would like to learn more?
Email our Director of Spirit Research and Innovation, Andrew Wiehebrink.
Take a look at our recent experiment posts.
09.25.24European Oak – Exceptional Flavor, Exceptional Value
ISC sources oak logs from all over the world to make our world class spirit…
09.11.24A Barrel Journey: How New Riff Distilling Perfected Their Barrel Maturation
ISC has been dedicated to our customers’ success for over one hundred years. As oak…
07.18.24A Lesson in Heat Transfer
“Assume a spherical cow” Before I came to ISC to study spirit maturation, I was…
06.06.24First Barrel Experiment Rolls into the Boswell Family Warehouse
Over the next four years, students at the University of Kentucky will be able to…
03.20.24A New Journey Begins with a Barrel Fill
The James B. Beam Institute at the University of Kentucky hosted their 5th annual industry…
01.11.24Oak 101: Seasoning and Its Impact on Flavor Development
Oak staves and heading should be seasoned for a minimum of 3-to-6-months, but the real…
11.16.23Esters: The Unsung Heroes of The Single Barrel
Esters are fascinating little compounds in the sense that they are responsible for some of…
06.29.23Update – Warehouse Experiment
Update on our 2019 warehouse maturation experiment…
06.15.23Product Spotlight – Cooper’s Select
Read about how ISC Barrels helped one company bring a new luxury American Single Malt…
05.04.23Climate Study
Visit a distillery anywhere in the world and you’ll likely hear your tour guide talk…
11.29.22The Lifecycle of an Experiment
At Independent Stave Company, we feel it is necessary to be on the forefront of…
10.17.22Experimental Whiskey Library Expansion
Have we been busy at the ISC Research Center? Indeed, we have! Our experimental barrel…
08.12.22Sensory Evaluation for Aging Spirits
Sensory evaluation is one of the best parts of my job. It is as enjoyable…
07.01.22Extractive Concentration Changes During Maturation
Our last post about aging whiskey on different levels of a warehouse sparked some questions…
05.06.22Warehouse Experiment
Whiskey barrel warehouses come in a variety of different styles and configurations. Palletized, dunnage, traditional…
10.26.21Char Level and Double Barreling
As coopers, we are often asked about the different char levels. Mainly, “Why are the…
07.20.21An Experiment in Barrel Size
Guest Post by Nathen Gabriel, Balcones Distilling. In 2009, Balcones Distilling released the first Texas…
04.09.20A Peek at Our ACSA Presentation on Blending
If you read the recent blog post about the Small Batch Toasted Barrels, you knew…
09.23.19Wave Stave Experiment Results
A little over four years ago, we began to experiment with a barrel now known…
12.07.18Studying Maturation Dynamics with our Environmental Chamber
At Kentucky Research Center, most of our efforts are geared towards sensory analysis, customer product…