Lew Bryson tipped us that the thinkers at Buffalo Trace were experimenting with different whiskeys. Bryson recalls vaguely that a Buffalo Trace worker mentioned they were using some barrels made of Mongolian Oak.

Why Mongolian Oak you ask? “It’s a really unique proposition and something that hasn’t been tried before,” commented [Master Distiller, Harlen] Wheatley. “We love to try new and innovative things and this one was on our list. We can’t wait to see how it turns out eight or ten years down the road.”
Not only are these barrels new and innovative, they are also expensive. Ten barrels have been put away for aging at a cost of $530 each—about four times the cost of an American White Oak barrel.

Bryson explains after a year of coordinating the effort, the barrels were made from wood located in Spain who then chose the Independent Stave Company, a cooperage with worldwide barrel distribution, to finish the barrels.

The barrels received a #4 char—about 55 seconds—and will be filled with Buffalo Trace mash bill #1. This is the same recipe which is used for Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.

Bryson says that Buffalo Trace isn’t referring to the spirits as Bourbon, because traditional Bourbon barrels are white oak.  Buffalo Trace is just being coy. Bourbon comes from Oak Barrels (period.)