We have expanded the use of plugs for barrels: from wine to liquors
Up to now our Nortap™ silicone plugs have been used in barrels designed to store wine and a considerable number of wine cellars have already placed their trust in our quality. However, we have begun marketing silicone plugs for barrels for liquors (such as whiskey) in 2019.
There is no written norm, but the size of the barrel generally depends on the use in question. Small barrels are ideal for liquors such as brandy; medium-size barrels are normally used for white and rosé wine; while large barrels are the most common choice for red wine.
Whatever the size and the “liquid” (wine, liquor, cider…) stored in the barrels, our plugs are 100% guaranteed NOT to transfer any smell or taste to the product. Made of silicone (VMQ40), they fit the mouth of each barrel perfectly, ensuring nothing comes out and nothing gets in, thereby guaranteeing the liquor or wine production process follows its natural course without any undesirable alterations.
Nortap™ silicone plugs comply with all the requirements defined by the BfR, are FDA-compliant and, as already mentioned, do not transmit any substances whatsoever. It is the wood of the barrels that, on drawing in the water from the wine or liquor, helps create a thicker and more concentrated end product with a flavor that can only be obtained by the wine or liquor being processed in the barrel.
When the liquor (cognac, whiskey, brandy, rum…) makes contact with the wood, it absorbs its tannins, flavor and even colour. On making contact with the oxygen, its chemical composition mutates, and it acquires new nuances that will soon set it apart from other liquors.
Oak (French or American) barrels are the best known, but other kinds of wood such as cherry, spruce, elm and acacia are also used. The same can be said for barrel plugs, as although the most common are white or oak coloured, an increasing number of wine cellars and cooperages are choosing to give their plugs a touch of colour and a corporate finish.
If your business consists of the production of cognac, brandy, rum, whiskey or any other liquor, and you would like to try out our plugs, please contact us. In addition to our standard plugs, we can manufacture tailor-made plugs in whatever colour you want and bearing your logo or vintage.