system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
What is it about oak that makes it the choice for distillers to age their liquors in barrels made out of it?
gpt
It has a flavour that is not overbearing as well as contributing flavour compounds that can taste like cinnamon, clove, honey, vanilla .etc that other woods would otherwise have not enough of or would otherwise be too overbearing and would take away from the beverage being aged. The charring of oak in the cooperage of barrels also creates many more flavour compounds (the cinnamon and nutmeg notes especially) as well as caramelized sugars that are present in the wood. Oak is just the goldilocks of wood when it comes to aging spirits, wines, or beers. Cherry has too much flavour to it and maple would be too sweet and light. Oak has the right balance.