This is a direct producer-practice example of choosing barrel treatment in response to a known sensory or grain-derived characteristic of the incoming distillate.
Named producer testimony embedded in an ISC promotional article.
Old Pogue distiller John Pogue says char #4 has been used for the company’s premium bourbons since production resumed in Maysville in 2012 because its balance of oak and sweetness complements the bold rye-secondary-grain character of the new make.
ISC webpage lines 28–31
Old Pogue quotation, article lines 28–31
Old Pogue practitioner perspective
Speaker, role, production date, barrel type, rationale, and locator checked against the public page on 2026-08-25. The quote was paraphrased.
Passage
Old Pogue distiller John Pogue says char #4 has been used for the company’s premium bourbons since production resumed in Maysville in 2012 because its balance of oak and sweetness complements the bold rye-secondary-grain character of the new make.
Provenance
- Source section: Old Pogue practitioner perspective
- Locator: Article lines 28–31
- Type: Paraphrase of named testimony
- Verification: Speaker, role, production date, barrel type, rationale, and locator checked on 2026-08-25.
Context and annotation
This is a producer-practice example of selecting barrel treatment in response to a known characteristic of the incoming distillate. It establishes Old Pogue’s rationale, not a universal rule.[1]