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Distillery glossary
Char Level
Char level describes how deeply the inside of an oak barrel has been burned, graded roughly from #1 (light, about 15 seconds) to #4 (the heavy alligator char, about 55 seconds). It strongly shapes color and flavor.
Charring caramelizes wood sugars and creates a layer of active carbon that filters the spirit and adds color, vanilla, and caramel notes. A #4 char is common for bourbon. Because char level affects extraction and the angel's share differently, recording it per barrel helps explain variation across an aging population.
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