Friday, February 13, 4-6pm
Saturday, February 14th Noon-4pm
At the (In)Famous Bar
Inside The Wine and Cheese Place - Clayton
7435 Forsyth Blvd, Clayton, MO 63105
Chinquapin oak (Quercus Muehlenbergii) is a North American white oak variant increasingly used for specialty whiskey maturation due to its high vanillin content and dense grain, It offers a complex alternative to standard oak, producing a bold,, often higher-proof, and intensely flavored whiskey. Because Chinquapin oak trees do not grow straight and are found on rough terrain, they are rarer, more expensive, and harder to cooper into barrels compared to standard white oak. Known for delivering intense notes of vanilla, crème brûlée, toasted oak, chocolate, coffee, and sometimes a hint of smokiness. While high in tannins, proper seasoning (sometimes for 2+ years) softens them, creating a rich,structured mouthfeel.
We are featuring three great whiskies that are fully matured in the Missouri Chinquapin cask. Come by and taste the difference!!
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Heaven Hill Grain to Glass WHEATED Bourbon Chinquapin...$115.99
Compare to $124.99 at Total Wine and More (price checked 1/22/26)
Kentucky Straight WHEATED BOURBON Whiskey
Limited Edition Specialty Barrel Series
Chinquapin Oak
2025 Release
7 Years Old
105 proof
The Heaven Hill Grain to Glass Specialty Barrel Series builds on the foundation of our traditional lineup while exploring how oak transforms whiskey. Using the same trusted Wheated Bourbon mashbill and Beck’s Hybrids corn seed varietals, this series ages in a unique barrel type selected annually by our Master Distiller in partnership with Independent Stave Company.
For 2025, our Kentucky Straight Wheated Bourbon was aged seven years in Chinquapin oak, a rare Missouri-grown white oak chosen to amplify depth and complexity. Bottled at 105 proof, it showcases the familiar Grain to Glass foundation with an entirely new flavor dimension, including notes of butterscotch, oak, and black pepper.
Isle of Raasay Na Sia Single Cask Series Chinkapin Oak Cask...$119.99
Peated
5 Years
61.7% ABV
Na Sia Single Cask Bottlings demonstrates our six unique Isle of Raasay Single Malt recipe casks. Virgin Chinkapin Oak Single Cask Bottling. Freshly charred and toasted, these custom made Chinkapin, or Quercus Muehlenbergii American white oak casks are a type of oak native to central and eastern North America. The fresh charring of the cask brings a rich colour and flavour early on in the maturation process, and the high toast caramelises the natural sugars in the wood. Expect sweet toffee and butterscotch on the nose, with vibrant dark fruit flavours and deep, rich colours at a young age. Released every 2 years as a peated and unpeated spirit.
Meikle Toir 5 Year Old Single Malt The Chinquapin One...$69.99 / 700ml
Produced, aged, and bottled, by the Glenallachie Distillery
Coming in at 35 PPM, the whisky has a sweeter style of smoke character owing to the mainland peat from St. Fergus used to kiln the barley. After a lengthy 160-hour fermentation, the whisky has a complex character which stands up well to ageing in virgin oak casks.
Nose: Smoldering oak embers, burnt liquorice and honey, with ginger, butterscotch and orange peel.
Taste: Cocoa, crème brûlée and toasted almonds, with cinnamon, aniseed and campfire smoke.
